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The Boy Who Knew Too Much: An Astounding True Story of a Young Boy's Past-Life Memories
This is a powerful and inspirational story about a young baseball prodigy who, at the age of two, began sharing vivid memories of being a baseball player in the 1920s and ’30s. Christian Haupt described historical facts about Lou Gehrig that he could not have possibly known at the time.
Distraught by their son's uncanny revelations, his parents embarked on a sacred journey of discovery that shook their beliefs to the core and forever changed their views on life and death.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much delves into the mystery of life and will inspire even the greatest skeptics to consider the possibility that love never dies.
“A riveting tale of a talented young boy with a love for the game and the natural talent to go along with it. More importantly, it is a story of how a mother’s love can defy all logic and move mountains. Cathy Byrd is one heck of a baseball mom and a true advocate for all children.” — Tommy Lasorda, Baseball Hall of Fame Manager (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Distraught by their son's uncanny revelations, his parents embarked on a sacred journey of discovery that shook their beliefs to the core and forever changed their views on life and death.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much delves into the mystery of life and will inspire even the greatest skeptics to consider the possibility that love never dies.
“A riveting tale of a talented young boy with a love for the game and the natural talent to go along with it. More importantly, it is a story of how a mother’s love can defy all logic and move mountains. Cathy Byrd is one heck of a baseball mom and a true advocate for all children.” — Tommy Lasorda, Baseball Hall of Fame Manager (Los Angeles Dodgers)
256 pages, Hardcover
Published March 21, 2017
568 people are currently reading
1563 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Byrd
8 books13 followersBook Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2tO...
Cathy Byrd is the author of the book "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," which will be released by Hay House on March 21, 2017. The movie rights for this remarkable story have recently been purchased by 20th Century Fox and producer DeVon Franklin who created the movies "Heaven is for Real" and "Miracles from Heaven." Cathy is a residential real estate broker and mother of two young children who never had aspirations of becoming a writer until her two-year-old son began sharing memories of being a baseball player in the 1920s and ‘30s. What makes this story even more fascinating is that Byrd’s son Christian Haupt has been touted by the international media as being a baseball prodigy since the age of two when he was discovered on YouTube by Adam Sandler for a baseball-playing cameo role in the movie "That’s My Boy." Shortly after his fourth birthday, Christian became the youngest person to ever throw a ceremonial first pitch at a Major League baseball game and his YouTube baseball videos have now been viewed by more than 15 million people. Christian’s case has been studied by Dr. Jim Tucker from the University of Virginia Medical School department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. Dr. Tucker has continued the research on children’s past-life memories that was originally started by Dr. Ian Stevenson in 1967. The University of Virginia now has over 2,500 documented cases of children who remember past lives on file.
A Southern California native, Cathy received her B.A. from UCLA and her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. The most likely place to find Cathy in her free time is at a youth baseball field. http://www.cathy-byrd.com
Cathy Byrd is the author of the book "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," which will be released by Hay House on March 21, 2017. The movie rights for this remarkable story have recently been purchased by 20th Century Fox and producer DeVon Franklin who created the movies "Heaven is for Real" and "Miracles from Heaven." Cathy is a residential real estate broker and mother of two young children who never had aspirations of becoming a writer until her two-year-old son began sharing memories of being a baseball player in the 1920s and ‘30s. What makes this story even more fascinating is that Byrd’s son Christian Haupt has been touted by the international media as being a baseball prodigy since the age of two when he was discovered on YouTube by Adam Sandler for a baseball-playing cameo role in the movie "That’s My Boy." Shortly after his fourth birthday, Christian became the youngest person to ever throw a ceremonial first pitch at a Major League baseball game and his YouTube baseball videos have now been viewed by more than 15 million people. Christian’s case has been studied by Dr. Jim Tucker from the University of Virginia Medical School department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. Dr. Tucker has continued the research on children’s past-life memories that was originally started by Dr. Ian Stevenson in 1967. The University of Virginia now has over 2,500 documented cases of children who remember past lives on file.
A Southern California native, Cathy received her B.A. from UCLA and her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. The most likely place to find Cathy in her free time is at a youth baseball field. http://www.cathy-byrd.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
April 27, 2017
This was an interesting book and I do believe in past lives, however, I found Cathy Byrd to be a media whore. I thought the parts about her son's talent and past life fascinating, but the shift to the self-centered, me me me and constant name dropping highly annoying.
June 16, 2017
How To Make Money Exploiting Your Kid.
1. Have a kid.
2. Heavily encourage him to play baseball to the point of allowing him to break glasses and dishes while batting the ball INSIDE your home.
3. Put video of your toddler playing baseball on Youtube and wait for Adam Sandler to call, seeking him for a bit part in a movie. Gain street cred this way.
4. Listen for the kid to babble things that most 3-year-olds say and believe those babblings are from his previous life - preferably the life of one of the better baseball players of all time.
5. Realize you are the reincarnated mother of said better baseball player.
6. Say you are glad your youngster will "grow out" of the reincarnation memories as he gets older.
7. Write a book about those reincarnation memories (both his and yours) so no one will ever, ever forget about it.
8. Broker a movie deal in case someone out there has not read the book.
This could have been an interesting book. Baseball and the concept of reincarnation. But Cathy Byrd has turned what could have been an intriguing thought into a lamely-written diary of herself. Granted, she may not be a well-experienced writer, but she resorts to too many cliches in describing things. Toward the end of the book, she said she returned to Cooperstown, N.Y., to finish the book, spending "10-16 hours a day" writing for a month. If she spent even 300 hours writing and editing, surely she'd clean up the prose
She also drops names galore. She hangs with Magic Johnson and former Dodgers coach Tommy Lasorda is her son's "uncle." She meets everyone and she lets us all know about those encounters. At one point, she tries to relate with the rest of us who live with lesser means, saying something was way too expensive for her to buy. Then, she writes of buying season tickets to Dodgers games because her 3-year-old likes baseball. She must have a buttload of expendable income.
