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The Best of Both Worlds - The Autobiography of Joan Hemson
The Best of Both Worlds is the true story of how childhood misery and trauma helped Gordon Smith discover a gift that has helped many people throughout the world. He has helped those who are in mourning come to terms with death and bereavement by working as a medium to put people in touch with their loved ones who have passed over.
Gordon held off telling the story of his discovery of spiritual powers, as he believed his mother would have hated people knowing the poverty they came from or the abuse that her son suffered. After her death, Gordon decided it was time to tell his incredible story from humble beginnings all the way to becoming an internationally praised medium working for some of the most famous and powerful people in the world.
His previous volume of memoirs Spirit Messenger was a massive bestseller but only now is he able to tell the unvarnished astonishing truth.
Gordon held off telling the story of his discovery of spiritual powers, as he believed his mother would have hated people knowing the poverty they came from or the abuse that her son suffered. After her death, Gordon decided it was time to tell his incredible story from humble beginnings all the way to becoming an internationally praised medium working for some of the most famous and powerful people in the world.
His previous volume of memoirs Spirit Messenger was a massive bestseller but only now is he able to tell the unvarnished astonishing truth.
277 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2014
12 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Smith
33 books28 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Hailed as “Britain’s most accurate medium” Gordon has been featured in numerous television documentaries including the BBC’s Everyman, "Mediums: Talking With the Dead" 3 part series as well as appearing as an expert guest on various shows such as This Morning, Richard and Judy and the BBC's Heaven and Earth. Gordon has also presented one of the nation's favourite paranormal shows, Living TV's 'Most Haunted', as well as his own series on the Biography Channel. He even managed to find the time to squeeze in a cameo in a Jacki Collins movie, Paris Connections!
He has travelled to many parts of the world to appear before audiences, read for many celebrities, and written numerous books, including Spirit Messenger and The Unbelievable Truth, which have been published to critical acclaim. Gordon has written regular columns for newspapers such as the Daily Record, Take A Break magazine and Best magazine.
From early childhood Gordon had the ability to see, sense and hear spirit people. As a young boy his ability often unnerved those around him and so he learned to close his mind to these experiences.
Through his teenage years he pushed his abilities into the background of his awareness and lived a very average teenage life. He pursued his passion for gymnastics until he was 19. He was good enough to be selected for the Scottish Commonwealth Games squad. It wasn’t until he was 24, when a friend’s brother appeared at his bedside in the middle of the night that these gifts were re-awakened. He later learned that the brother had died that night in a tragic fire. Gordon went with his friend to a spiritualist church, during the service he was told that he would one day be speaking from the ‘platform’. This was the start of over 15 years of study and practice as Gordon went on to develop his outstanding abilities as a medium or messenger from the spirit world under the tutelage of some of the great legends of the spiritualist church. He developed in a mediumship circle run by the extraordinary Mrs. Primrose, an inspirational figure in Scottish spiritualism and became a close friend of the legendary Albert Best, who is widely acknowledged as one of be best mediums of the last century.
Many years on Gordon Smith is now one of the world’s top psychic mediums and spiritual teachers in the UK. Having spent 15 years balancing his work as an internationally renowned medium with his day job, as a barber in his native Glasgow, Gordon now conducts mediumship workshops and events around the world. Gordon’s Celtic charm and lively demonstrations provide his audience with a rare opportunity to experience the fascinating phenomenon of mediumship, which he delivers to his audience with a mix of his distinctive style of humour, pure passion, and empathy to others.
Hailed as “Britain’s most accurate medium” Gordon has been featured in numerous television documentaries including the BBC’s Everyman, "Mediums: Talking With the Dead" 3 part series as well as appearing as an expert guest on various shows such as This Morning, Richard and Judy and the BBC's Heaven and Earth. Gordon has also presented one of the nation's favourite paranormal shows, Living TV's 'Most Haunted', as well as his own series on the Biography Channel. He even managed to find the time to squeeze in a cameo in a Jacki Collins movie, Paris Connections!
He has travelled to many parts of the world to appear before audiences, read for many celebrities, and written numerous books, including Spirit Messenger and The Unbelievable Truth, which have been published to critical acclaim. Gordon has written regular columns for newspapers such as the Daily Record, Take A Break magazine and Best magazine.
