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A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal: Our Secret Powers – Telepathy, Clairvoyance & Precognition
"Superb survey of the paranormal ... Although serious in content, it is written in a light, often humorous, style which is a delight to read. As someone who has myself made a lifelong study of the paranormal, I cannot recommend it highly enough." – New York Times bestselling author Herbie Brennan
This is the most entertaining and broad survey of the paranormal ever made, combining forgotten lore, evidence from parapsychological experiments and the testament of scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, psychologists, physicists and philosophers, and also quite a few celebrities. Exploring the possibility that paranormal phenomena may be – and that some most likely are – objectively real, this travelogue through the twilight zone of human consciousness is both scientifically rigorous and extremely entertaining.
Readers may be surprised to learn that reputable scientists, among them several Nobel laureates, have claimed that telepathy is a reality, that Cleopatra's lost palace and Richard III's burial place were recovered by means of clairvoyance, and that an espionage program using psychics was set up by the US military! The author proposes that all humans (perhaps all living beings) are linked together in a sort of "mental internet" that allows us to exchange "telepathic emails" and make clairvoyant downloads of information. Could it be that what we usually call "supernatural" is a natural but little understood communication via this mental internet? An engaging, entertaining and informative analysis of a controversial subject, in which these phenomena are approached as potential expressions of unexplained powers of the human mind.
This is the most entertaining and broad survey of the paranormal ever made, combining forgotten lore, evidence from parapsychological experiments and the testament of scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, psychologists, physicists and philosophers, and also quite a few celebrities. Exploring the possibility that paranormal phenomena may be – and that some most likely are – objectively real, this travelogue through the twilight zone of human consciousness is both scientifically rigorous and extremely entertaining.
Readers may be surprised to learn that reputable scientists, among them several Nobel laureates, have claimed that telepathy is a reality, that Cleopatra's lost palace and Richard III's burial place were recovered by means of clairvoyance, and that an espionage program using psychics was set up by the US military! The author proposes that all humans (perhaps all living beings) are linked together in a sort of "mental internet" that allows us to exchange "telepathic emails" and make clairvoyant downloads of information. Could it be that what we usually call "supernatural" is a natural but little understood communication via this mental internet? An engaging, entertaining and informative analysis of a controversial subject, in which these phenomena are approached as potential expressions of unexplained powers of the human mind.
544 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2020
126 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 12, 2020
One thing I would say to publishers is that printing page after page of reviews at the beginning of a book is wasted space because the book is in my hand, therefore I've already made the decision to read it! After flipping past 2% of the book I finally got to the table of contents and things began to look interesting.
One of the things I liked immediately about this book is that it doesn't push the woo, but allows for healthy scepticism. Various stories are told of documented paranormal or ESP incidents, but then the author points out any flaws or subjectivity in the sources, leaving the reader to make up their own mind. It's a refreshing approach!
The first chapter was about psychic archaeology and I found it very interesting, not least of all because I didn't know just how often it's used to find things! It appears to be an ongoing practice. This was followed by a chapter on military experiments is psychic phenomena which I didn't expect to find as interesting, but found myself surprised.
The competition between the Russians and Americans on this area of research is fairly common knowledge, but much of the results and findings were far more fascinating than I realised. Unlike archaeology, the military (as far as we know) has long since abandoned this research, just like the UCLA Parapsychology Lab was closed down in the late 1970s, but some information has since been declassified and the author gives sources to read some of it without drawing attention to oneself by looking directly at the CIA website.
The third chapter was a bit more woolley. They used the word anthropology but basically it's about the sort of stories you hear about that can't be quantified. Uri Geller, a woman who can stop a frog's heart, that sort of thing. Again, the author acknowledges the insubstantial nature of these stories. Some things you just can't prove if you weren't there.
This is naturally followed by psychology, focusing mainly on Freud and Jung. Jung of course, coined the term, Synchronicity and there were some surprising revelations about Freud's interest in telepathy and other psi phenomena. Then we move on to what I think was the longest chapter about the relationship between parapsychology and science.
This one covers a lot of territory. It starts talking about Mesmer and flows into other history involving hypnosis and precognition, eventually coming to occult groups and secret societies. The Golden Dawn gets a fair bit of attention, but that's as far as it goes. I did find it intersting how many well known scientists had at least an open mind about parapsychology or at least telepathy, from Freud to Darwin and even Isaac Newton.
There's a section on scepticism and a chapter on lab experiments, though it surprisingly didn't mention the Parapsychology Lab at UCLA. Overall I found the book very interesting.
One of the things I liked immediately about this book is that it doesn't push the woo, but allows for healthy scepticism. Various stories are told of documented paranormal or ESP incidents, but then the author points out any flaws or subjectivity in the sources, leaving the reader to make up their own mind. It's a refreshing approach!