The book's premise is the kid who knows a lot of stuff about Lou Gehrig's life. Some of it is interesting. About 4 pages worth. However, the book is 227 pages long. The realization that she was Christina Gehrig, Lou's mother, in a previous life is way beyond any belief. She includes a long session with a hypnotist who brings out memories of her previous life. "The Boy Who Knew Too Much"? How about, "The Mom Who Focused On Herself Too Much."
Some people will say it's an amazing, inspirational story Cathy Byrd is telling. Some will offer that her tale makes people think about reincarnation in a new way. Cute kid remembers fighting with Babe Ruth and can pick out the coach in a 1927 Yankees' photo. I think it's an egotistical way of exploiting your family and making bucks while doing it. Notice how the husband plays a very, very secondary role in this story because he doesn't really believe in it. As long as the checks are coming in, I guess it's okay.
I know if I was reincarnated, I'd not have the luck of being someone famous in a previous life. I'd be some minor league player who lasted in the big leagues maybe two years before becoming a shoe salesman. If there is reincarnation, I hope I come back as Byrd's editor for her next book when the kid begins playing sports in school and later college and realizes he is Gehrig once again.
1. Have a kid.
2. Heavily encourage him to play baseball to the point of allowing him to break glasses and dishes while batting the ball INSIDE your home.
3. Put video of your toddler playing baseball on Youtube and wait for Adam Sandler to call, seeking him for a bit part in a movie. Gain street cred this way.
4. Listen for the kid to babble things that most 3-year-olds say and believe those babblings are from his previous life - preferably the life of one of the better baseball players of all time.
5. Realize you are the reincarnated mother of said better baseball player.
6. Say you are glad your youngster will "grow out" of the reincarnation memories as he gets older.
7. Write a book about those reincarnation memories (both his and yours) so no one will ever, ever forget about it.
8. Broker a movie deal in case someone out there has not read the book.
This could have been an interesting book. Baseball and the concept of reincarnation. But Cathy Byrd has turned what could have been an intriguing thought into a lamely-written diary of herself. Granted, she may not be a well-experienced writer, but she resorts to too many cliches in describing things. Toward the end of the book, she said she returned to Cooperstown, N.Y., to finish the book, spending "10-16 hours a day" writing for a month. If she spent even 300 hours writing and editing, surely she'd clean up the prose
She also drops names galore. She hangs with Magic Johnson and former Dodgers coach Tommy Lasorda is her son's "uncle." She meets everyone and she lets us all know about those encounters. At one point, she tries to relate with the rest of us who live with lesser means, saying something was way too expensive for her to buy. Then, she writes of buying season tickets to Dodgers games because her 3-year-old likes baseball. She must have a buttload of expendable income.
The book's premise is the kid who knows a lot of stuff about Lou Gehrig's life. Some of it is interesting. About 4 pages worth. However, the book is 227 pages long. The realization that she was Christina Gehrig, Lou's mother, in a previous life is way beyond any belief. She includes a long session with a hypnotist who brings out memories of her previous life. "The Boy Who Knew Too Much"? How about, "The Mom Who Focused On Herself Too Much."
Some people will say it's an amazing, inspirational story Cathy Byrd is telling. Some will offer that her tale makes people think about reincarnation in a new way. Cute kid remembers fighting with Babe Ruth and can pick out the coach in a 1927 Yankees' photo. I think it's an egotistical way of exploiting your family and making bucks while doing it. Notice how the husband plays a very, very secondary role in this story because he doesn't really believe in it. As long as the checks are coming in, I guess it's okay.
I know if I was reincarnated, I'd not have the luck of being someone famous in a previous life. I'd be some minor league player who lasted in the big leagues maybe two years before becoming a shoe salesman. If there is reincarnation, I hope I come back as Byrd's editor for her next book when the kid begins playing sports in school and later college and realizes he is Gehrig once again.
May 12, 2017
Dumb. I couldn't get past the mother pimping out her kid and all of the name dropping. I want to hear the dads side of this contrived story.
July 23, 2017
Had this book actually been about a boy who shared unbelievable details about a famous baseball player who lived a century ago, I would have rated this higher. Those small portions of the book, and the information given by the doctors who work in this field, were quite interesting. I kept hoping the author would take us back to those relevant stories.
Instead, this book is a tale of a narcissist mother who seems to be looking for attention any way she can get it - even by exploiting her children. The amount of flagrant name dropping here is cringeworthy. The me-me-me-look-at-me tone through this book is annoying, and embarrassing.
I'd love to learn more about the boy, Christian - who by all accounts is a real baseball prodigy. But if I have to hear one more sentence from his mother, no thanks. It's apparent even her husband wants very little to do with her nonsense. Such a shame - maybe get someone else to write this story? Certainly don't let the miter near the movie production!
Instead, this book is a tale of a narcissist mother who seems to be looking for attention any way she can get it - even by exploiting her children. The amount of flagrant name dropping here is cringeworthy. The me-me-me-look-at-me tone through this book is annoying, and embarrassing.
I'd love to learn more about the boy, Christian - who by all accounts is a real baseball prodigy. But if I have to hear one more sentence from his mother, no thanks. It's apparent even her husband wants very little to do with her nonsense. Such a shame - maybe get someone else to write this story? Certainly don't let the miter near the movie production!
March 26, 2017
Not so much about a boy.
I felt this story was a thinly veiled story about Cathy. It would appear she had plenty of opportunity to gather info about sport figures. It may have been more believable without all the name dropping. I wish Christian luck with whatever path he chooses. I would not recommend this book for the hyped mysticism, which I found totally lacking.
I felt this story was a thinly veiled story about Cathy. It would appear she had plenty of opportunity to gather info about sport figures. It may have been more believable without all the name dropping. I wish Christian luck with whatever path he chooses. I would not recommend this book for the hyped mysticism, which I found totally lacking.