From early childhood Gordon had the ability to see, sense and hear spirit people. As a young boy his ability often unnerved those around him and so he learned to close his mind to these experiences.
Through his teenage years he pushed his abilities into the background of his awareness and lived a very average teenage life. He pursued his passion for gymnastics until he was 19. He was good enough to be selected for the Scottish Commonwealth Games squad. It wasn’t until he was 24, when a friend’s brother appeared at his bedside in the middle of the night that these gifts were re-awakened. He later learned that the brother had died that night in a tragic fire. Gordon went with his friend to a spiritualist church, during the service he was told that he would one day be speaking from the ‘platform’. This was the start of over 15 years of study and practice as Gordon went on to develop his outstanding abilities as a medium or messenger from the spirit world under the tutelage of some of the great legends of the spiritualist church. He developed in a mediumship circle run by the extraordinary Mrs. Primrose, an inspirational figure in Scottish spiritualism and became a close friend of the legendary Albert Best, who is widely acknowledged as one of be best mediums of the last century.
Many years on Gordon Smith is now one of the world’s top psychic mediums and spiritual teachers in the UK. Having spent 15 years balancing his work as an internationally renowned medium with his day job, as a barber in his native Glasgow, Gordon now conducts mediumship workshops and events around the world. Gordon’s Celtic charm and lively demonstrations provide his audience with a rare opportunity to experience the fascinating phenomenon of mediumship, which he delivers to his audience with a mix of his distinctive style of humour, pure passion, and empathy to others.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 20, 2017
3.5 stars.
Read this autobiography because I wanted a sneaky peek into the life of a medium. It was research for some writing path I may pursue and I did enjoy it more than I expected to . . . but the language . . . Oh good grief. It wasn't Gordon himself, to be fair. It was every time he quoted his mother. Effing this and effing that, every sentence. I didn't have the stomach for it, nor for the brief descriptions of some very traumatic events relating to sexual abuse. I'm too soft for that kind of material really, but it was sympathetically worded and I skim-read the parts I couldn't face in detail.
Sorry Gordon - I'm sure your mother was tres hilarious (I got the impression she was), but having been raised by a woman who's never sworn in her life, I failed to cope with Lizzy's tongue, so I skimmed past all her words which you quoted verbatim.
I did learn something about the difficulties of growing up in Glasgow back then. I was stunned by the levels of anger, aggression and violence which seemed to be everyone's first language in the street. I can't imagine growing up in an environment as hostile as that, but I did get a sense of the strength of community too. I understand Alex Ferguson a bit more now. Not that I was that fussed about understanding him, but I fully get why the players were terrified of him if that was his background.
Not a great deal else to say really. I read it to find out more about the ins and outs of a medium's life and I did glean some nuggets of information. It was well structured/written, but contained too many typos which hadn't been rooted out. Proof reader needs to return to it really to hunt them down. They were an unnecessary distraction.
Read this autobiography because I wanted a sneaky peek into the life of a medium. It was research for some writing path I may pursue and I did enjoy it more than I expected to . . . but the language . . . Oh good grief. It wasn't Gordon himself, to be fair. It was every time he quoted his mother. Effing this and effing that, every sentence. I didn't have the stomach for it, nor for the brief descriptions of some very traumatic events relating to sexual abuse. I'm too soft for that kind of material really, but it was sympathetically worded and I skim-read the parts I couldn't face in detail.
Sorry Gordon - I'm sure your mother was tres hilarious (I got the impression she was), but having been raised by a woman who's never sworn in her life, I failed to cope with Lizzy's tongue, so I skimmed past all her words which you quoted verbatim.
I did learn something about the difficulties of growing up in Glasgow back then. I was stunned by the levels of anger, aggression and violence which seemed to be everyone's first language in the street. I can't imagine growing up in an environment as hostile as that, but I did get a sense of the strength of community too. I understand Alex Ferguson a bit more now. Not that I was that fussed about understanding him, but I fully get why the players were terrified of him if that was his background.
Not a great deal else to say really. I read it to find out more about the ins and outs of a medium's life and I did glean some nuggets of information. It was well structured/written, but contained too many typos which hadn't been rooted out. Proof reader needs to return to it really to hunt them down. They were an unnecessary distraction.
