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Growing Up Psychic: From Skeptic to Believer
This gripping memoir chronicles the hair-raising and hilarious moments in Michael Bodine's haunted life. It includes amazing true stories- a dangerous ghost friend with a hidden agenda, the hodgepodge of psychics who gathered in his mother's kitchen, ghost hunting misadventures, spirit messages, possession- along with an inspiring account of his successful battle against chemical dependancy as he learned to accept his unusual gift.
293 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 30, 2012
BEFORE STARTING
I've read and own several of Echo Bodine's books on this topic. Michael is her brother. Its an interesting take on spiritual gifts because they are both very religious... not in the dogma sense, but in a strong belief in God and the that all spiritual gifts come from Him and one should never forget that. They have done their best, from all I've read, to just help folks with no exploitation. Very fun down to earth reads.
AFTER FINISHING
I read this one faster than my normal snails pace because it was so enjoyable. If you don't believe in this kinda stuff (psychics and ghosts) it would still be fun. If you do believe in those things it makes it even meaningful. Either way, it was more than entertaining learning about a young boy who grew up in a house where ghosts showed up and things floated around on a regular basis. His home was also the predominate hangout for the local psychics who came to learn and discuss things. The author kept a sense of humor during his life, which undoubtedly helped him survive, and I laughed out loud many times at the the antics that went out. He honestly details his struggle with alcohol and drugs and overcoming them. The lessons he learned along the way are ones that every person can benefit from, ghosts or no ghosts.
I've read and own several of Echo Bodine's books on this topic. Michael is her brother. Its an interesting take on spiritual gifts because they are both very religious... not in the dogma sense, but in a strong belief in God and the that all spiritual gifts come from Him and one should never forget that. They have done their best, from all I've read, to just help folks with no exploitation. Very fun down to earth reads.
AFTER FINISHING
I read this one faster than my normal snails pace because it was so enjoyable. If you don't believe in this kinda stuff (psychics and ghosts) it would still be fun. If you do believe in those things it makes it even meaningful. Either way, it was more than entertaining learning about a young boy who grew up in a house where ghosts showed up and things floated around on a regular basis. His home was also the predominate hangout for the local psychics who came to learn and discuss things. The author kept a sense of humor during his life, which undoubtedly helped him survive, and I laughed out loud many times at the the antics that went out. He honestly details his struggle with alcohol and drugs and overcoming them. The lessons he learned along the way are ones that every person can benefit from, ghosts or no ghosts.
October 27, 2012
I read this book because I liked Echo Bodine's writing. (Relax, it's only a ghost; Little book of ghost stories; an article in FATE - can't remember the year.) Her brother Michael's story is interesting once the timeline is untangled - if somebody had done that before publishing it, I think the book would have been easier to follow. That's why I'm only giving it 3 stars. It's still an insight into a very different kind of life than most of us experience.
July 26, 2018
Michael Bodine claims that he and his family were introduced to the world of psychic phenomenon when his cousin was playing the drums one night while the rest of the family were eating dinner. As his cousin was playing he "sensed something to his left. He looked up and saw a man, a black man, coming through the wall toward him as he was playing. Then he felt the figure right in front of him. The adrenaline from fear made him play faster and faster.....The man, apparently sensing Lance's anxiety, left through the other wall."
Echo Bodine, Michael's sister wrote about the same experience in a blog post, but in her account it was her brother, not cousin playing the drums: "He was sitting at his drum set with his eyes closed practicing a piece, when a white figure floated through the door and over to him. This figure rested his hands on top of my brother's and began to play the beautiful music we just heard. My brother was so frightened that he had difficulty talking, but he managed to say that even though his eyes were closed the whole time, he could easily see the figure. Then the spirit -- or whatever it was -- let go of his hands and floated across the room and out the door!"
Now maybe I'm being picky, but it seems to me that such a momentous occasion would be etched in the memory forever. So which was it - Brother or cousin? Black or white? Did the figure rest its hands on his or not? This isn't the only anecdote in this book that makes me go hmmmmm.
I'm not anti-psychic by an means, but my BS meter went into overdrive while I was reading this. My intuition tells me that this book was written with an eye on a film adaptation, as it hits every movie-of-the-week cliche for this genre. The 'gift' comes from gypsy ancestors, there's an elderly, white-haired woman who can read minds and is practically omniscient, a malevolent/mischievous spirit that taunts Michael, and of course the obligatory haunted houses. The events are either grossly exaggerated or flat-out fictional.