The first chapter was about psychic archaeology and I found it very interesting, not least of all because I didn't know just how often it's used to find things! It appears to be an ongoing practice. This was followed by a chapter on military experiments is psychic phenomena which I didn't expect to find as interesting, but found myself surprised.
The competition between the Russians and Americans on this area of research is fairly common knowledge, but much of the results and findings were far more fascinating than I realised. Unlike archaeology, the military (as far as we know) has long since abandoned this research, just like the UCLA Parapsychology Lab was closed down in the late 1970s, but some information has since been declassified and the author gives sources to read some of it without drawing attention to oneself by looking directly at the CIA website.
The third chapter was a bit more woolley. They used the word anthropology but basically it's about the sort of stories you hear about that can't be quantified. Uri Geller, a woman who can stop a frog's heart, that sort of thing. Again, the author acknowledges the insubstantial nature of these stories. Some things you just can't prove if you weren't there.
This is naturally followed by psychology, focusing mainly on Freud and Jung. Jung of course, coined the term, Synchronicity and there were some surprising revelations about Freud's interest in telepathy and other psi phenomena. Then we move on to what I think was the longest chapter about the relationship between parapsychology and science.
This one covers a lot of territory. It starts talking about Mesmer and flows into other history involving hypnosis and precognition, eventually coming to occult groups and secret societies. The Golden Dawn gets a fair bit of attention, but that's as far as it goes. I did find it intersting how many well known scientists had at least an open mind about parapsychology or at least telepathy, from Freud to Darwin and even Isaac Newton.
There's a section on scepticism and a chapter on lab experiments, though it surprisingly didn't mention the Parapsychology Lab at UCLA. Overall I found the book very interesting.
December 1, 2025
Instant classic!
The historians perspective strikes me as a fantastic angle to open up this highly controversial space. Terje's voice throughout the text is very present, he is humble, presents each side of every story fairly, all while showing his own cards as well. He doesn't come across as forceful, as a reader I never felt pushed towards his conclusions.
Even though he's a historian, he's well read in philosophy and understands a broad range of contemporary scientific debates. He has a keen eye for detail, is open-minded, yet he understands the skeptic.
Simonsen managed to tie together a wide range of ideas that I'm personally interested in. He provided plenty of sources, many of which were new to me, thus opening up a lot of doors for further study.
The cover art is acceptable.
Would recommend! I will definitely revisit to explore more of the source material in here.
The historians perspective strikes me as a fantastic angle to open up this highly controversial space. Terje's voice throughout the text is very present, he is humble, presents each side of every story fairly, all while showing his own cards as well. He doesn't come across as forceful, as a reader I never felt pushed towards his conclusions.
Even though he's a historian, he's well read in philosophy and understands a broad range of contemporary scientific debates. He has a keen eye for detail, is open-minded, yet he understands the skeptic.
Simonsen managed to tie together a wide range of ideas that I'm personally interested in. He provided plenty of sources, many of which were new to me, thus opening up a lot of doors for further study.
The cover art is acceptable.
Would recommend! I will definitely revisit to explore more of the source material in here.
March 3, 2025
Phew! This audiobook is long (15 hours), and it’s dense. Sometimes it reads like a textbook. Sometimes I sat there for minutes at a time, struggling to pay attention, thinking, “What are you going ON about?!”
When I have my own psi experiences (e.g., lying in bed awake, eyes closed, no idea what time it is, then counting down 3… 2… 1… to exactly when my alarm goes off; having a dream about someone and then they reach out for help; ‘knowing’ a friend is expecting a boy/girl baby before they do, etc.), sometimes it makes me crazy. “HOW is this happening?!” “Is it all just coincidence?” “Is it just various biases at play? (apophenia, confirmation bias, etc.)” “Is ‘being psychic’ real??” “How do experts explain this?!” I sought out a book to find (theoretical) answers. This one was much heavier on history and specific scientists/researchers, etc… than I anticipated, but I did get some of that “theory” talk I was searching for.
MANY topics are covered. Of course the main types of psi (telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, clairvoyance), but also consciousness, synchronicity, Savantism, reincarnation, skepticism and biases, time and space, animal psi, morphic resonance and evolution, intuition, etc.). A thread that runs through the entire book is the “Mental Internet” theory, which I love and have always believed in.
