Every Monday night millions of Americans tune into Medium, NBC's new hit drama featuring Allison DuBois, an ordinary woman who helps police solve baffling crimes through her ability to communicate with the dead. What most don't know is that this fictional character is based on a true-life medium named Allison DuBois, who is a consultant to the show. For the past four years, DuBois has been the subject of rigorous scientific experiments conducted at the University of Arizona by Harvard-trained psychologist Gary Schwartz. The Truth about Medium chronicles many of those experiments as well as the real-life cases Allison has worked on and reveals hard laboratory evidence that psychic ability and mediumship are real.
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Adult/High School–For 10 years, Schwartz has been running experiments regarding people who claim to talk to and/or see the dead. One of the most famous of these, Allison DuBois, was one of his research subjects. As a result of public interest generated by the show, the author, a psychology professor, saw the need to share the results of his research, hence his book. Truth and DuBois own book, Dont Kiss Them Good-bye (S & S, 2005), reinforce one another. Kiss will change many skeptics to believers. Schwartzs book, on the other hand, may cause believers to feel skeptical unless they read the whole thing. Schwartz seems unwilling to completely believe the results of his own double- and triple-blind experiments. While he presents the evidence (some of which involves the work of DuBois), he sometimes hedges his bets, using such words as apparently to qualify the actuality of his researcher/mediums connections with the dead. Schwartz writes in a popular style, readily accessible to teens, and he raises some fascinating questions not addressed by the earlier book.–Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Boldly tackles objections of skeptics. Weaves a tight, intelligent discussion about the difficulties of scientific testing of 'wild talents.' -- Fortean Times, January 2006
Chronicles experiments tested on psychic, Allison DuBois. Reveals hard evidence that psychic ability and communicating with the dead are real. -- Mysteries Magazine, October 2005
Detailed survey of the life of Allison DuBois. Goes beyond conjecture and speculation to present the author's own scientific probe. -- Internet Bookwatch, January 2006
Chronicles experiments tested on psychic, Allison DuBois. Reveals hard evidence that psychic ability and communicating with the dead are real. -- Mysteries Magazine, October 2005
Detailed survey of the life of Allison DuBois. Goes beyond conjecture and speculation to present the author's own scientific probe. -- Internet Bookwatch, January 2006
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140 of 156 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
At first glance, the title of this book is a little confusing as one is inclined to wonder why "Medium" is singular. However, the subtitle explains that the reference is to NBC's hit drama, Medium, based on the life of true-life medium Allison DuBois.
And while the title also suggests an exposé of some kind, it is definitely not that, although the author points out that the television program is not completely based on fact.
Dr. Gary Schwartz, the author, is the director of the Human Energy Systems Laboratory at the University of Arizona. In his 2002 book, The Afterlife Experiments, he detailed his early research with mediums, including John Edward, who hosted a popular television program, Crossing Over, for several years. This book picks up where Schwartz left off in the 2002 book, discussing his continuing research with other mediums, including DuBois.
Schwartz clearly validates and praises DuBois and the other mediums discussed in the book. "As far as I can tell, they have an extraordinary and genuine gift," he writes. "They can do specific things with their minds - getting accurate information about deceased loved ones - that I had been educated to believe was impossible."
Schwartz explains how he first met DuBois and her then medium-mentor, Catherine Yunt, and how he initially put them to the test. He also discusses subsequent experiments, including one with popular spiritual author Deepak Chopra and another in which the late Princess Diana seems to have communicated to a British journalist who had been a friend when Lady Di was alive.
While recognizing that much of what he relates in the book will exceed the "boggle threshold" of many readers and will result in more hissing from his cat-like colleagues, Schwartz courageously pushes on in the pursuit of truth, pointing out that if we become more "survival-minded" we can find new meaning in life. While admitting that his current experiments do not provide definitive proof of survival of consciousness after death, he concludes that the available evidence is consistent with survival.
Schwartz concludes the book with a prediction that "those of us who hunger for understanding the existence of life and the meaning of love will at some point be able to celebrate the reality of spirit and soul, and the magnificent intelligence of a universe that has equipped our species with the potential to discover scientifically this fundamental spiritual truth."