August 12, 2017
I really don't even know how to rate or review this. I liked the parts about past life regression in regards to Christian. They were just parts. But his mother's constant name dropping, battle with religion, self promotion, and supposed past life connection with Lou Gherig's mother. She writes her husband to come off like a jerk, so much so that I wound up not liking him.
There should have been more about Christian, and his tidbits of information. What was shared was fascinating. I'd have liked the book to focus on that more.
There should have been more about Christian, and his tidbits of information. What was shared was fascinating. I'd have liked the book to focus on that more.
September 14, 2017
The true story of a young boy born with an uncanny amount of knowledge about baseball. Christian Haupt began telling his mother of his past life as a baseball player at the very young age of 2. He knew things that he should not have known: details of traveling on trains in the 1920's and 30's, he talked of his extreme dislike of Babe Ruth (I won't say why here as it's a spoiler), and correctly identified people in photos he could not have known in this lifetime. An excellent book that will leave you thinking long after the last page is turned.
March 28, 2019
The full title of this book is The Boy Who Knew Too Much: An Astounding True Story of a Young Boy’s Past-Life Memories - a bit misleading in that much of the book details the past-life memories of Cathy Byrd, the author of this book and the mother of the ‘young boy’.
The book is non-fiction, ergo a factual representation of reincarnation. The boy is the reincarnation of Lou Gehrig - Byrd the reincarnation of Christina Gehrig, Lou’s mother.
Pros: There are many ‘what-if’ scenarios for the believer and skeptic alike. Reincarnation is considered a reality by far more people than one would think - a few billion … many more believe than dis-believe. There are many details in this story that are difficult to debunk and hard to answer in any way other than a past-life. Easy to believe.
Cons: The ‘stage mother’ comes to mind in Byrd’s behavior several times and in the overall presentation of this book. On the one hand, she indicates a desperate desire for her son to be a normal boy. A few chapters later she’s dragging the kid to Lou Gehrig’s childhood home, Cooperstown, chasing down her own reincarnation as Gehrig’s mother, and encouraging his child-memories. The book comes across as a media hog self-indulgently taking advantage of her son. Criticism is also given for Byrd’s lack of detail regarding her own hypnotic vulnerability - she falls into her previous life immediately - also, the name-dropping is a bit overdone and annoying.
These comments are from a person with a very open mind to the possibility of reincarnation. However, with The Boy Who Knew Too Much, my cons stretch the credibility of the entire book and for these reasons, I disliked it. You may find it peachy.
The book is non-fiction, ergo a factual representation of reincarnation. The boy is the reincarnation of Lou Gehrig - Byrd the reincarnation of Christina Gehrig, Lou’s mother.
Pros: There are many ‘what-if’ scenarios for the believer and skeptic alike. Reincarnation is considered a reality by far more people than one would think - a few billion … many more believe than dis-believe. There are many details in this story that are difficult to debunk and hard to answer in any way other than a past-life. Easy to believe.
Cons: The ‘stage mother’ comes to mind in Byrd’s behavior several times and in the overall presentation of this book. On the one hand, she indicates a desperate desire for her son to be a normal boy. A few chapters later she’s dragging the kid to Lou Gehrig’s childhood home, Cooperstown, chasing down her own reincarnation as Gehrig’s mother, and encouraging his child-memories. The book comes across as a media hog self-indulgently taking advantage of her son. Criticism is also given for Byrd’s lack of detail regarding her own hypnotic vulnerability - she falls into her previous life immediately - also, the name-dropping is a bit overdone and annoying.
These comments are from a person with a very open mind to the possibility of reincarnation. However, with The Boy Who Knew Too Much, my cons stretch the credibility of the entire book and for these reasons, I disliked it. You may find it peachy.
July 1, 2017
This was a setup, exploit your child. He was exposed to t-ball. Then, get him to start playing ball, do a Youtube video, hoping he would be discovered. Look and find someone who your child vaguely resembles. Add in that, you are his mother in a past life also.
Kid gets a part in a movie, more money for you.
Write a book, make more money.
I believe in reincarnation, but your story, is like a fairy tale. I DO not care, that you supposedly had some famous doctor examine him, and that you were hypnotized.
Shame on you!
Kid gets a part in a movie, more money for you.
Write a book, make more money.
I believe in reincarnation, but your story, is like a fairy tale. I DO not care, that you supposedly had some famous doctor examine him, and that you were hypnotized.
Shame on you!
July 9, 2017
Cathy Byrd has written a heartwarming, soulful book about a mother's love for her son as she explores his treasure box of memories of his past life as baseball star Lou Gehrig. Any story about past lives requires a leap of faith for most of us. By explaining how each detail of her son Christian's past life was carefully gathered and by allowing us to ride along with her on every important step of this journey, Cathy gives us all the gift of possibility that there is something beyond this physical earth and this physical body that we live in. Mostly, I admire Cathy's parenting style. She has so much faith in her children that she pursued this difficult course in order to help her son transition through what could have been a traumatic experience if handled with doubt or a lack of support. Instead, she takes this on as her responsibility so that her son can integrate his past life with his present life and develop as a whole and healthy child. Telling this story took a great deal of courage and I admire Cathy's decision to take on this hero's journey and share it with the world. Kudos!
April 11, 2018
Cathy Byrd, you should be a shame of yourself tricking people into believing in your lies! You're lying and you know it. There's no way your boy would say any of these things to you, seriously, you're the true mastermind behind all of this not your son. I've watched a interview about you on The Doctors, and I got to say, you're such a darn liar. While watching the interview I heard you said something like this, " When he was about six years old he said mommy GOD gave me a new brain, now it's hard for me to remember it." No evidence to prove that whatsoever. I bet you research everything about Babe Ruth, or whoever, and wrote it in the book. I also believe you were inspired by past life stories that were going around since 2004 or 2010. Anyway, parents like you always admit that their child claim that God was involve in this. So don't bring up crap up like this "I don't believe in past life", "I'm Skeptical" or say "The concept of reincarnation was diametrically opposed to my rational thoughts and my religious beliefs, yet my heart was telling me not to ignore what Christian was so desperately trying to tell me.” Scientist proves that all your memories, and everything that defines who you are is stored inside of the physical brain. So when you die, your memories and everything that defines you dies too. There's is no reincarnation ( or any other afterlife) and there are no gods either. All you did was create a nice fantasy story for gullible people about a innocent baseball player who died back in the 1930's. That's all. If I was related to Babe Ruth, I'll tell people everything I know about him to prove this story is a fairytale. P.S By the time your son hits his adulthood I hope he'll be smart enough to tell the truth that his mother was just a lying cheapskate seeking for attention. Drop the act, Cathy Byrd!
