I was really excited to read this one but it e ded up being a struggle. Kind of slow and dry, not as interesting as I was. hoping for. It took me months to finish instead of hours.

This title seemed to focus on the history of the paranormal and speculation rather than actual appealing records of paranormal activity throughout history. Writing was just OK.

I loved this book! Frank, funny, and always informative, the author has gotten to the heart of what keeps us chasing after the bumps in the night.

When they say "this is the most in-depth paranormal survey ever made", they mean it. I might not have read much on the subject before beyond a passing curiosity, but it *felt* like this had some heft to it, and that this went far beyond the surface of the topic at hand. If you're interested in learning more about the paranormal, there feels no better place to start.

This over 500 page book is jammed packed with loads of juicy bits of interesting information about the psychic side of our world.

The author created an entertaining, well written, and thoroughly researched guide to keep the reader intrigued with each page turn. I had a hard time putting this down because I was so blown away by what I was learning and captivated by the writing style.

The author gives scientific evidence to the existence of psychic powers as well as the history and how we are all connected today by this amazing power. I don’t want to say more as to give the juicy surprises away. You just have to give this book a read for yourself to find out!

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal by Terje G. Simonsen is a well researched, well documented and full of so much information. Even a skeptic would have second thoughts after reading this.

One thing I would say to publishers is that printing page after page of reviews at the beginning of a book is wasted space because the book is in my hand, therefore I've already made the decision to read it! After flipping past 2% of the book I finally got to the table of contents and things began to look interesting.

One of the things I liked immediately about this book is that it doesn't push the woo, but allows for healthy scepticism. Various stories are told of documented paranormal or ESP incidents, but then the author points out any flaws or subjectivity in the sources, leaving the reader to make up their own mind. It's a refreshing approach!

The first chapter was about psychic archaeology and I found it very interesting, not least of all because I didn't know just how often it's used to find things! It appears to be an ongoing practice. This was followed by a chapter on military experiments is psychic phenomena which I didn't expect to find as interesting, but found myself surprised.

The competition between the Russians and Americans on this area of research is fairly common knowledge, but much of the results and findings were far more fascinating than I realised. Unlike archaeology, the military (as far as we know) has long since abandoned this research, just like the UCLA Parapsychology Lab was closed down in the late 1970s, but some information has since been declassified and the author gives sources to read some of it without drawing attention to oneself by looking directly at the CIA website.

The third chapter was a bit more woolley. They used the word anthropology but basically it's about the sort of stories you hear about that can't be quantified. Uri Geller, a woman who can stop a frog's heart, that sort of thing. Again, the author acknowledges the insubstantial nature of these stories. Some things you just can't prove if you weren't there.

This is naturally followed by psychology, focusing mainly on Freud and Jung. Jung of course, coined the term, Synchronicity and there were some surprising revelations about Freud's interest in telepathy and other psi phenomena. Then we move on to what I think was the longest chapter about the relationship between parapsychology and science.

This one covers a lot of territory. It starts talking about Mesmer and flows into other history involving hypnosis and precognition, eventually coming to occult groups and secret societies. The Golden Dawn gets a fair bit of attention, but that's as far as it goes. I did find it intersting how many well known scientists had at least an open mind about parapsychology or at least telepathy, from Freud to Darwin and even Isaac Newton.

There's a section on scepticism and a chapter on lab experiments, though it surprisingly didn't mention the Parapsychology Lab at UCLA. Overall I found the book very interesting.

This is an amazing book that will have even the worst skeptic shaking their head. It is filled with interviews and documentation of famous scientist and educated people who tell of their experiences with the paranormal. The layout of the book is a great format to hop and skip through the various chapters finding what you are looking for. Believers of the occult will love this book and would make a great gift. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My thanks to Watkins Publishing for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal’ by Terje G. Simonsen in exchange for an honest review.

Simonsen is a Norwegian Historian of Ideas and non-fiction author, specialising in the esoteric and occult. This book is subtitled ‘Our Secret Powers Telepathy, Clairvoyance & Precognition’ though its contents extend into other areas. In the opening section Simonsen describes it: “The book can thus be seen as a travelogue from the twilight zone, the exotic borderland of consciousness.” It is a fascinating mixture of scientific research and anecdotal accounts.

It’s been some while since I have read anything on the subject of the paranormal and so it was good to catch up on new material as well as refresh my memory.