As Schwartz states in the Introduction, if you already believe in survival of consciousness after death, the book "will make your heart smile." If you don't believe in survival and are befogged and cramped with lifelong materialistic prejudices, you'll probably just get a headache, assuming you take the time to read it. If, however, if you don't believe in survival but are open-minded, you may very well find yourself rethinking your earlier position.
Unfortunately, you'll likely find many people in the second category - the pseudo-skeptics with blinded eyes and cloudy intelligence proudly parading under the "science" banner - attempting to discredit Schwartz, calling his research faulty and saying he is a traitor to science. They know nothing of the extensive research carried out by other esteemed scientists, such as Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Barrett, Sir William Crookes, Dr. James H. Hyslop, Dr. Richard Hodgson, and many others who came to the same conclusion as Schwartz after extensive studies of mediums. But these scientific fundamentalists along with the religious fundamentalists, who see it all as demonic, may very well be a necessary evil. Back in 1854, Victor Hugo, the famous French author, was communicating with high spirits through a medium and asked why God does not better reveal himself. The reply came: "Because doubt is the instrument which forges the human spirit. If the day were to come when the human spirit no longer doubted, the human soul would fly off and leave the plough behind, for it would have acquired wings. The earth would lie fallow. Now, God is the sower and man the harvester. The celestial seed demands that the human ploughshare remain in the furrow of life."
In effect, absolute proof is not a good thing. However, for those who choose to give up ignorance and blind faith for the conviction that comes from research such as that being done by Schwartz, life, especially the final years, can be so much more enjoyable.
And while the title also suggests an exposé of some kind, it is definitely not that, although the author points out that the television program is not completely based on fact.
Dr. Gary Schwartz, the author, is the director of the Human Energy Systems Laboratory at the University of Arizona. In his 2002 book, The Afterlife Experiments, he detailed his early research with mediums, including John Edward, who hosted a popular television program, Crossing Over, for several years. This book picks up where Schwartz left off in the 2002 book, discussing his continuing research with other mediums, including DuBois.
Schwartz clearly validates and praises DuBois and the other mediums discussed in the book. "As far as I can tell, they have an extraordinary and genuine gift," he writes. "They can do specific things with their minds - getting accurate information about deceased loved ones - that I had been educated to believe was impossible."
Schwartz explains how he first met DuBois and her then medium-mentor, Catherine Yunt, and how he initially put them to the test. He also discusses subsequent experiments, including one with popular spiritual author Deepak Chopra and another in which the late Princess Diana seems to have communicated to a British journalist who had been a friend when Lady Di was alive.
While recognizing that much of what he relates in the book will exceed the "boggle threshold" of many readers and will result in more hissing from his cat-like colleagues, Schwartz courageously pushes on in the pursuit of truth, pointing out that if we become more "survival-minded" we can find new meaning in life. While admitting that his current experiments do not provide definitive proof of survival of consciousness after death, he concludes that the available evidence is consistent with survival.
Schwartz concludes the book with a prediction that "those of us who hunger for understanding the existence of life and the meaning of love will at some point be able to celebrate the reality of spirit and soul, and the magnificent intelligence of a universe that has equipped our species with the potential to discover scientifically this fundamental spiritual truth."
As Schwartz states in the Introduction, if you already believe in survival of consciousness after death, the book "will make your heart smile." If you don't believe in survival and are befogged and cramped with lifelong materialistic prejudices, you'll probably just get a headache, assuming you take the time to read it. If, however, if you don't believe in survival but are open-minded, you may very well find yourself rethinking your earlier position.
Unfortunately, you'll likely find many people in the second category - the pseudo-skeptics with blinded eyes and cloudy intelligence proudly parading under the "science" banner - attempting to discredit Schwartz, calling his research faulty and saying he is a traitor to science. They know nothing of the extensive research carried out by other esteemed scientists, such as Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Barrett, Sir William Crookes, Dr. James H. Hyslop, Dr. Richard Hodgson, and many others who came to the same conclusion as Schwartz after extensive studies of mediums. But these scientific fundamentalists along with the religious fundamentalists, who see it all as demonic, may very well be a necessary evil. Back in 1854, Victor Hugo, the famous French author, was communicating with high spirits through a medium and asked why God does not better reveal himself. The reply came: "Because doubt is the instrument which forges the human spirit. If the day were to come when the human spirit no longer doubted, the human soul would fly off and leave the plough behind, for it would have acquired wings. The earth would lie fallow. Now, God is the sower and man the harvester. The celestial seed demands that the human ploughshare remain in the furrow of life."