August 1, 2017
First off, may I correct this listing to say the author, and mother of the subject, is Cathy Byrd. (spelling)
This was a fascinating book about reincarnation or as the author says past-life memories. It provided many statistical details about young children remembering previous lives, usually from ages 2-6. It was a subject that she thoroughly researched as she wrestled with accepting it and how that fit into her Christian faith. It was a chronological account of her son's revelation that when he was big, he didn't wear seatbelts and he drank alcohol during a terrible two's tantrum in an airplane as she struggled to get him in his seat belt. Later he told his mother that Babe Ruth was mean to him. The first piece of the puzzle slid into place when he told his mother, "I used to be a tall baseball player." This was the beginning of the many revelations Christian Haupt would share with his mother, usually at bedtime right before falling asleep. Over time and much research, she found documentation to support the many stories Christian told about his previous life as Lou Gehrig.
Whether you believe in past-lives or not as you begin reading this book, you will have a hard time not accepting the things an innocent child tells his mother. Things there was no way he could have any way of knowing about. Aptly titled, he really did know too much! The documentation and progress the author used was fascinating and eerie. There were too many unexplainable things to not be true! Put personal beliefs aside and read this amazing story of a young boy and a mother who believed her son. It is a book that presents an unusual situation and follows it through, all because a mother loved her child and really listened.
This was a fascinating book about reincarnation or as the author says past-life memories. It provided many statistical details about young children remembering previous lives, usually from ages 2-6. It was a subject that she thoroughly researched as she wrestled with accepting it and how that fit into her Christian faith. It was a chronological account of her son's revelation that when he was big, he didn't wear seatbelts and he drank alcohol during a terrible two's tantrum in an airplane as she struggled to get him in his seat belt. Later he told his mother that Babe Ruth was mean to him. The first piece of the puzzle slid into place when he told his mother, "I used to be a tall baseball player." This was the beginning of the many revelations Christian Haupt would share with his mother, usually at bedtime right before falling asleep. Over time and much research, she found documentation to support the many stories Christian told about his previous life as Lou Gehrig.
Whether you believe in past-lives or not as you begin reading this book, you will have a hard time not accepting the things an innocent child tells his mother. Things there was no way he could have any way of knowing about. Aptly titled, he really did know too much! The documentation and progress the author used was fascinating and eerie. There were too many unexplainable things to not be true! Put personal beliefs aside and read this amazing story of a young boy and a mother who believed her son. It is a book that presents an unusual situation and follows it through, all because a mother loved her child and really listened.
December 20, 2016
The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Cathy Byrd Haupt
Easy, engrossing read.
Christian, the son of the author, astonished his family by claiming he used to be a tall baseball player. He reveals more details from time to time throughout the story.
As reincarnation goes against the author’s beliefs as a Christian, she doesn’t know quite what to do with the information that her son brings forth. But the details are compelling enough for her to try to talk to others, who roundly dismiss the boy’s stories as an overactive imagination.
Christian’s mother, Cathy, goes under past life regression hypnosis sessions and brings back more pieces of Christian’s story. I won’t spoil what she brings back.
Even if you are not into the idea of past lives, this is one special little boy. Halfway through the book, there is more about Christian and his baseball accomplishments and baseball personalities he meets than about past lives.
Be sure to check him out on YouTube. Typing his name, Christian Haupt, in the search box will bring up a handful of videos. Find the one with Adam Sandler, in which Christian shows off his baseball prowess at just 2 years old! Amazing!
3 stars out of 5
Publication Date: 21 Mar 2017
Thanks to Hay House and Netgalley for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Easy, engrossing read.
Christian, the son of the author, astonished his family by claiming he used to be a tall baseball player. He reveals more details from time to time throughout the story.
As reincarnation goes against the author’s beliefs as a Christian, she doesn’t know quite what to do with the information that her son brings forth. But the details are compelling enough for her to try to talk to others, who roundly dismiss the boy’s stories as an overactive imagination.
Christian’s mother, Cathy, goes under past life regression hypnosis sessions and brings back more pieces of Christian’s story. I won’t spoil what she brings back.
Even if you are not into the idea of past lives, this is one special little boy. Halfway through the book, there is more about Christian and his baseball accomplishments and baseball personalities he meets than about past lives.
Be sure to check him out on YouTube. Typing his name, Christian Haupt, in the search box will bring up a handful of videos. Find the one with Adam Sandler, in which Christian shows off his baseball prowess at just 2 years old! Amazing!
3 stars out of 5
Publication Date: 21 Mar 2017
Thanks to Hay House and Netgalley for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 28, 2017
Delightful Read
I purchased this book on a whim, as it has been several years since my intense research and reading of past lives had subsided. I'm not a baseball fan, either... but the novelty of a young child's past life memories of being a famous person was compelling enough. Cathy has written this book in a great style, that makes it an enjoyable and quick read. I truly hope it offers others the opportunity to see how living many lives is a normal course of our nature, and not something to reject simply because of many-centuries-old teachings.
I purchased this book on a whim, as it has been several years since my intense research and reading of past lives had subsided. I'm not a baseball fan, either... but the novelty of a young child's past life memories of being a famous person was compelling enough. Cathy has written this book in a great style, that makes it an enjoyable and quick read. I truly hope it offers others the opportunity to see how living many lives is a normal course of our nature, and not something to reject simply because of many-centuries-old teachings.