Excerpts:
“The idea of multiple dimensions is very old (…). In Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism, (…) there may be a thousand parallel dimensions. Paranormal events could then be understood as “leaks” from a parallel or higher dimension – a bit like when someone is frying egg and bacon next-door and the smell seeps into our flat, or the music on the upper floor is heard through the ceiling.” (Chapter 5, 58:56)
“If one assumes that consciousness permeates into the core of everything, then all humans, animals, and plants – yes, in fact all that exists – is already intrinsically and intimately tangled together. Hence, it hardly seems like a great stretch to take paranormal transference phenomena, such as telepathy and clairvoyance, into account.” (Chapter 6, 29:41)
“According to Bohm’s model, our consciousness participates in the whole hologram, the whole world, at all times (‘The droplet reflects the Universe’), and it is therefore not separate from any place, even if the place is abandoned by both God and humans, and even if it is in another part of the Universe.” (Chapter 6, 36:32)
“When the right person is sitting at the right place and is thinking the right thoughts, it can be felt more than a thousand miles away.” (Chapter 6, 40:53)
“Within the Indian tradition, the holistic mindset is beautifully expressed by the metaphor of the Net of Indra the God-King. Imagine an infinitely large, golden fishing net, with lots of parallel layers, where each node in the yarn is a facet-cut jewel, and in its facets, every jewel reflects the entire net, with all the other jewels. This symbolizes how absolutely all things, objects, and entities in the whole wide world, consciousness and nature, humans and gods, galaxies and grains of sand, are connected to each other, and interact through myriads and myriads of relationships.” (Chapter 6, 41:07)
“According to Vedanta, there is basically just one consciousness. One of the images used to illustrate this is a cut crystal. In its facets, it reflects the world in many different ways, yet it is still the same crystal. (…) An individual’s consciousness is (…) an expression of The Great Consciousness, much like (…) a vortex in a river is basically an expression of the river, and does not have a separate existence.” (Chapter 6, 54:10)
“Some [people] work offline, filtering out practically all information from the Mental Internet. Others, probably most of us, download information to a greater or lesser extent, usually without thinking about it. (…) The third group both utilize this special kind of information, and are also very much aware that they’re doing it. It is, of course, such people that will often be referred to as ‘psychics’ or ‘paragnosts.’” (Chapter 9, 31:05)
“(…) my body consists of the same chemical substances found in the flower bed outside my window, [and] by a psychokinetic miracle, I can conduct its physical movements with my non-physical will. Perhaps psi phenomena, then, might [reflect] an essential feature of our world: that everything is intimately interrelated, but in ways that we do not fully grasp. And even stranger than how the world works, is the incomprehensible fact that it is.” (Chapter 9 continued, 57:37)
“We are more closely connected with the invisible than with the visible.” -Novalis
“If the doors of perceptions were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite.” -William Blake
“We are like islands in the sea: separate on the surface, but connected in the deep.” -William James
“It is not more surprising to be born twice, than once. Everything in Nature is resurrection.” -Voltaire
When I have my own psi experiences (e.g., lying in bed awake, eyes closed, no idea what time it is, then counting down 3… 2… 1… to exactly when my alarm goes off; having a dream about someone and then they reach out for help; ‘knowing’ a friend is expecting a boy/girl baby before they do, etc.), sometimes it makes me crazy. “HOW is this happening?!” “Is it all just coincidence?” “Is it just various biases at play? (apophenia, confirmation bias, etc.)” “Is ‘being psychic’ real??” “How do experts explain this?!” I sought out a book to find (theoretical) answers. This one was much heavier on history and specific scientists/researchers, etc… than I anticipated, but I did get some of that “theory” talk I was searching for.
MANY topics are covered. Of course the main types of psi (telepathy, telekinesis, precognition, clairvoyance), but also consciousness, synchronicity, Savantism, reincarnation, skepticism and biases, time and space, animal psi, morphic resonance and evolution, intuition, etc.). A thread that runs through the entire book is the “Mental Internet” theory, which I love and have always believed in.
