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by Rosemary Guiley 
Thorough reference book on the paranormal and mystical
Since its publication in 1991, this book has been for me the standard reference guide for information about paranormal and mystical phenomena and experiences. The author is a journalist and author who specializes in subjects related to the paranormal, whose books include The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft and The Atlas of the Mysterious in North America. Her work is of a consistently high level throughout, and this book maintains the demands she puts on herself for quality. The book is divided into over 500 entries arranged alphabetically, with each entry including a list of sources at its end. Subjects included major figures in this field, explanations of different mystical and divinatory techniques, mystical traditions, places, and phenomena. The reader will find here information about Alexandra David-Neel, channeling, the Native American Ghost Dance, Stonehenge, and Fortean phenomena, along with many, many other subjects, all cross referenced. It is one of those books that I always keep close at hand not only to verify information I find in other books, but also for sheer reading pleasure. I am certain that I have read the entire book in piecemeal fashion, going from one entry to the other capriciously. This book is not a source of anecdotes of ghosts or other encounter phenomena; its strength instead lies in its definition of the subject of discussion and possible prosaic and otherworldly explanations for the same. The entry on "Firewalking," for example, defines the topic, provides information on its history, and offers possible explanations for the fact that burning coals do not harm firewalkers: the Ledenfrost effect (the formation of a protective cushion of air and moisture between flesh and coal); psychokinetic control of electrostatic fields which protect the firewalker's feet and legs; willing a change in body chemistry; and hypnotic trance. The thoroughness which characterizes this entry is replicated in the others as well. Aside from these excellent and well-written entries, I find the cross-references a useful tool, and the citation of sources at the end of each entry has helped me build up my own library, provided me with new destinations for travel, and guided me to new research topics. The book would benefit from a more forgiving attitude toward the skeptical perspective, which Guiley either dismisses or omits completely, but overall this book is thoroughly researched, and is not only a good starting place for a beginning scholar in these matters, but also a source to which more knowledgeable readers will frequently return. |