January 24, 2017
It was an amazing read! I finished in two days, simply because I couldn't put it down! The story reads like a suspenseful novel even though it is a true story. Cathy's relentless search for answers and her love for her son are what struck me the most. This story is proof that our souls survive death and we will be reunited with our loved ones again. It is astounding.
July 6, 2017
3.5
Stories about people that have memories of a past life have always fascinated me. I think that if offers up a little hope for those of us that have more of a fear of not existing than of death per se.
There is a lot of filler in this book that helps draw a picture of how Cathy and her family strove for as much normalcy as possible but there were times when it got a little long-winded. Personally, I picked up this book to hear about her son's recounting of memories and her journey to find out more about them... not to hear about his movie or about chilling at the baseball games. But that's me. If you like that kind of filler, I'm sure it won't bother you as much.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about past-life memories or reincarnation.
Stories about people that have memories of a past life have always fascinated me. I think that if offers up a little hope for those of us that have more of a fear of not existing than of death per se.
There is a lot of filler in this book that helps draw a picture of how Cathy and her family strove for as much normalcy as possible but there were times when it got a little long-winded. Personally, I picked up this book to hear about her son's recounting of memories and her journey to find out more about them... not to hear about his movie or about chilling at the baseball games. But that's me. If you like that kind of filler, I'm sure it won't bother you as much.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about past-life memories or reincarnation.
November 2, 2017
I believe in reincarnation and past lives, so my interest in reading about a 3-year-old boy's memories of his past life was high. I did enjoy the first half, it was fascinating how much this little boy knew, and his mom's journey to figure out what was going on; but the second half felt tedious when the focus moved from the boy to the mom. It felt like I was reading a different book and... I don't know, everything wrapped up too nicely and perfectly. Something seemed off.
September 22, 2018
I loved the bringing of the book, but later felt that the author lost her way. The book became more about the mother then about the boy. I want to know what became of the boy. How he is doing and does he still play baseball? Is he extremely talented or did he lose some of that along with the memories?
September 7, 2020
This book is like getting tickets to an exciting afternoon matchup of your favourite team and their division rival. You get your ballpark frank and sit down to enjoy the festivities, only to be met with a freaking THREE HOUR RAIN DELAY. So by the time play reconvenes, you’re already soaked to the bone, grumpy, bored and just wanting it to be over already.
Like so many of the reviews here have already said, this book could have been great, if it was written by someone else. I found the parts about Christian (the supposed subject of the book) really fascinating and intriguing.
But the author/mother is such a name-dropping, new-age narcissist that this book becomes at times both an eye-rolling embarrassment and a laborious chore to chug through.
Of the 237 pages in this book, maybe 25 of them are actually about this boy’s very compelling past-life memories. The rest is just the boring, pathetic “look-at-me” musings of an LA wannabe.
—Sorry Cathy- no one cares. Honestly. No one cares. Not about your weird, vacuous friends. Not about your damn real estate brokering. Not about your superficial struggle between phony, rich-ass glam Christianity and reincarnation. Not about Magic Johnson nodding at you from across the room. Sorry, Cathy.—
And her characterization of her husband is horrible. God- does she actually hate this man? Sure seems that way. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who was waiting and waiting for her to finally get to the obvious part where they split. But she never gets there.
So, yeah.
2 stars.
Like so many of the reviews here have already said, this book could have been great, if it was written by someone else. I found the parts about Christian (the supposed subject of the book) really fascinating and intriguing.
But the author/mother is such a name-dropping, new-age narcissist that this book becomes at times both an eye-rolling embarrassment and a laborious chore to chug through.
Of the 237 pages in this book, maybe 25 of them are actually about this boy’s very compelling past-life memories. The rest is just the boring, pathetic “look-at-me” musings of an LA wannabe.
—Sorry Cathy- no one cares. Honestly. No one cares. Not about your weird, vacuous friends. Not about your damn real estate brokering. Not about your superficial struggle between phony, rich-ass glam Christianity and reincarnation. Not about Magic Johnson nodding at you from across the room. Sorry, Cathy.—
And her characterization of her husband is horrible. God- does she actually hate this man? Sure seems that way. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who was waiting and waiting for her to finally get to the obvious part where they split. But she never gets there.
So, yeah.
2 stars.
October 25, 2025
I absolutely loved The Boy Who Knew Too Much. While Christian’s vivid memories of being Lou Gehrig might seem too extraordinary to buy into, they echo a broader body of research into children who recall past lives. Dr. Jim Tucker of the University of Virginia has studied over 3,000 such cases, continuing the work of Dr. Ian Stevenson, who pioneered this field decades earlier. These cases span cultures, some that embrace reincarnation and others that do not, making the phenomenon all the more intriguing. What makes Christian’s story especially compelling is the specificity and fame of Lou Gehrig, which adds a layer of public verifiability that’s rare in these accounts.
Christian's mom Cathy’s past life regressions were especially compelling. Her ability to uncover verifiable facts through research and personal outreach added a layer of credibility that made the story even more gripping. Listening to the audiobook was wonderful, but I found myself wishing I had the physical copy. There are so many photos and visuals I know I missed, and I ended up Googling to fill in the gaps.
What stayed with me most was the analogy about the radio: even if the radio is broken, the frequency still exists. That idea, that our soul or essence continues beyond physical form, brought me a sense of inner peace and happiness. I don’t necessarily label it reincarnation, but the book invites readers to consider the possibility with curiosity and compassion.
This book is a beautiful blend of mystery, love, and spiritual wonder. Highly recommended for anyone open to exploring the deeper questions of life and legacy - not to mention, Baseball Fans!!!
~This review was written with a little help from AI and a desire to write like myself, not like a machine. Over time, these reviews have become my favorite way to learn how to use AI with intention, clarity, and a sense of humor. If it sounds like me, that’s because it is.