Excerpts:
“The idea of multiple dimensions is very old (…). In Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism, (…) there may be a thousand parallel dimensions. Paranormal events could then be understood as “leaks” from a parallel or higher dimension – a bit like when someone is frying egg and bacon next-door and the smell seeps into our flat, or the music on the upper floor is heard through the ceiling.” (Chapter 5, 58:56)
“If one assumes that consciousness permeates into the core of everything, then all humans, animals, and plants – yes, in fact all that exists – is already intrinsically and intimately tangled together. Hence, it hardly seems like a great stretch to take paranormal transference phenomena, such as telepathy and clairvoyance, into account.” (Chapter 6, 29:41)
“According to Bohm’s model, our consciousness participates in the whole hologram, the whole world, at all times (‘The droplet reflects the Universe’), and it is therefore not separate from any place, even if the place is abandoned by both God and humans, and even if it is in another part of the Universe.” (Chapter 6, 36:32)
“When the right person is sitting at the right place and is thinking the right thoughts, it can be felt more than a thousand miles away.” (Chapter 6, 40:53)
“Within the Indian tradition, the holistic mindset is beautifully expressed by the metaphor of the Net of Indra the God-King. Imagine an infinitely large, golden fishing net, with lots of parallel layers, where each node in the yarn is a facet-cut jewel, and in its facets, every jewel reflects the entire net, with all the other jewels. This symbolizes how absolutely all things, objects, and entities in the whole wide world, consciousness and nature, humans and gods, galaxies and grains of sand, are connected to each other, and interact through myriads and myriads of relationships.” (Chapter 6, 41:07)
“According to Vedanta, there is basically just one consciousness. One of the images used to illustrate this is a cut crystal. In its facets, it reflects the world in many different ways, yet it is still the same crystal. (…) An individual’s consciousness is (…) an expression of The Great Consciousness, much like (…) a vortex in a river is basically an expression of the river, and does not have a separate existence.” (Chapter 6, 54:10)
“Some [people] work offline, filtering out practically all information from the Mental Internet. Others, probably most of us, download information to a greater or lesser extent, usually without thinking about it. (…) The third group both utilize this special kind of information, and are also very much aware that they’re doing it. It is, of course, such people that will often be referred to as ‘psychics’ or ‘paragnosts.’” (Chapter 9, 31:05)
“(…) my body consists of the same chemical substances found in the flower bed outside my window, [and] by a psychokinetic miracle, I can conduct its physical movements with my non-physical will. Perhaps psi phenomena, then, might [reflect] an essential feature of our world: that everything is intimately interrelated, but in ways that we do not fully grasp. And even stranger than how the world works, is the incomprehensible fact that it is.” (Chapter 9 continued, 57:37)
“We are more closely connected with the invisible than with the visible.” -Novalis
“If the doors of perceptions were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite.” -William Blake
“We are like islands in the sea: separate on the surface, but connected in the deep.” -William James
“It is not more surprising to be born twice, than once. Everything in Nature is resurrection.” -Voltaire
May 30, 2021
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal
Author: Terje G Simonsen
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 17 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
17 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
16 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘clarity of message’.
15 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
16 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“This is no short read, and is all the better for it. Even if the paranormal is not your cup of tea, you will be entertained by the author’s prose and his knowledge of the subject.” Male reader, age 58
“There's a lot of information to digest in this book, but it’s worth it. The author is an eloquent writer who knows how important it is to put across a message clearly and without unnecessary fluff.” Female reader, age 34
“The power of the human mind is almost limitless. In this book, the author looks at many aspects of the paranormal. It's such a gripping read, anybody sitting on the fence on this subject might well be climbing off it. The author works hard to keep the text light and accessible.” Female reader, age 43
“I very much enjoyed this book. I felt it was well-researched, far-reaching and easy to follow.” Female reader, age 33
To Sum It Up:
‘A fascinating insight into the paranormal. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal
Author: Terje G Simonsen
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 17 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
17 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
16 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘clarity of message’.
15 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
16 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“This is no short read, and is all the better for it. Even if the paranormal is not your cup of tea, you will be entertained by the author’s prose and his knowledge of the subject.” Male reader, age 58
“There's a lot of information to digest in this book, but it’s worth it. The author is an eloquent writer who knows how important it is to put across a message clearly and without unnecessary fluff.” Female reader, age 34
“The power of the human mind is almost limitless. In this book, the author looks at many aspects of the paranormal. It's such a gripping read, anybody sitting on the fence on this subject might well be climbing off it. The author works hard to keep the text light and accessible.” Female reader, age 43
“I very much enjoyed this book. I felt it was well-researched, far-reaching and easy to follow.” Female reader, age 33
To Sum It Up:
‘A fascinating insight into the paranormal. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
January 12, 2025
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March 16, 2021
Fascinating historical overview of the paranormal
At first when I began this book I was anticipating more of an explanation of paranormal practices and beliefs; however, Simonsen's novel is more like historical nonfiction and tells of the history of paranormal occurrences within different fields of study by scientists and historians, some of significant prominence. Simonsen uses fascinating dialogue to take readers down this history of the paranormal and often incorporates wit and humor into his writing, creating an engaging and fascinating look into the study. While there is an attempt to be objective, it's clear there is some bias on the subject matter and Simonsen can tend to repeat thoughts and points. However, this cursory overview of a whole history of a subject is dense but truly entertaining and well worth the read. Readers will never be able to look at the paranormal or even some historical figures the same again.
At first when I began this book I was anticipating more of an explanation of paranormal practices and beliefs; however, Simonsen's novel is more like historical nonfiction and tells of the history of paranormal occurrences within different fields of study by scientists and historians, some of significant prominence. Simonsen uses fascinating dialogue to take readers down this history of the paranormal and often incorporates wit and humor into his writing, creating an engaging and fascinating look into the study. While there is an attempt to be objective, it's clear there is some bias on the subject matter and Simonsen can tend to repeat thoughts and points. However, this cursory overview of a whole history of a subject is dense but truly entertaining and well worth the read. Readers will never be able to look at the paranormal or even some historical figures the same again.