In effect, absolute proof is not a good thing. However, for those who choose to give up ignorance and blind faith for the conviction that comes from research such as that being done by Schwartz, life, especially the final years, can be so much more enjoyable.
36 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This was the worst book I've read in a long time. No "truth" was revealed in this sloppily edited (if at all) book that was obviously just written in a hurry to cash in on the show Medium's success. Confusing, poorly written text. I learned nothing. Don't waste your time or money on this one. Ugh.
51 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I would like to add a note regarding my appearances on local and national television programs. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be interviewed by some great people in the news industry. Once these clips are taped, they are often available for other producers to use. Although I am proud of what I say, I do not want anyone to be misled by my appearances. In most cases I have not even been informed that these shows are going to air. If I happen to be on a show that includes another medium or a researcher, I do not want it to imply that I endorse these people. In most cases I have never met these people and I do not have an opinion one way or another. I was warned that when you become a public figure that people will come out of the woodwork to profit from you. Well I guess I'm no exception.
One person who has been included on shows with me that I do not endorse is Dr. Gary Schwartz. I was disappointed to find out that the four years that I spent in the lab for "science" are, in my view, being misused by Dr. Schwartz -- even after I expressed my disapproval. Some critics posting to Amazon.com suggest that my disappointment stems from the fact that I am not sharing in the profits of Dr. Schwartz' book. I never asked for a cut of any project that Dr. Schwartz sold because money wasn't the issue.There's no money to be had anyway, ha ha! just kidding. The issue has always been trust. That trust has been broken. Gary says that I asked him to write a book about me which is a figment of his imagination. I actually asked him to NOT write a book about me which his publisher Hampton Roads is well aware of since they were served by my attorney before it released.I was not asking for any money but rather that he correct the falsehoods in his book. He still continues to say that I endorse his book even though I've made it clear that I don't. He points to an e-mail from a year ago that he cut and pasted and only shows part of the e-mail trying to make the argument that I said I'd endorse his book. This was in response to a coversation where I told him that I would not write a foreword for a book about me because that would be ridiculous. Further more I was not comfortable with him writing a book about me at all. So my e-mail was to say that if he wrote a book about "science" and included all the mediums studied in a scientific manner that I'd write a blurb for his book. Weeks after that e-mail I resigned from the board at the lab, found out his book was being sold on my name and saw him fully in a different light. So there you go, an endorsement that was never written is his argument, go figure.
Participating in lab studies with Dr. Schwartz was never to be a for-profit venture. I always understood that we were participating in scientific studies to help us and the world gain a better understanding of our abilities. Several of our "sitters" in the lab, unknown to many of the mediums, turned out to be writing their own books. In turn, Dr. Schwartz wrote forewords for those books or was mentioned in them. I was promised complete confidentiality and anonymity in how Dr. Schwartz and the University would report the results of these studies. Needless to say, I as well as other mediums were surprised to find our participation in the lab featured in so many other books. I was also surprised to hear that Gary's still talking about my "mentor" Catherine that I haven't seen in over three years as though her mentorship continues. I think I've had reading people down for awhile but who knows maybe Gary needs to find another way to tie himself to my name as though he has insight into my personal life. He also has no idea which parts of Medium are fact or fiction since he's not a part of the making of the show yet he wrote a chapter about it as though he had inside information on the murder cases I've worked or my family. He seemed upset about the episode of Medium that included a scientist character who studies sleeping disorders, the writers decided to make a ficticious scientist that had no connection to Schwartz. Since that episode was just good writing he seemed to decide that none of them are true which sounds like a bruised ego to me. I'm always waiting to hear what Gary will conjure up about me next it's fascinating.