Christian's mom Cathy’s past life regressions were especially compelling. Her ability to uncover verifiable facts through research and personal outreach added a layer of credibility that made the story even more gripping. Listening to the audiobook was wonderful, but I found myself wishing I had the physical copy. There are so many photos and visuals I know I missed, and I ended up Googling to fill in the gaps.
What stayed with me most was the analogy about the radio: even if the radio is broken, the frequency still exists. That idea, that our soul or essence continues beyond physical form, brought me a sense of inner peace and happiness. I don’t necessarily label it reincarnation, but the book invites readers to consider the possibility with curiosity and compassion.
This book is a beautiful blend of mystery, love, and spiritual wonder. Highly recommended for anyone open to exploring the deeper questions of life and legacy - not to mention, Baseball Fans!!!
~This review was written with a little help from AI and a desire to write like myself, not like a machine. Over time, these reviews have become my favorite way to learn how to use AI with intention, clarity, and a sense of humor. If it sounds like me, that’s because it is.
January 19, 2020
The author Cathy Byrd writes about her son Christian, whom at the age of three, claims to remember being Lou Gehrig, the baseball player. According to Byrd’s research, children can remember a past life up until age 7. After reading this book, I’m not sure what to believe. Byrd struggled with believing her son because of her Christian faith, but he started to share details about Lou Gehrig’s life that he couldn’t possibly have known. It’s a fascinating memoir and would be a great discussion for a book club.
September 12, 2025
Lots of words that had nothing to do with why I wanted to read this book and I couldn’t care less about all of the church bullcrap
May 17, 2019
Es muy emotivo, me gusto mucho tiene muchas refencias e historia del baseball, para las personas que nos gusta y somos fans del rey de los deportes tiene datos curiosos y frases motivacionales y bonitas. Y es interesante el que toca la señora con su niño, la regreson.
February 6, 2017
I read the book and loved it from beginning to end! This is the Kirkus Review I found online:
In Byrd's touching debut memoir, a little boy stuns his parents by declaring that he was a the baseball player Lou Gehrig in a previous life. When Christian Haupt was only a toddler, he was singularly enthralled by the sport of baseball. Although he was still too young to play the game, he talked about it constantly, refused to wear anything else but a baseball uniform, and seemed particularly disinterested in other, typical attractions of his peers, including toys, television, or even other children. He also sometimes referred to himself as an alter ego named "Baseball Konrad." Byrd, Christian's mother, recorded a video of him playing ball in 2011 and posted it on YouTube in the hope of winning him the privilege of throwing out the first pitch of the season for his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. The video was a sensation and ultimately led to Christian making a cameo appearance in the 2012 Adam Sandler movie That's My Boy. It turned out that Christian's indefatigable enthusiasm was coupled with genuinely precocious athletic talent. Byrd writes that one day in 2011, the young boy, still only two years old, started to share information about baseball from the 1920s and '30s, including some that was esoteric even for avid, adult fans. Then Christian began to relate memories of what seemed like a past adult life as a baseball player; byrd figured out that Christian believed he was Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees. Byrd was initially unsure what to make of her son's disclosures, and sought counsel from multiple sources including Jim B. Tucker, a well-known professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral science. Byrd's memoir almost reads like a suspenseful novel, and readers are sure to be gripped by the possible explanations she provides for Christian's seemingly inexplicable memories. She also thoughtfully reflects on her own spirituality, and the ways in which her son's revelations challenged her Christian faith: "I was particularly interested in finding out why the concept of living more than one lifetime was incompatible with Christianity . . . Much to my surprise, I could not find a single scripture in the Bible that repudiates reincarnation." On the whole, this is an affecting portrayal of parenthood, and an affectionate love letter from a mother to her unusual child. An eclectic mix of mystery, memoir, and the supernatural.
In Byrd's touching debut memoir, a little boy stuns his parents by declaring that he was a the baseball player Lou Gehrig in a previous life. When Christian Haupt was only a toddler, he was singularly enthralled by the sport of baseball. Although he was still too young to play the game, he talked about it constantly, refused to wear anything else but a baseball uniform, and seemed particularly disinterested in other, typical attractions of his peers, including toys, television, or even other children. He also sometimes referred to himself as an alter ego named "Baseball Konrad." Byrd, Christian's mother, recorded a video of him playing ball in 2011 and posted it on YouTube in the hope of winning him the privilege of throwing out the first pitch of the season for his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. The video was a sensation and ultimately led to Christian making a cameo appearance in the 2012 Adam Sandler movie That's My Boy. It turned out that Christian's indefatigable enthusiasm was coupled with genuinely precocious athletic talent. Byrd writes that one day in 2011, the young boy, still only two years old, started to share information about baseball from the 1920s and '30s, including some that was esoteric even for avid, adult fans. Then Christian began to relate memories of what seemed like a past adult life as a baseball player; byrd figured out that Christian believed he was Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees. Byrd was initially unsure what to make of her son's disclosures, and sought counsel from multiple sources including Jim B. Tucker, a well-known professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral science. Byrd's memoir almost reads like a suspenseful novel, and readers are sure to be gripped by the possible explanations she provides for Christian's seemingly inexplicable memories. She also thoughtfully reflects on her own spirituality, and the ways in which her son's revelations challenged her Christian faith: "I was particularly interested in finding out why the concept of living more than one lifetime was incompatible with Christianity . . . Much to my surprise, I could not find a single scripture in the Bible that repudiates reincarnation." On the whole, this is an affecting portrayal of parenthood, and an affectionate love letter from a mother to her unusual child. An eclectic mix of mystery, memoir, and the supernatural.
March 12, 2018
4.5 stars. This story was a real eye opener for me. Christian Haupt told his mother at the age of 2 that when he was a tall man, he played baseball. As the years go on, his mother (Christina) finds out that Christian believes that he was Lou Gehrig in a previous life. Christian is able to tell details of living in the 1920's and 1930's and know information that would be unheard of for a toddler. He talked about seeing fire in a light bulb, going to games via trains, wearing no helmets, etc. This is a story of reincarnation. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, this story was powerful and truly makes you wonder.