May 20, 2021
Perfect for fans of things that go bump in the night
If you love all things spooky and ghostly, this book is a perfect read! Think “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” meets Ghost Hunters.
This novel is rich in the history of worldly tales and research about the paranormal. Written with intriguing and informative insights, and entertaining anecdotes this book is like an anthology of scary bedtime stories for adults. It takes you on a journey the world over with an immense education on all things paranormal from Mexico to India.
I would recommend this book to fans of world history and the supernatural world.
If you love all things spooky and ghostly, this book is a perfect read! Think “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” meets Ghost Hunters.
This novel is rich in the history of worldly tales and research about the paranormal. Written with intriguing and informative insights, and entertaining anecdotes this book is like an anthology of scary bedtime stories for adults. It takes you on a journey the world over with an immense education on all things paranormal from Mexico to India.
I would recommend this book to fans of world history and the supernatural world.
September 27, 2020
This book is DENSE. It’s fascinating and gave me some very valuable perspectives on research. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, as well I would especially recommend this book to anyone going into research as a career.
November 14, 2020
I loved this book! Frank, funny, and always informative, the author has gotten to the heart of what keeps us chasing after the bumps in the night.
February 12, 2022
Simonsen has achieved a rare feat in this book: it is a research-based exploration of a field of knowledge and practice hitherto seen as too 'wooo' to warrant serious attention. It is addicitvely readable and insightful.
The book deftly bridges the Science vs New Age divide with an entertaining contemporary voice that is deft, intelligent and funny. It is, however, far from a balanced review of the evidence for 'psi'. Published as it is by Watkins books - the leading bookshop on the occult and paranormal (and incidentally my favourite bookshop on the planet!)- for the book to be overly critical would be to shoot the publisher in the economic foot. That said, there are sterling attempts to balance the argument by providing alternative explanations for things ranging from reincarnation to telepathy.
The greatest weakness in an otherwise thought-provoking text is the way the author overly relies on the term 'peer-reviewed' as a stamp of unassailable authenticity. This appeal to the authority of the notion of 'peer-review' does not stand. Peer review is rife with issues - the personality of authors has been shown to influence the reviewer's responses, there exists bias within fields of study and its bigger brother nepotism and, of course, inconsistency are just some of the limits. Perhaps Simonsen wanted to lend the kudos of the scientific method to a field desperate to appear proper? My question is this - why do Parapsychology and the Occult need the approval of their cousin to find a legitimate voice?
The book deftly bridges the Science vs New Age divide with an entertaining contemporary voice that is deft, intelligent and funny. It is, however, far from a balanced review of the evidence for 'psi'. Published as it is by Watkins books - the leading bookshop on the occult and paranormal (and incidentally my favourite bookshop on the planet!)- for the book to be overly critical would be to shoot the publisher in the economic foot. That said, there are sterling attempts to balance the argument by providing alternative explanations for things ranging from reincarnation to telepathy.
The greatest weakness in an otherwise thought-provoking text is the way the author overly relies on the term 'peer-reviewed' as a stamp of unassailable authenticity. This appeal to the authority of the notion of 'peer-review' does not stand. Peer review is rife with issues - the personality of authors has been shown to influence the reviewer's responses, there exists bias within fields of study and its bigger brother nepotism and, of course, inconsistency are just some of the limits. Perhaps Simonsen wanted to lend the kudos of the scientific method to a field desperate to appear proper? My question is this - why do Parapsychology and the Occult need the approval of their cousin to find a legitimate voice?
May 10, 2025
This is an excellent book, though maybe for the “wrong” reasons — or at least that was my experience, and here’s why.
I bought it expecting pure entertainment, something like urban legends and occult stories — the kind of stuff you know isn’t real but still enjoy reading, the same way you’d enjoy fiction. But that’s not what this book is. For better or worse, it’s not.
For better, because it takes a stance that’s almost bulletproof against cheap skepticism. It only cites strong examples, cases, and solid studies — no random anecdotes or obviously questionable stuff. This means you don’t just learn about the specific phenomenon being described, but it also broadens your understanding of life and the universe itself. Yes, it’s that good.
The downside is that if you go into it as unprepared as I did, it takes a while to get into the flow. At first, it feels like reading dozens of academic paper abstracts — definitely not the most fun activity. But once you get used to the style and settle into it, it’s absolutely worth it.
It’s a book that does justice to every topic it touches and totally earns its place as a must-read for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge — not just about occult topics, but about the world in general.
I bought it expecting pure entertainment, something like urban legends and occult stories — the kind of stuff you know isn’t real but still enjoy reading, the same way you’d enjoy fiction. But that’s not what this book is. For better or worse, it’s not.
