Here's a chance for Brad Steiger, "the most famous writer in the occult field," to redeem himself after yesterday's debacle with some STRANGE POWERS OF ESP. "Strange" indeed, but this volume is from Belmont Books instead of Popular Library and the structure is more high and tight than Steiger's usual offerings. That may sound like damning Steiger with faint praise, and so be it - he'll have to earn some good will back after one too many hack works!
We being with the dream laboratory of Dr. Montague Ullman, assisted by Stanley Krippner. It's some promising research into dreams and telepathy and though the results 50 years on have not been encouraging, it's a step up from the pure nonsense Steiger has peddled to us elsewhere. Carry on!
Chapter two is actually written by conservative theorist and horror author Russell Kirk, and details the ghostly, ghastly history of his family manse. Steiger thanks his associate "Steve Yankee" for the get, which could be a bit of cheekery. So far, so good!
Next is the case of Evelyn Allinger, arrested by the LAPD for preaching prophecy! She beat the rap, thankfully. Steiger starts to slip a little with the "Mind Reader in a Miniskirt," a British teenager named Sylvia Halstead who claims it's hard to date boys when they find out she's psychic. Steiger attempts some gravitas by quoting a little from psychic grand dame Eileen J. Garrett but it's a hard sell. A quick hit of an Icelandic poltergeist is next after, and then a ghost who pops into a photograph, and then a whole chapter on people who become unstuck in time. We're sliding into Steiger's silly side here, with weak sourcing and rapid fire pacing designed to obfuscate rather than elucidate. The Beatles attend a seance to contact their deceased manager Brian Epstein, with Steiger doing his best to set the scene even if the principals involved disclaim its effectiveness: said Paul McCartney, "George and John got a call from a medium who said that Brian was trying to contact us and that he had something to say to us. We didn't want to pass up any channels, so John and George went along to the seance. But, they didn't believe it at all. There was nothing in it." Nice try anyways Brad.
Sadly, things degrade from here. Rommel's ghost stalks the sands of El Alamein, some would say. A man from England records voices from outer space, and RAF Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding attempts contact with the spirits of deceased pilots under his command. Said Maclean's in 1944:
There can be no doubt that in his efforts to bring comfort to bereaved English homes, Sir Hugh Dowding is utterly sincere, and he accepts no money for his lectures, but otherwise spiritualism has become one of England’s best-paying businesses. “Speak with the War Dead” and other similarly provocative phrases advertise the services of mediums. Numerous book titles, such as “The War Dead Return,” are designed to catch the eye of those whose interest in the war dead is deep and personal. Despite wartime paper restrictions the sales of psychic literature has skyrocketed, and 140,000 books on spiritualism and 121,000 regular subscriptions to periodic psychic publications have been distributed to the armed forces.
Tawdry stuff! And Steiger goes on with his typical ghost story format: a noisy ghost in Skelmersdale, UK, American GIs using dowsing rods against the VC, an opera star encounters a ghost while performing ... you get the drift. We finally hit a wall when Steiger wheels in the celebrity psychics to give us predictions for 1970. And who gets a star turn but doddering old John Pendragon, with a load of racist guff about the imminent collapse of Britain under hordes of minority immigrants and drugged out, debauched student youth. He's also still stuck on Japan "becoming" allies with America, as if that hadn't been the status quo since the end of WWII. Poor South Africa is in danger from communist violence, but at least India and Pakistan are due for a long period of peacefulness! Pendragon passed away before the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, so at least he was spared that indignity. His main focus is on the threat of Red China, which we all must pull together against lest the world be consumed in nuclear hellfire. If you say so, old bean ...
Paul Twitchell, founder of the "ancient" art of soul travel known as Eckankar, has a lengthy list of predictions as well. Notably, the communists will try to take over Brazil. He got that one completely backwards, but I'm sensing a theme of reactionary paranoia which, again, is common in the celebrity psychic field. In other news, MLK's assassination will be revealed as yet another Red plot, the Beatles will go out of fashion, Adolf Hitler will be found in South America, and Twitchell's own book The Tiger's Fang will become a smash hit bestseller! Oh and miniskirts will go out of fashion because "men are tired of looking at skinny legs." Stay classy, Paul.
Finally, at the end of it all, British medium Ena Twigg does a televised seance. Steiger quotes psychic researcher Dr. Nandor Fodor to end on a high note after yanking our chain through the back half. Keep your nose clean Steiger, you're still on probation ...
Belmont Books, 1969
Well done, friend. This is the zest and vigor I remember from the old days.
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