"'Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness' -Marianne Williamson" p. 45
"One of the highlights of 2011 was our unexpected delight in watching Charlotte and Christian ride their bikes without training wheels for the first time-not because they had mastered the skill, but due to the sheer joy on their faces when they realized they were balancing on their own. It reminded us that to keep your balance, you must keep moving forward and keep your head up, especially when you feel wobbly." p. 66
"I believed the Dalai Lama when he said, 'where there is true compassion, anger and hatred cannot exist.'" p. 141
"'Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part of the mystery that we are trying to solve.' -Max Planck" p. 187
"Perhaps it is no accident that a baseball has 108 stitches and a prayer necklace has 108 beads. Baseball does not discriminate, and we do not have to believe in the same God to be on the same team. It is a game of courage, strength, and character that can bring grown men to cry. As easy as it appears, it is heartbreakingly difficult. Anyone who has ever stood behind the plate knows there are no guarantees that your preparation, hard work, and perseverance will be rewarded, but without them you will surely strike out. Baseball is a game that embraces failure, an arena where striking out two-thirds of the time is considered success." p. 213-214
"'Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness' -Marianne Williamson" p. 45
"One of the highlights of 2011 was our unexpected delight in watching Charlotte and Christian ride their bikes without training wheels for the first time-not because they had mastered the skill, but due to the sheer joy on their faces when they realized they were balancing on their own. It reminded us that to keep your balance, you must keep moving forward and keep your head up, especially when you feel wobbly." p. 66
"I believed the Dalai Lama when he said, 'where there is true compassion, anger and hatred cannot exist.'" p. 141
"'Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part of the mystery that we are trying to solve.' -Max Planck" p. 187
"Perhaps it is no accident that a baseball has 108 stitches and a prayer necklace has 108 beads. Baseball does not discriminate, and we do not have to believe in the same God to be on the same team. It is a game of courage, strength, and character that can bring grown men to cry. As easy as it appears, it is heartbreakingly difficult. Anyone who has ever stood behind the plate knows there are no guarantees that your preparation, hard work, and perseverance will be rewarded, but without them you will surely strike out. Baseball is a game that embraces failure, an arena where striking out two-thirds of the time is considered success." p. 213-214
February 6, 2017
"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
MIRACLES that cannot be counted" Job 5:9
To BELIEVE or NOT to BELIEVE..THAT IS the question....
not exactly as Shakespeare had put it in his infamous 'TO BE OR NOT TO BE'..quote
but close...
I BELIEVE THAT Cathy Byrd is blessed and her son Christian Haupt is a gifted child...
HER book "The Boy Who Knew TOO much" a worldwide release on March 21ST 2017!
with the MOVIE IS COMING SOON!!!!
A True Story of real life Miracles. endless Hope, and Love.
In Today's seamless hectic hustle and bustle world...
it seems that a lot of people have lost some of their faith and hope, sadly some have no faith at all
and even some have given up on their dreams.
YES it's true we are born to die, but the question is,
is there something more than meets the eye?
For the "Believers" and NON believers, there is ALWAYS HOPE!
. God knows we could use a little bit more faith, this I AM SURE will be the ONE STORY that will drive it home and put a little more faith back into your heart!
The "boy" Christian Haupt for the VERY FIRST TIME IN HISTORY was the youngest person to ever throw a first pitch at a Major League Baseball game just a few days after his fourth birthday.
Faith is not something that can be bought like a lottery ticket or found at a grocery store.
It is something that it beheld felt and achieved through personal experiences.
Faith is something so much more than that. It is something so powerful that it moved you personally and changed you're life for the greater good of yourself.
It really is a personal thing.
Blessed you are if you are reading this right now and you can connect.
May you're faith be rekindled,
May you're light never go out...
as YOU WILL BECOME inspired by this incredible
TRUE LIFE story!
Peace and LOVE
Independent Recording artist
Catherine Sarah Manna
“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
John 11:40
MIRACLES that cannot be counted" Job 5:9
To BELIEVE or NOT to BELIEVE..THAT IS the question....
not exactly as Shakespeare had put it in his infamous 'TO BE OR NOT TO BE'..quote
but close...
I BELIEVE THAT Cathy Byrd is blessed and her son Christian Haupt is a gifted child...
HER book "The Boy Who Knew TOO much" a worldwide release on March 21ST 2017!
with the MOVIE IS COMING SOON!!!!
A True Story of real life Miracles. endless Hope, and Love.
In Today's seamless hectic hustle and bustle world...
it seems that a lot of people have lost some of their faith and hope, sadly some have no faith at all
and even some have given up on their dreams.
YES it's true we are born to die, but the question is,
is there something more than meets the eye?
For the "Believers" and NON believers, there is ALWAYS HOPE!
. God knows we could use a little bit more faith, this I AM SURE will be the ONE STORY that will drive it home and put a little more faith back into your heart!
The "boy" Christian Haupt for the VERY FIRST TIME IN HISTORY was the youngest person to ever throw a first pitch at a Major League Baseball game just a few days after his fourth birthday.
Faith is not something that can be bought like a lottery ticket or found at a grocery store.
It is something that it beheld felt and achieved through personal experiences.
Faith is something so much more than that. It is something so powerful that it moved you personally and changed you're life for the greater good of yourself.
It really is a personal thing.
Blessed you are if you are reading this right now and you can connect.
May you're faith be rekindled,
May you're light never go out...
as YOU WILL BECOME inspired by this incredible
TRUE LIFE story!
Peace and LOVE
Independent Recording artist
Catherine Sarah Manna
“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
John 11:40
May 11, 2019
I can't really review this book without sounding like I'm judging Byrd herself. Because I am.
First of all, this book needed a co-author. Byrd is not a writer, which was painfully clear throughout the book. I can't count the number of "even more shocking was...", "he was surprised when I knew...", "My husband is a bit of an asshole because..." (I'm paraphrasing that last one, but her intent was loud and clear).