I work very hard to be a compassionate, detail specific medium. I cannot endorse, much less vouch for many of the other mediums out there, and never could. This doesn't mean there aren't other great mediums out there they are I just couldn't possibly know them all. Even in the lab, I understand that some of the mediums were either not tested scientifically or achieved far less significant results than others. So I'm leary of sending clients to mediums that I'm unaware of their accuracy and compassion. If you hear by word of mouth a mediums great by all means that's a good indicator you're in good hands. I stick to the ones I've been WOWED by and always have my ear open to hearing from others about wonderful mediums they've encountered. What I do is not a carnival sideshow attraction, nor a morning tea leaf reading. I take what I do very seriously because people that come to me need to leave a reading with me in better condition than they arrived or I haven't done my job.
So please don't confuse other people's attempts to profit from the gifts of mediums like myself, Laurie Campbell, Sally Owen, George Dalzell and Janet Mayer as having our endorsement. Endorsements should be well earned and hard to come by.
One person who has been included on shows with me that I do not endorse is Dr. Gary Schwartz. I was disappointed to find out that the four years that I spent in the lab for "science" are, in my view, being misused by Dr. Schwartz -- even after I expressed my disapproval. Some critics posting to Amazon.com suggest that my disappointment stems from the fact that I am not sharing in the profits of Dr. Schwartz' book. I never asked for a cut of any project that Dr. Schwartz sold because money wasn't the issue.There's no money to be had anyway, ha ha! just kidding. The issue has always been trust. That trust has been broken. Gary says that I asked him to write a book about me which is a figment of his imagination. I actually asked him to NOT write a book about me which his publisher Hampton Roads is well aware of since they were served by my attorney before it released.I was not asking for any money but rather that he correct the falsehoods in his book. He still continues to say that I endorse his book even though I've made it clear that I don't. He points to an e-mail from a year ago that he cut and pasted and only shows part of the e-mail trying to make the argument that I said I'd endorse his book. This was in response to a coversation where I told him that I would not write a foreword for a book about me because that would be ridiculous. Further more I was not comfortable with him writing a book about me at all. So my e-mail was to say that if he wrote a book about "science" and included all the mediums studied in a scientific manner that I'd write a blurb for his book. Weeks after that e-mail I resigned from the board at the lab, found out his book was being sold on my name and saw him fully in a different light. So there you go, an endorsement that was never written is his argument, go figure.
Participating in lab studies with Dr. Schwartz was never to be a for-profit venture. I always understood that we were participating in scientific studies to help us and the world gain a better understanding of our abilities. Several of our "sitters" in the lab, unknown to many of the mediums, turned out to be writing their own books. In turn, Dr. Schwartz wrote forewords for those books or was mentioned in them. I was promised complete confidentiality and anonymity in how Dr. Schwartz and the University would report the results of these studies. Needless to say, I as well as other mediums were surprised to find our participation in the lab featured in so many other books. I was also surprised to hear that Gary's still talking about my "mentor" Catherine that I haven't seen in over three years as though her mentorship continues. I think I've had reading people down for awhile but who knows maybe Gary needs to find another way to tie himself to my name as though he has insight into my personal life. He also has no idea which parts of Medium are fact or fiction since he's not a part of the making of the show yet he wrote a chapter about it as though he had inside information on the murder cases I've worked or my family. He seemed upset about the episode of Medium that included a scientist character who studies sleeping disorders, the writers decided to make a ficticious scientist that had no connection to Schwartz. Since that episode was just good writing he seemed to decide that none of them are true which sounds like a bruised ego to me. I'm always waiting to hear what Gary will conjure up about me next it's fascinating.
I work very hard to be a compassionate, detail specific medium. I cannot endorse, much less vouch for many of the other mediums out there, and never could. This doesn't mean there aren't other great mediums out there they are I just couldn't possibly know them all. Even in the lab, I understand that some of the mediums were either not tested scientifically or achieved far less significant results than others. So I'm leary of sending clients to mediums that I'm unaware of their accuracy and compassion. If you hear by word of mouth a mediums great by all means that's a good indicator you're in good hands. I stick to the ones I've been WOWED by and always have my ear open to hearing from others about wonderful mediums they've encountered. What I do is not a carnival sideshow attraction, nor a morning tea leaf reading. I take what I do very seriously because people that come to me need to leave a reading with me in better condition than they arrived or I haven't done my job.