For better, because it takes a stance that’s almost bulletproof against cheap skepticism. It only cites strong examples, cases, and solid studies — no random anecdotes or obviously questionable stuff. This means you don’t just learn about the specific phenomenon being described, but it also broadens your understanding of life and the universe itself. Yes, it’s that good.
The downside is that if you go into it as unprepared as I did, it takes a while to get into the flow. At first, it feels like reading dozens of academic paper abstracts — definitely not the most fun activity. But once you get used to the style and settle into it, it’s absolutely worth it.
It’s a book that does justice to every topic it touches and totally earns its place as a must-read for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge — not just about occult topics, but about the world in general.
January 26, 2021
A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal is a great read. It’s quite informative, and I appreciated the several links to learn more on my own. I’ve already followed several and booked marked them. There are also some movies listed that I’ll have to watch. It’s well thought out and well researched. It doesn’t feel like the author is trying to push anything on us and instead tries to get us to think for ourselves. However, I have to admit. There is some strong evidence in this book concerning all the different aspects of the paranormal that it discusses. It makes a strong argument.
A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal does get a little slow at times, but that could be hard to avoid in an educational book like this. It’s definitely worth reading. I recommend it to anyone interested in the paranormal and anyone whose skeptical.
A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal does get a little slow at times, but that could be hard to avoid in an educational book like this. It’s definitely worth reading. I recommend it to anyone interested in the paranormal and anyone whose skeptical.
February 1, 2021
If you enjoy the great world of the paranormal as I do, then you'll learn a lot from this book. A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal is jam-packed with information. It's educational and really makes you think about what else is around us in the real world.
This is a bit of a lengthy read and there were some parts that felt dull to me. Not everything in this book will be to your taste, but you'll still learn a lot. There were some humorous parts in the narration as well, so that certainly helped.
Overall, this was a fascinating read. I appreciate that there are links to outside sources (the bibliography is huge!) so I can continue learning on my own if I wish. If you're interested in the paranormal, then this will be a good book to try.
This is a bit of a lengthy read and there were some parts that felt dull to me. Not everything in this book will be to your taste, but you'll still learn a lot. There were some humorous parts in the narration as well, so that certainly helped.
Overall, this was a fascinating read. I appreciate that there are links to outside sources (the bibliography is huge!) so I can continue learning on my own if I wish. If you're interested in the paranormal, then this will be a good book to try.
February 26, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author Terje Simonsen has an excellent approach of explaining how gifted individuals with access to the “mental internet” as referred to in the book, can aide in helping to find burial sites, land masses, police investigations, military pursuits, etc. All the while giving just enough warranted skepticism to the reader, explaining also that some may discuss the act of clairvoyance more openly than others. Could it be possible? I certainly learned a lot from this book, and enjoyed the authors scholarly approach in his great amount of research and work he had put in. I highly recommend, this is an easy read this book 5 out of 5 stars. I will be looking into more of Terje Simonsen’s books more often.
February 16, 2025
If you are looking for a single, accessible book to introduce you to the field of parapsychology (both the scientific studies as well as a broader historical survey of all things paranormal), I heartily recommend this book. A large portion of this was review for me, but that did not stop me from loving the reading process. Simonsen's writing is the type I hope to emulate: filled with academically sourced information, summarized with skill, and conversational in style.
Throughout the book, he advocates for his preferred theory of a "Mental Internet" to explain psi phenomena (which admittedly has a high level of explanatory power), but he does so on the periphery, and readers are not compelled to adopt his framework to enjoy an incredible primer on this subject.
Throughout the book, he advocates for his preferred theory of a "Mental Internet" to explain psi phenomena (which admittedly has a high level of explanatory power), but he does so on the periphery, and readers are not compelled to adopt his framework to enjoy an incredible primer on this subject.
July 2, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! Simonsen gives us a vastly in-depth account of paranormal phenomena in this exceedingly researched book. As the title applies, historical contexts are often and largely taken into account when exploring each of these facets and while not every chapter was particularly pertained to me, there was definitely 'a chapter for everyone' in this respect. I loved the dry humour that would sometimes shine through on the pages and actually wish there was more of it! Nonetheless a fascinating read with the studies to back it up and ultimately leave the reader to draw their own conclusions on the information presented.