This is a woman who was on a mission to make her son (and herself) famous - and this is especially frustrating to me because I BELIEVE HER STORY - but the story took a backseat to the YouTube uploads, the name dropping, and the exploitation of her son's story to anyone who would listen, all while she claimed to just want him to be a normal boy. Every time she claimed to be "relieved" that Christian was no longer living in the past, I wanted to throw the book at a wall. She completely contradicted herself throughout the book with her "race against time" of that magical 6th birthday where Christian's memories would just *poof* disappear.
I fully expected the book to end with a divorce announcement, as she was so disrespectful of her husband throughout the book. He may very well be a shit husband, but all I have is her voice to go on and I ended up feeling sorry for him.
She just wanted more attention than she was getting and unfortunately left herself open to reviews like mine. I am not judging her mothering - she obviously loves her children and spends a lot of time doing what they love and immersing herself in it. I admire that, honestly. I'm mostly judging her writing and her wife-ing.
First of all, this book needed a co-author. Byrd is not a writer, which was painfully clear throughout the book. I can't count the number of "even more shocking was...", "he was surprised when I knew...", "My husband is a bit of an asshole because..." (I'm paraphrasing that last one, but her intent was loud and clear).
This is a woman who was on a mission to make her son (and herself) famous - and this is especially frustrating to me because I BELIEVE HER STORY - but the story took a backseat to the YouTube uploads, the name dropping, and the exploitation of her son's story to anyone who would listen, all while she claimed to just want him to be a normal boy. Every time she claimed to be "relieved" that Christian was no longer living in the past, I wanted to throw the book at a wall. She completely contradicted herself throughout the book with her "race against time" of that magical 6th birthday where Christian's memories would just *poof* disappear.
I fully expected the book to end with a divorce announcement, as she was so disrespectful of her husband throughout the book. He may very well be a shit husband, but all I have is her voice to go on and I ended up feeling sorry for him.
She just wanted more attention than she was getting and unfortunately left herself open to reviews like mine. I am not judging her mothering - she obviously loves her children and spends a lot of time doing what they love and immersing herself in it. I admire that, honestly. I'm mostly judging her writing and her wife-ing.
August 23, 2018
Loved this story by this skeptical mom - Cathy who didn't believe in reincarnation because of her own Christian beliefs. I found myself relating to so much of her 'truth searching' on my own spiritual journey.
The details of this story confirmed for me that reincarnation isn't what's happening - that there are past memories that we can have because our souls are very complex. It helped explain in the thousands of cases of past life regression experiences now documented.
These children cases are unique - unresolved energies created in past lifetimes by others can get connected to new souls through our 'soul make-up' allowing children to recall detailed memories of another soul, which ends around age 6 o 7 exactly the time our 'indwelling fragment of God' is available to us to choose the 'will' for our moral choices.
People often refer to 'unfinished business' -- experiences that do not get resolved can be through someone else's soul journey. The way the truth unfolded in this story with all the synchronicites was remarkable, and for me not at all surprising! We end up healing each other's souls in the most remarkable of ways.
Our souls are uniquely our own, but we are all connected, and sometimes much more so when we can be 'healers' because of the affinities we share.
The details of this story confirmed for me that reincarnation isn't what's happening - that there are past memories that we can have because our souls are very complex. It helped explain in the thousands of cases of past life regression experiences now documented.
These children cases are unique - unresolved energies created in past lifetimes by others can get connected to new souls through our 'soul make-up' allowing children to recall detailed memories of another soul, which ends around age 6 o 7 exactly the time our 'indwelling fragment of God' is available to us to choose the 'will' for our moral choices.
People often refer to 'unfinished business' -- experiences that do not get resolved can be through someone else's soul journey. The way the truth unfolded in this story with all the synchronicites was remarkable, and for me not at all surprising! We end up healing each other's souls in the most remarkable of ways.
Our souls are uniquely our own, but we are all connected, and sometimes much more so when we can be 'healers' because of the affinities we share.
February 3, 2019
I am interested in such subjects and bought this book almost as soon as I read the publishers summary and a few reviews. I am also leary about this kind of book because often they are utter crap, fabricated by someone trying to make a quick buck with little to no knowledge or experience with esoteric subjects. When I started to read, I was thrilled to see that the forward was written by Dr. Eben Alexander, whose book "Proof of Heaven" was an amazing proof that consciousness can exist independent of the physical brain and body and his endorsement was a good indication that I made a good choice in the purchase of this book. Kudos to Cathy Byrd for having the stones to write something so intimate and controversial (in the Judeo-Christian west that is) about her family, to share her wonderful journey through two lives. I think I have a good BS meter and nowhere did that meter sound off during the telling of her tale of her and her sons past life memories of two very famous people. That alone is usually a red flag, but not here. The wonders of life and how seemingly improbable all this complexity of consciousness is told here in the lives of two contemporary Californians. The telling brings to mind Shakespeare's line from Hamlet, "...there are more wondrous things under heaven and earth that are dreamed of in your philosophies...".
April 14, 2025
Enjoyed this amazing story very much! As a native New Yorker, lifelong Yankees fan, and owner of a Babe Ruth autograph gotten by my father in the mid-1930's, this story of a 2 yr old boy named Christian, with unusual baseball talent, and memories of being a tall baseball player, (who Babe Ruth was mean to), really drew me in! It had me turning pages very quickly, finishing in just a few hours over two days. I disagree with a few reviewers who were really slamming this first time author, the boy's mom, for making the book more about HER ...but so much of the story IS about her, as a very supportive mom who is on this incredible journey, promoting her son's amazing abilities while trying to understand his revelations about Lou Gehrig, and later her own connections and discoveries about the Gehrig family, and challenges to her religious belief system regarding the after life, and before life! It was an interesting combo of baseball history, spirituality and parenting! We will certainly see more of Christian Haupt, as he is now a teenage baseball phenom on his way to becoming his own baseball legend!
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