Sylvia Browne: Accepting the Psychic Torch

by Sylvia Browne

Accepting the Psychic Torch is a brand-new collection that contains the full text of two of Sylvia’s best-selling the landmark Adventures of a Psychic, which details how a little girl from Kansas City, Missouri, discovered her gifts and was then led on a decades-long journey to ultimately become "one of America’s most successful clairvoyants"; and If You Could See What I See, a handbook on spirituality that is also full of anecdotes from Sylvia’s life, both before and after she became a world-famous medium who spends her time writing, lecturing, and appearing on TV. Yet this collection also contains a special an all-new volume from Sylvia! Titled Passing the Psychic Torch, it focuses on the incredibly special relationship Sylvia had with her beloved psychic grandmother, Ada Coil. Drawing on her cherished memories, along with Grandma Ada’s numerous letters—many of which are reprinted in these pages—Sylvia gives us a rich portrait of a blessed soul who helped so many. She also delves into her own childhood and teenage years as never before as she relates how her dear grandmother not only became her mentor, but was indeed the mother she never really had. This is the book Sylvia’s fans have been begging her to write…and it doesn’t disappoint!

Genres: Spirituality

672 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2009

About the author

Sylvia Browne was an American author and self-proclaimed psychic who built a lucrative career through books, television appearances, and psychic readings. Known for her frequent guest spots on The Montel Williams Show and Larry King Live, she claimed to communicate with angels, spirit guides, and the deceased, and said she had psychic visions from the age of three. In 1986, she founded the Society of Novus Spiritus, a Gnostic Christian church, and ran a variety of businesses, reportedly earning millions annually.
Browne wrote over 40 books, many of which were bestsellers, and maintained a dedicated fanbase throughout her life. However, her career was marked by controversy. She made numerous high-profile predictions about missing persons and criminal cases that were later proven false—errors that drew widespread criticism and scrutiny from skeptics and media outlets. A 2010 study by the Skeptical Inquirer concluded she had not been accurate in any verifiable case. Her reputation suffered further after her 1992 conviction for securities fraud.
Despite criticism from figures like James Randi and John Oliver, Browne retained a devoted following. Her vague prediction about a “pneumonia-like illness” spreading around 2020 drew renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. She remained a polarizing figure—revered by some, discredited by others—until her death in 2013 at the age of 77.

Reviews

[Juliana Haught · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I mostly read this, but gave up at the end. I really like Sylvia Browne, and will keep reading her different books, because I find what Sylvia has to say to be fascinating. This book, though, despite the title, is really more about Sylvia the woman, rather than Sylvia the psychic. So far, most of her books that I've read go over her background as a psychic. This book is actually 3 books - the first one is written in the 3rd person, in a kind of romance-novel style, about Sylvia growing up and her early, vulnerable years as wife and mother. The second book is laying out the tenets of the church that Sylvia started. The third book is again about Sylvia's childhood, but written in the first person. The third book chronicles the close, intense relationship between Sylvia and her grandmother - it's almost even more about Sylvia's grandmother than Sylvia.

Overall, I think this book is for people who want to more about Sylvia as a person, or about her church. I would probably give more stars if each book had been published separately - but the 3 books put together almost make the whole thing seem choppy, and I'm not sure who the target audience is.

[Naomi Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I expected from this book but I was not into it at all. I know Sylvia Browne had a great relationship with her grandmother Ada Coil but I found the letters, which the book was based on, quite boring. Probably because this wasn't my grandmother and I didn't have a conneciton with her. This book could have been a smaller one without the letters and still have put forth the same information. I personally don't recommend it but others may love it.

[Carolina Soto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its an ok read, didnt care much about the second but ("if u could see what i see") but the other two are interesting to read, its about her life and shows how she was able to cope with being a psychic and how much you can help people when u embrace it and follow through with your destiny.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of Sylvia Browne's books and this was no exception. A great read and insight into Sylvia's life.