He presents his material in a colloquial fashion, which made it an accessible and entertaining read. He also avoids the sensational while acknowledging: “the sensationalist slant in popular works is quite understandable and to some extent also forgivable; one wants to increase the ‘wow factor’ so as to sell as many books as possible.”

There was a lot to appreciate within and I ended up highlighting quite a few passages to return to at a later point. Following the main text is a bibliography of literature and links as well as an index.

Overall, a thought provoking overview on the subject of the paranormal. Definitely one that I would want in my permanent library and would recommend to newcomers to the subject as well as those who already have background in subjects linked to the paranormal.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! Simonsen gives us a vastly in-depth account of paranormal phenomena in this exceedingly researched book. As the title applies, historical contexts are often and largely taken into account when exploring each of these facets and while not every chapter was particularly pertained to me, there was definitely 'a chapter for everyone' in this respect. I loved the dry humour that would sometimes shine through on the pages and actually wish there was more of it! Nonetheless a fascinating read with the studies to back it up and ultimately leave the reader to draw their own conclusions on the information presented.

A well researched and well written, engrossing and informative book about everything paranormal.
It was an entertaining and informative read and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is a great intro do a lot of paranormal history. I would be best used as a companion to start off research areas.

This book was not it for me. I am interested in paranormal experiences and history, which this book does go into great detail about. However, this book is loaded with this information! It was difficult for me to digest and a bit heavy for my taste. This would be a great book for someone who is looking for a comprehensive, deep dive into the history of the paranormal.

Author Terje G. Simonsen has compiled one heck of a primer for folks who are just getting into the realm of the paranormal and psychic phenomena. For readers fascinated by clairvoyance, psychic activity, and the concepts related to telekinesis, you're going to love the heck out of this book. A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal is just that; this book is full of real life examples and anecdotes, as well as more recent research on psychic phenomena. Want to find out about the US Government and their race against Russia to get psychics? Didn't know that was a thing?

Reputable scientists have put their names on the line to declare things such as telepathy and clairvoyance have a real place in this world, and maybe even a mental connection to a "mental internet" that combines us all. I found this book a great delight for my bedtime reading, and it definitely prompted additional research in other areas. Simonsen gives readers a snippet of the important pieces, and this book makes a fabulous jumping off place for a deep dive into the paranormal. With over 500 page, this book will give you a ton to start with. 

Terie G. Simonsen's A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal is available June 9, 2020 from Watkins Publishing.

~ ARC received in exchange for an honest review ~

A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal - does what it says on the tin. Perfect for those already interested in the subject although the writing style was a little dry at times, it felt like I was reading a textbook.

~Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title~

If you’re looking for an in depth, historical account of all things paranormal, then this is the book for you. Well researched an hold an extensive amount of knowledge on the subject. I did at times find it difficult to read. Very wordy and I found myself re-reading chapter to make sure I’d fully understood what I had read. But overall a fascinating subject and interesting book.

Sorry couldn't get past 15%. Overly wordy and name dropping. Would have enjoyed it to be a bit more concise and to the point. Thanks for the chance to read this title.

If you are looking for an incredibly well researched, encyclopedic book about the paranormal, you've come to the right place. Each entry provides a look at paranormal phenomenon, often with surprising historical context, and its acceptance by many in the scientific and military communities. The author makes connections between a sort of mental Internet among human beings and what many consider to be clairvoyance. A thought provoking work.

Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

This is a very long narrative that covers just about all things paranormal. It is very in depth and yet the tone is casual and friendly. Anybody who is strongly involved in these matters or who is doing research or who wants clarification on the various defined types of types of extra sensory communication will find this book very instructive.
While it's very good for serious students it's not full of amazing stories that will shock you, It's deep and one needs to already possess a keen interest to stay with it.
It's a terrific accomplishment and will take it's place in a library of the supernatural.

Is the future knowable? Are there programs that are peering into the possible outcomes of planet? This book by T Simonsen is a real page turner. I have followed this kind of information for a long time but I learned things I didnt know, nor would have ever thought! From religious behind the scenes Glastonbury archeology to Project Stargate the plot flows in a way that makes sense in a new way to me. I was especially interested in Remote Viewing as I have had some experience in that area. I learned that someone knows more about what is to become of us than they are admitting to. Why would governments be interested in Paranormal incidents? I know why now.
Fascinating, relevent, and written in a way as if you are talking to the author in person. All people who want to know the truth should read this title.