My suspicions were confirmed when I read on the back that Bodine's 'life story is being optioned for a feature film.' That was back in 2010, so I wonder what happened. Ran into trouble with the fact-checkers perhaps? What I do believe is that the Bodine's mother was obsessed with the paranormal and they grew up surrounded by so-called psychics. I think they saw this as a way to make an easy buck, and that's what they've been doing ever since.
I did a search on both Michael and Echo Bodine and could find no public readings and no predictions at all, except for one way back in 2011 from Echo stating that the weather is going to be unreliable. Seriously, if you claim to have such phenomenal powers, put something out there to confirm it. There's much made of the fact that Michael Bodine is psychic to the stars, as if celebrities can't be as gullible as everyone else.
Perhaps I'm wrong and the Bodine's are a gifted psychic family, but if this is the case, I don't think this memoir does them any favors.
Echo Bodine, Michael's sister wrote about the same experience in a blog post, but in her account it was her brother, not cousin playing the drums: "He was sitting at his drum set with his eyes closed practicing a piece, when a white figure floated through the door and over to him. This figure rested his hands on top of my brother's and began to play the beautiful music we just heard. My brother was so frightened that he had difficulty talking, but he managed to say that even though his eyes were closed the whole time, he could easily see the figure. Then the spirit -- or whatever it was -- let go of his hands and floated across the room and out the door!"
Now maybe I'm being picky, but it seems to me that such a momentous occasion would be etched in the memory forever. So which was it - Brother or cousin? Black or white? Did the figure rest its hands on his or not? This isn't the only anecdote in this book that makes me go hmmmmm.
I'm not anti-psychic by an means, but my BS meter went into overdrive while I was reading this. My intuition tells me that this book was written with an eye on a film adaptation, as it hits every movie-of-the-week cliche for this genre. The 'gift' comes from gypsy ancestors, there's an elderly, white-haired woman who can read minds and is practically omniscient, a malevolent/mischievous spirit that taunts Michael, and of course the obligatory haunted houses. The events are either grossly exaggerated or flat-out fictional.
My suspicions were confirmed when I read on the back that Bodine's 'life story is being optioned for a feature film.' That was back in 2010, so I wonder what happened. Ran into trouble with the fact-checkers perhaps? What I do believe is that the Bodine's mother was obsessed with the paranormal and they grew up surrounded by so-called psychics. I think they saw this as a way to make an easy buck, and that's what they've been doing ever since.
I did a search on both Michael and Echo Bodine and could find no public readings and no predictions at all, except for one way back in 2011 from Echo stating that the weather is going to be unreliable. Seriously, if you claim to have such phenomenal powers, put something out there to confirm it. There's much made of the fact that Michael Bodine is psychic to the stars, as if celebrities can't be as gullible as everyone else.
Perhaps I'm wrong and the Bodine's are a gifted psychic family, but if this is the case, I don't think this memoir does them any favors.
September 14, 2010
I expected to not like this and was surprised. It is a good book. I can so relate to many of his experiences in the psychic world of the Twin Cities, it was rather eerie to read in that sense. I did like it but I don't know if anyone else would. It is not something I would recommend to others unless they are budding psychics themselves! LOL! However it is a fun, pretty quick read!
January 28, 2018
Michael and I are very close in age. While he was growing up in Edina and Minneapolis with his family, going through this psychic drama, I was across town during some of those years, experiencing my own ghost dramas and learning from them. Michael zigs zags through time to weave and tell a tale that only he can tell for it is his life and belongs to him to tell. He will have you on the edge of your seat.
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December 7, 2020
Fascinating. I enjoyed Michael's perspective and liked having a peek at his life. I hadn't actually heard of him until I read (listened to) Psychics, Healers and Mediums by Jennifer Weigel, where she mentioned meeting Michael and referenced his book. Obviously, I enjoy reading/hearing about paranormal type experiences, and so, enjoyed this book a lot.
June 18, 2024
Just really enjoyed reading this heartfelt account of a young man trying to find his way through life and coming to grips with who he is .
Love the spiritual outlook this family has regarding their gifts.
Hope the author might think of writing another book .
This book found me at a time when I really needed to hear the message of not being afraid .
Love the spiritual outlook this family has regarding their gifts.
Hope the author might think of writing another book .
This book found me at a time when I really needed to hear the message of not being afraid .
February 18, 2022
I had heard Michael Bodine interviewed several times and this book did not disappoint. His honest and humorous account of his unconventional childhood and life as a psychic was interesting and fun just like his interviews.
August 18, 2017
very interesting as its non-fiction (with maybe some added dramatics) and extremely funny author. highly recommend.