August 4, 2016
I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.
I was a sceptic before I read this book and I still am a sceptic.
So, why does this book deserve 5 stars?
It is a brilliant and honest account of Gordon's early life. It makes a reader emote in many ways. I don't feel he could tell me my future but he does a great job of telling his past. It is an interesting, emotional and good read.
I am a sceptic but I do believe that the author is a great writer.
I was a sceptic before I read this book and I still am a sceptic.
So, why does this book deserve 5 stars?
It is a brilliant and honest account of Gordon's early life. It makes a reader emote in many ways. I don't feel he could tell me my future but he does a great job of telling his past. It is an interesting, emotional and good read.
I am a sceptic but I do believe that the author is a great writer.
June 30, 2023
Best of Both Worlds chronicles Gordon's journey to become one of the world's top mediums.
He shares lots of stories about his early childhood, peppered with conversations from his mum Lizzie, a strong matriarch, who had a propensity for swearing.
As a very sensitive child, he found solace in gymnastics and his friendship with his cousin Stephen who lived in London.
Grief was never far from the door, and his mediumistic talents surfaced from an early age. I particularly enjoyed reading about his spiritual development.
A great read.
He shares lots of stories about his early childhood, peppered with conversations from his mum Lizzie, a strong matriarch, who had a propensity for swearing.
As a very sensitive child, he found solace in gymnastics and his friendship with his cousin Stephen who lived in London.
Grief was never far from the door, and his mediumistic talents surfaced from an early age. I particularly enjoyed reading about his spiritual development.
A great read.
July 29, 2017
Very good!
I wasn't sure this book was for me in the beginning but I gradually got into it and couldn't put it down. There is a lot of swearing in it, but this was necessary to bring through the character of Gordon's feisty mum. Gordon had a tough childhood and there were incidents that will shock you. He describes his first psychic experiences as a child in detail. I have several Gordon Smith books, this one being a little different. Great man and medium.
I wasn't sure this book was for me in the beginning but I gradually got into it and couldn't put it down. There is a lot of swearing in it, but this was necessary to bring through the character of Gordon's feisty mum. Gordon had a tough childhood and there were incidents that will shock you. He describes his first psychic experiences as a child in detail. I have several Gordon Smith books, this one being a little different. Great man and medium.
May 19, 2019
Loved this book!
Once I started reading this book, I found it difficult to stop reading. Gordon seems to be so down to earth and very honest that this makes the book an easy read.
I'm keen to read more of his books now because, to me, the afterlife seems so believable now and also very comforting.
Once I started reading this book, I found it difficult to stop reading. Gordon seems to be so down to earth and very honest that this makes the book an easy read.
I'm keen to read more of his books now because, to me, the afterlife seems so believable now and also very comforting.
July 1, 2021
Oh this was so good and fascinating and funny. Deserves 5 stars alone for the description of his Ma on holiday with he and his wife. I roared with laughter. Plus the spiritual side is played down which reflects Gordon's humble and practical approach to his gift.
April 27, 2016
A fascinating book, focusing on the early years and upbringing of the Scottish medium, Gordon Smith. Gordon's mother, Lizzie, is the fulcrum of the book, around which everything and everyone else rotates. This is written from the heart and, as such, it is not only easy to digest but the words draw the reader into life in Glasgow from the 1950's onwards.
As well as covering family members and many memories, 'The Best of Both Worlds' also covers Gordon's earliest steps within Spiritualism and becoming a medium.
An awesome read.
As well as covering family members and many memories, 'The Best of Both Worlds' also covers Gordon's earliest steps within Spiritualism and becoming a medium.
An awesome read.
June 20, 2016
I have read a couple of Gordon Smiths books and found them very interesting and 'matter of fact'. This man is an incredibly talented and accurate medium shaped by his early years. This volume of autobiography is a very honest, quietly disturbing account of Gordon's early years and his realisation of his talent.
July 23, 2015
Enjoyed it, would have liked him to have gone into more detail about his early experiences with mediumship and his life's journey of learning about it
October 18, 2016
The highs, the lows, it's a roller coaster of raw emotion. I cried, I laughed and I enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews