My Review of Impossible Realities by Maureen Caudill
Here’s a book I was very excited to tear into — Impossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing, Telepathy, Reincarnation, Precognition, and Other Black Swan Phenomena by Maureen Caudill.
Talk about barking up the right tree. The blending of Magick and Science has been of particular interest to me. I’ve always had my feet in both worlds, and Impossible Realities promised to be the bridge between them.
The author’s credentials certainly added credibility to her book’s ambitious raison d’être. Who better to delve into these weighty subjects than a former Department of Defense expert on Artificial Intelligence?
Maureen Caudill comes out guns blazing, presenting well-researched and thought-provoking data on a myriad of preternatural subjects. The author has a knack for making the reader comfortable as she explains the science behind the various phenomena she addresses, intermixing it with anecdotal evidence that adds a very personal touch to the work.
It’s very well written and, editorially, is clean and neat, but there are no bells and whistles here. Font and formatting are textbook, while the front and back cover work is dull and lifeless, easily lost in amongst other books of its kin on the shelf of your local bookstore. Too bad, it could use a little “pop” in my opinion, but the content is the selling point and Caudill’s voice is strong and she presents convincing arguments…
I’ve but one real gripe and that lies in her list of resources near the back of the book. If that one chapter had been absent I would have been sold, hook, line, and sinker, but to herald medium John Edward really damages her credibility and the importance of her work. It’s not that I doubt the existence of individuals with such abilities, it’s just that I have seen enough evidence for me to doubt Mr. McGee.
And therein lies the rub. I found Impossible Realities to be an entertaining and enlightening book, but then I am, largely a believer in the phenomena covered. And so too is Ms. Caudill. Does this cloud our judgement sometimes? It happens. I’m reminded of Fox Mulder’s office poster, boldly proclaiming, “I WANT TO BELIEVE”.
Sometimes if you want something bad enough you see what you want to see. It’s not a bad trade-off. The Muggle world is harsh and cruel. Believing is often our best defense against the dark.
Caudill’s Edward recommendation diminished an otherwise joyous reading experience but still left me with the words “I want to believe” on my lips.
Impossible Realities by Maureen Caudill is published by Hampton Roads, distributed by Red Wheel/Weiser, and available wherever books are sold.