February 26, 2021
Spiritual mystery explored for the rational mind
I generally love reading all kinds of books in the Inspirational and Spiritual genre. Upon seeing the title of this book, “A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal: Our Secret Powers: Telepathy, Clairvoyance and Precognition,” I was excited to dive nose deep into the subject matter. However upon reading, I further found myself disappointed with the text. The book’s opening pages were various reviews given by reputable sources, which I found unnecessary as a consumer who had already purchased the book to read. One of the opening reviews described this book as an, “encyclopedic introduction,” to which I firmly agree. I would consider this book a gateway to learn more about different paranormal topics, whereas one would be able to further research specialized books according to specific paranormal topic preferences garnered while reading. Personally, I felt that the content of the book itself was underwhelming and could have been synthesized to be shorter and more clear. Although written fairly well and intelligently, I found that the composition and organization of the book was lacking. There were various points where the author motions readers to jump back and forth between chapters, which quite frankly disrupted my reading flow and felt unorganized. I would have much more preferred to have the content organized in such a way that did not motion me to reference different portions of the book in order to receive a full picture of a presented topic. On a different note, it was nice to see how the author included references to various pop-culture movies and links for further research about select topics. At times however, I did find some of the links unnecessary or subpar to the information already synthesized within the text of the book. This book did provide a strong sense of research and history of events related to the topic. The author did a good job at allowing readers to apply their own discernment while taking in various concepts. There was a whole chapter dedicated to skepticism. Unfortunately, this book just did not quite do it for me. From organization and reading flow, to the content itself, the title gave me higher hopes for the book than the reading presented. Overall, I would recommend this book to those that are keen on exploring paranormal and spiritual mystery from a most rational point of view.
I generally love reading all kinds of books in the Inspirational and Spiritual genre. Upon seeing the title of this book, “A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal: Our Secret Powers: Telepathy, Clairvoyance and Precognition,” I was excited to dive nose deep into the subject matter. However upon reading, I further found myself disappointed with the text. The book’s opening pages were various reviews given by reputable sources, which I found unnecessary as a consumer who had already purchased the book to read. One of the opening reviews described this book as an, “encyclopedic introduction,” to which I firmly agree. I would consider this book a gateway to learn more about different paranormal topics, whereas one would be able to further research specialized books according to specific paranormal topic preferences garnered while reading. Personally, I felt that the content of the book itself was underwhelming and could have been synthesized to be shorter and more clear. Although written fairly well and intelligently, I found that the composition and organization of the book was lacking. There were various points where the author motions readers to jump back and forth between chapters, which quite frankly disrupted my reading flow and felt unorganized. I would have much more preferred to have the content organized in such a way that did not motion me to reference different portions of the book in order to receive a full picture of a presented topic. On a different note, it was nice to see how the author included references to various pop-culture movies and links for further research about select topics. At times however, I did find some of the links unnecessary or subpar to the information already synthesized within the text of the book. This book did provide a strong sense of research and history of events related to the topic. The author did a good job at allowing readers to apply their own discernment while taking in various concepts. There was a whole chapter dedicated to skepticism. Unfortunately, this book just did not quite do it for me. From organization and reading flow, to the content itself, the title gave me higher hopes for the book than the reading presented. Overall, I would recommend this book to those that are keen on exploring paranormal and spiritual mystery from a most rational point of view.
June 9, 2020
My thanks to Watkins Publishing for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal’ by Terje G. Simonsen in exchange for an honest review.
Simonsen is a Norwegian Historian of Ideas and non-fiction author, specialising in the esoteric and occult. This book is subtitled ‘Our Secret Powers Telepathy, Clairvoyance & Precognition’ though its contents extend into other areas. In the opening section Simonsen describes it: “The book can thus be seen as a travelogue from the twilight zone, the exotic borderland of consciousness.” It is a fascinating mixture of scientific research and anecdotal accounts.
It’s been some while since I have read anything on the subject of the paranormal and so it was good to catch up on new material as well as refresh my memory.
He presents his material in a colloquial fashion, which made it an accessible and entertaining read. He also avoids the sensational while acknowledging: “the sensationalist slant in popular works is quite understandable and to some extent also forgivable; one wants to increase the ‘wow factor’ so as to sell as many books as possible.”
There was a lot to appreciate within and I ended up highlighting quite a few passages to return to at a later point. Following the main text is a bibliography of literature and links as well as an index.
Overall, a thought provoking overview on the subject of the paranormal. Definitely one that I would want in my permanent library and would recommend to newcomers to the subject as well as those who already have background in subjects linked to the paranormal.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Simonsen is a Norwegian Historian of Ideas and non-fiction author, specialising in the esoteric and occult. This book is subtitled ‘Our Secret Powers Telepathy, Clairvoyance & Precognition’ though its contents extend into other areas. In the opening section Simonsen describes it: “The book can thus be seen as a travelogue from the twilight zone, the exotic borderland of consciousness.” It is a fascinating mixture of scientific research and anecdotal accounts.
It’s been some while since I have read anything on the subject of the paranormal and so it was good to catch up on new material as well as refresh my memory.