July 8, 2015
I have read a slew of books about and/or by psychics and other metaphysical types. This one isn't your typical bio about how an ordinary person discovered their special psi abilities and became famous. No, this one ... was a whole lot more fun to read!
Michael Bodine is a gifted real-life psychic who also happens to be very funny. If you've read any of David Sedaris' books, then you will understand what I mean when I say that Bodine's witty cracks reminds me of Sedaris' style of humor. Bodine, like Sedaris, writes about his quirky family and his formative years. But Michael's childhood involved growing up in a haunted house where ghosts crash slumber parties and tattle on you to your mind-reading mother and her entourage of clairvoyant guests.
Bodine expressed embarrassment at having to bring his school chums home to "the Addams Family", when he secretly wanted his family to be more like the Cleavers. Personally, I prefer the Addams Family, as I grew up in a similar environment. But Michael didn't embrace monikers such as "the Witch Kid", nor did he enjoy having his mind read by people he couldn't help but think resembled creepy Disney characters.
I love the little quotes that precede each chapter, such as this one, from a client that Bodine was evidently giving a reading to:
"I hate all of my friends, I just want to start over and get all new ones."
"Well, you're about to", I said, "and it's happening pretty quick."
"Wow, even though I can't stand them, I can't imagine my life without 'Noodles and Zit'.
"Well", I said, "the good news is, 'they' can."
Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I wish Bodine would write some more!
Michael Bodine is a gifted real-life psychic who also happens to be very funny. If you've read any of David Sedaris' books, then you will understand what I mean when I say that Bodine's witty cracks reminds me of Sedaris' style of humor. Bodine, like Sedaris, writes about his quirky family and his formative years. But Michael's childhood involved growing up in a haunted house where ghosts crash slumber parties and tattle on you to your mind-reading mother and her entourage of clairvoyant guests.
Bodine expressed embarrassment at having to bring his school chums home to "the Addams Family", when he secretly wanted his family to be more like the Cleavers. Personally, I prefer the Addams Family, as I grew up in a similar environment. But Michael didn't embrace monikers such as "the Witch Kid", nor did he enjoy having his mind read by people he couldn't help but think resembled creepy Disney characters.
I love the little quotes that precede each chapter, such as this one, from a client that Bodine was evidently giving a reading to:
"I hate all of my friends, I just want to start over and get all new ones."
"Well, you're about to", I said, "and it's happening pretty quick."
"Wow, even though I can't stand them, I can't imagine my life without 'Noodles and Zit'.
"Well", I said, "the good news is, 'they' can."
Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I wish Bodine would write some more!
August 12, 2016
I honestly can't remember why I read this book. I recall seeing a review or article about it somewhere (I wish I could remember where) and the review caught my interest. So...sit down at the computer, order the book through the library system and a few days later i'm set to read.
What a disappointment though!
Bluntly...this book was dull.
Bodine clearly thinks he has a way with words simply because he can make a few colorful metaphors, but what I really got from this was that the man had a messed up childhood but he's okay now. Thanks to Jesus and his psychic ability. Yup. That's the story.
He seems to think that it was no big deal that before he was a teenager he was getting stoned and drunk and that he had a pet ghost named Jerry that encouraged him to get in to trouble (does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?). It was the 70's and everyone was getting high, so no big deal, right?
I couldn't help but think, time and again, 'what a loser!' But of course, being an autobiography, he paints himself as a mis-understood, lonely boy, which is why he had the troubles he did. I don't doubt this at all; what I doubt is why anyone, including myself, would have a care in the world enough to read about it.
I am flabbergasted that anyone thought enough about this to consider making a movie about this man.
This was a waste of time. I would have stopped reading but I was able to speed-read through this, hoping there would be something that would make me say, 'Ah...this is why it's important to read,' but that moment never came.
What a disappointment though!
Bluntly...this book was dull.
Bodine clearly thinks he has a way with words simply because he can make a few colorful metaphors, but what I really got from this was that the man had a messed up childhood but he's okay now. Thanks to Jesus and his psychic ability. Yup. That's the story.
He seems to think that it was no big deal that before he was a teenager he was getting stoned and drunk and that he had a pet ghost named Jerry that encouraged him to get in to trouble (does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?). It was the 70's and everyone was getting high, so no big deal, right?
I couldn't help but think, time and again, 'what a loser!' But of course, being an autobiography, he paints himself as a mis-understood, lonely boy, which is why he had the troubles he did. I don't doubt this at all; what I doubt is why anyone, including myself, would have a care in the world enough to read about it.
I am flabbergasted that anyone thought enough about this to consider making a movie about this man.
