Philosopher Stephen Braude’s books are known for their original and penetrating insights, and his latest book, Dangerous Pursuits: Mediumship, Mind, and Music, says psychologist Stanley Krippner, “is no exception.” Hoyt Edge, writing in the Journal of Scientific Exploration, calls Stephen Braude “…the most prolific of the late 20th- and early 21st- century philosophers writing about parapsychology, and his work in the philosophical aspects of parapsychology has been the most influential in this field for the past several decades…” Braude, says psychologist Charles T. Tart, is “not afraid to wrestle with complexities others skim over…like mediums who cheat sometimes, or just what is this ‘person’ that we think might survive death.” In his review of the book in Fortean Times, Tom Ruffles notes that “Braude’s rigorous approach is a corrective to shallow thinking in psychical research, and there is much of value here for anyone wishing to delve into the topics in more depth than is often the case in the literature.” But don’t think for a minute that this is another dry philosophical tome. “The author’s wit, honesty, and tenacity shine throughout his writings…” writes Kenneth C. Turner in his review of the book for the Journal of Parapsychology. For Ruffles, the first and final essays, in particular, are “really ‘on the edge’ – exploring areas about which we seldom think.”

We don’t know anyone who can pick an idea apart better, exposing its faults and highlighting its values, than philosopher and parapsychologist Stephen E. Braude, whose books The Limits of Influence, The Gold Leaf Lady, and Immortal Remains are classics in the field. In his latest work, Dangerous Pursuits, Mediumship, Mind, and Music, Braude does what he does best on issues of mediumship, super psi, multiple personality, and survival. And he caps off this volume with an excursion into the language of jazz improvisation, noting of course its links to psi. None other than Stanley Krippner found the book “a delight to read and to contemplate,” while Charles Tart entered an altered state, calling it “Excellent!”