So please don't confuse other people's attempts to profit from the gifts of mediums like myself, Laurie Campbell, Sally Owen, George Dalzell and Janet Mayer as having our endorsement. Endorsements should be well earned and hard to come by.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good for the fact-minded people
This was an informative book included with many statistics. I didn't care for the book just for the fact to it was too scientific for my liking, but that's exactly the point of... Read more
Published on September 15, 2007 by Thomas Scofield
More compelling evidence
Professor Schwartz has done it again, and this time the book is small, and a nice read to keep by the bed. Read more
Published on August 9, 2007 by David Rountree
medium the book
i gues i was hoping this was allison dubois story not her private readings...
Published on February 21, 2007 by Mitsy Welch
Facinating!
Very interesting! Dr. Schwartz is doing some wonderful research in this area. His controlled envioment (usually tripple blind) speek loudly to the validity of his work. Read more
Published on January 18, 2007 by Paul H. Brassard
Well done, Dr. Schwartz!
This is another well-written discourse that does an excellent job to scientifically prove the existence of communication between the living and those who have passed on. Dr. Read more
Published on June 12, 2006 by Lynne Logan
bravo
Bravo, Dr. Schwartz for being one of the few scientists willing to get off the afterlife fence. Documented work with mediums is so important to the work. Read more
Published on April 29, 2006 by hidden truth
A Medium, what do they really know?
This is a show that caught me and refuses to let go. I am a sci-fi gal and I will always love this type of movie. Read more
Published on April 25, 2006 by Deborah B. Corbiciero
If I Knew Her Before She Was Famous Am I Famous Too?
I must admit I only bought this because Allison DuBois' web site fires a broadside at the author. I had to know what had her all riled up. Read more
Published on March 27, 2006 by Ray Warren
Comparitive performance or Scientific FRAUD?
My wife died two years ago, and I have consulted several mediums who have been able to give me some indication that her consciousness survived. Read more
Published on March 21, 2006 by Tom Coburn-Smith
Modest Book; Tempest in a Teapot
Gary Schwartz's "The Afterlife Experiments" is a valuable book; I recommend it. It was on the basis of that fine book that I picked up "The Truth About Medium. Read more
Published on March 2, 2006 by Danusha V. Goska
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
One fateful afternoon in February 2001, I was visited by a pair of ladies who had called and asked to set up an appointment with me. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
mediumship research, research sitter, secret sitter, proxy sitter, afterlife experiments, research mediums, adopted grandmother, professional skeptics, gifted mediums, white crow, rater bias, survival research, deceased people, accuracy ratings, cold reading, deceased loved ones Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Laurie Campbell, Esther Gussie Susy Running Totals, Susy Smith, Princess Diana, University of Arizona, William James, John Edward, The Afterlife Experiments, Mary Ann, Montague Keen, Debbie Martin, Deepak Chopra, Janet Mayer, Julie Beischel, Long Island, Mary Occhino, Robert Brown, Rupert Sheldrake, The Afterlife Codes, Catherine Yunt, Gary Schwartz, James Randi, Peter Hayes New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
One fateful afternoon in February 2001, I was visited by a pair of ladies who had called and asked to set up an appointment with me. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
mediumship research, research sitter, secret sitter, proxy sitter, afterlife experiments, research mediums, adopted grandmother, professional skeptics, gifted mediums, white crow, rater bias, survival research, deceased people, accuracy ratings, cold reading, deceased loved ones Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Laurie Campbell, Esther Gussie Susy Running Totals, Susy Smith, Princess Diana, University of Arizona, William James, John Edward, The Afterlife Experiments, Mary Ann, Montague Keen, Debbie Martin, Deepak Chopra, Janet Mayer, Julie Beischel, Long Island, Mary Occhino, Robert Brown, Rupert Sheldrake, The Afterlife Codes, Catherine Yunt, Gary Schwartz, James Randi, Peter Hayes New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 20
books:
See all 20 books this book cites
- The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers by Kevin D. Mitnick in Front Matter, and Back Matter
- Crossing Over: The Stories Behind the Stories by John Edward in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Skeptics and True Believers by Chet Raymo on page 57
- The Living Energy Universe by Gary E. R. Schwartz in Front Matter
- Divine Intervention: The Most Controversial True Story of Spiritual Contact and Enlightenment You Will Ever Read by Hazel Courteney on page 49
See all 20 books this book cites
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