He presents his material in a colloquial fashion, which made it an accessible and entertaining read. He also avoids the sensational while acknowledging: “the sensationalist slant in popular works is quite understandable and to some extent also forgivable; one wants to increase the ‘wow factor’ so as to sell as many books as possible.”
There was a lot to appreciate within and I ended up highlighting quite a few passages to return to at a later point. Following the main text is a bibliography of literature and links as well as an index.
Overall, a thought provoking overview on the subject of the paranormal. Definitely one that I would want in my permanent library and would recommend to newcomers to the subject as well as those who already have background in subjects linked to the paranormal.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Read
April 6, 2021When any book has a title involving the word "history" one can get a bit nervous that it will read a bit like a textbook. While some aspects of the organizational structure do feel that way, the author's humor and comfortable approach to the topic of the paranormal makes this book as easy to read as it is interesting and informative.
As someone who is relatively new to the subject matter, I learned a great deal of interesting history about the study of the paranormal by reading this book. It's a fascinating look at the pieces of history that get shunted aside in favor of the rational/logical/easily proven.
In particular, I appreciated that Simonsen resists easy answers or telling the reader which conclusions to draw, and rather points out possible alternative explanations when they appear. This book reads like an interesting conversation about a topic that can be slippery and difficult to address.
As someone who is relatively new to the subject matter, I learned a great deal of interesting history about the study of the paranormal by reading this book. It's a fascinating look at the pieces of history that get shunted aside in favor of the rational/logical/easily proven.
In particular, I appreciated that Simonsen resists easy answers or telling the reader which conclusions to draw, and rather points out possible alternative explanations when they appear. This book reads like an interesting conversation about a topic that can be slippery and difficult to address.
August 1, 2020
This over 500 page book is jammed packed with loads of juicy bits of interesting information about the psychic side of our world.
The author created an entertaining, well written, and thoroughly researched guide to keep the reader intrigued with each page turn. I had a hard time putting this down because I was so blown away by what I was learning and captivated by the writing style.
The author gives scientific evidence to the existence of psychic powers as well as the history and how we are all connected today by this amazing power. I don’t want to say more as to give the juicy surprises away. You just have to give this book a read for yourself to find out!
Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author created an entertaining, well written, and thoroughly researched guide to keep the reader intrigued with each page turn. I had a hard time putting this down because I was so blown away by what I was learning and captivated by the writing style.
The author gives scientific evidence to the existence of psychic powers as well as the history and how we are all connected today by this amazing power. I don’t want to say more as to give the juicy surprises away. You just have to give this book a read for yourself to find out!
Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2020
If you are looking for an incredibly well researched, encyclopedic book about the paranormal, you've come to the right place. Each entry provides a look at paranormal phenomenon, often with surprising historical context, and its acceptance by many in the scientific and military communities. The author makes connections between a sort of mental Internet among human beings and what many consider to be clairvoyance. A thought provoking work.
Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
June 30, 2020
This is an amazing book that will have even the worst skeptic shaking their head. It is filled with interviews and documentation of famous scientist and educated people who tell of their experiences with the paranormal. The layout of the book is a great format to hop and skip through the various chapters finding what you are looking for. Believers of the occult will love this book and would make a great gift. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 22, 2021
If you can get past the clunky writing style, you can tell the author has done a lot of research. The best way to approach this book is as a starting point. There are plenty of examples used to explain different aspects of the paranormal. It’s a great way to see with ones you personally find interesting and want to pursue further in more specialised books.
March 1, 2021
A must read for fans of the paranormal...
I must admit that I was a bit sceptical when I read the description, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the book.
Not only does it have a clear recollection of the fundamentals of paranormal, as well as providing a glimpse into our predecessors' minds, but it also helps the reader come to their own conclusions.
I must admit that I was a bit sceptical when I read the description, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the book.
Not only does it have a clear recollection of the fundamentals of paranormal, as well as providing a glimpse into our predecessors' minds, but it also helps the reader come to their own conclusions.
May 13, 2021
Overall, this is a good book. Sometimes it reads slow, almost like a technical manual, but overall very interesting. I vaguely knew some of the general information about the paranormal, but it was really interesting to delve into the details. I also learned much that I didn't know, and enjoyed reading this book.
June 4, 2020
A well researched and well written, engrossing and informative book about everything paranormal.
It was an entertaining and informative read and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It was an entertaining and informative read and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 10, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable!
Outstanding, thorough-yet-concise, and beautifully balanced between open minded and yet questioning. I loved this book and feel like this is a great primer for anyone even remotely interested in the paranormal.
Outstanding, thorough-yet-concise, and beautifully balanced between open minded and yet questioning. I loved this book and feel like this is a great primer for anyone even remotely interested in the paranormal.
January 23, 2021
Dense, but worth it.
September 7, 2021
highly informative and written in a witty way. Just at times I wished it was structured a little better, in clearer chronological order
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