This was a waste of time. I would have stopped reading but I was able to speed-read through this, hoping there would be something that would make me say, 'Ah...this is why it's important to read,' but that moment never came.
March 21, 2013
Interesting and quick read. It was enjoyable. It was not intensely thrilling or anything like that, but it was simple to read. The timeline of his stories shifts around a bit which can make it hard for some readers to understand what's going on sometimes. I wasn't too phased by this continuity pattern because I put together concepts in my head like that as well, but here and there he would talk about an event from childhood, and a related event a little more forward in his future, and claim that he used that lesson to solve the issue from his past. (Perhaps he meant it differently or I read it incorrectly, but I didn't go over it with a fine toothed comb - I felt like I knew what he meant anyway so I kept reading. This is also doable for the prospective reader as I said the language flows easily.)
Because it lacked a bit in substance that felt thrilling, evocative, or left me with satifying resolution, I give it 3 stars. This book is definitely not terrible. I did sometimes wonder how some things got by the editors. It's still an interesting story and it can be nice knowing you're not the only one who experienced these things, if you have encountered the supernatural. It's still an interesting read even if you haven't encountered it. I was not going to recommend it to any of my friends or acquaintances unless I knew they were already interested in the supernatural.
I also enjoyed Lewis Black's foreword to the book. This is something you'll like to read, especially if you like to imagine his voice in your head while you read it.
Because it lacked a bit in substance that felt thrilling, evocative, or left me with satifying resolution, I give it 3 stars. This book is definitely not terrible. I did sometimes wonder how some things got by the editors. It's still an interesting story and it can be nice knowing you're not the only one who experienced these things, if you have encountered the supernatural. It's still an interesting read even if you haven't encountered it. I was not going to recommend it to any of my friends or acquaintances unless I knew they were already interested in the supernatural.
I also enjoyed Lewis Black's foreword to the book. This is something you'll like to read, especially if you like to imagine his voice in your head while you read it.
January 27, 2015
Ugh...Finally finished! I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this, it was an interesting fun book so who knows...I had read some of Michael's sister Echo's books, and really enjoyed them. When I saw that her little brother also wrote a book I was really interested to see how they grew up, and let me tell you once they discovered their psychic ability life got very interesting.
The fact that the whole psychic thing ruined this family really bothered me until I really gave it some thought. Michael's mother was expected to serve everyone in the home, and keep her husband happy, in return he kept them finacially well off. When Michael's mother discovered her psychic ability, and met a group of like minded people it was too much for Michael's father who didn't like her being even slightly independant. I don't want to say this is because he was a bad man, it was honestly just a sign of the times. The times were changing for women, and it was too much for his dad.
I guess there's going to be a movie made from this book, and honestly it will be a great movie! It may have taken me some time to get through the book, but like I said it was really enjoyable. I know I will love the movie, so I really hope that Michael's story does get put to film.
The fact that the whole psychic thing ruined this family really bothered me until I really gave it some thought. Michael's mother was expected to serve everyone in the home, and keep her husband happy, in return he kept them finacially well off. When Michael's mother discovered her psychic ability, and met a group of like minded people it was too much for Michael's father who didn't like her being even slightly independant. I don't want to say this is because he was a bad man, it was honestly just a sign of the times. The times were changing for women, and it was too much for his dad.
I guess there's going to be a movie made from this book, and honestly it will be a great movie! It may have taken me some time to get through the book, but like I said it was really enjoyable. I know I will love the movie, so I really hope that Michael's story does get put to film.
September 15, 2015
It was...interesting. I agree with him that we are all intuitive and psychic to a degree, it's just how much do we suppress our abilities. It was a very real and human story, in the sense that how he wrote it made it feel like you were sitting down listening to him as a storyteller. Also some stories were hair raising, it was nice that the entire book wasn't devoted to ghost busting and doing readings for people.
May 8, 2016
Hard to put down. I love psychic autobiographies. This is a candid, and humorous look at growing up in a family of psychic practitioners. He is honest, candid and has an excellent sense of humor. Highly recommended.
November 20, 2010
Local author. He could have used a better editor.
May 10, 2013
This was a very interesting read, Mike Bodine allows the reader to experience what he had experienced through out his life. It was quite a ride.
September 10, 2016
Creepy, in a good fun kind of way.
February 5, 2014
It was okay, I loved reading about Bodine's bizarre up brining.
December 20, 2014
I went into this book with HIGH hopes but just lost interest by about chapter 3. It might be something I try again in the future, but for now I just can't read it.
August 18, 2015
Parts were interesting
November 7, 2016
easy read. Interesting story but a little dry
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews