Not everyone's idea of a holiday. (The Psychic Tourist: A Voyage into the Curious World of Predicting the Future - William Little)

Member Name: reluctantreviews

Product:	The Psychic Tourist: A Voyage into the Curious World of Predicting the Future - William Little
Date:	11/06/09 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thorough and interesting

Disadvantages: May not be everyone's cup of tea.

I don't often read non-fiction, but the titles I tend to choose are usually... how shall I put this... a bit odd! Therefore, books investigating the paranormal usually catch my attention - like the 'Psychic Tourist' by William Little. I'm not particularly a believer in the supernatural, but I like to keep an open mind about these things, and I'm hoping you'll do the same with my review.

William Little, a journalist, starts off his strange story by telling us about a family get together one Christmas; his sister is upset with him over a couple of presents he innocently bought her and her daughter years before. This may sound like the usual Yule tide squabble, however, the gifts were birth charts and both predict that his sister and young niece would die in a water related incident. Even though they are a rational family, they are understandably freaked out by this prediction - especially by the fact that the two charts, bought years apart, could forecast the same tragedy for both mother and daughter. As a result, in an attempt to reassure his sister, Little embarks on a journey of discovery to find out if there is any truth to this fortune telling malarkey.

I know the subject matter may sound a little serious, but the book is actually a light hearted (in the same vein as Louis Theroux) look at the world of mediums, fortune-tellers and palm readers.

Little's investigation is about as thorough as you can get considering the subject matter, and he seems genuinely determined to write a balanced and well-informed book. Little tries to leave no stone unturned and no questions unanswered on his bizarre journey - hanging around woods with witches, interviewing Noble prize winners and physicists, and even attending a psychic school! He tries to get his head around complex theories such as quantum physics and time travel, and speaks to high profile sceptics such as Richard Dawkins and Derren Brown. He even manages to track down (and unintentionally frighten) the man who created the birth charts, causing him to go back and re-evaluate his original predictions.

Little's writing style is informative, engaging and humourous, making it a really enjoyable read. So what conclusions did William Little reach after his supernatural adventure?... well you'll just have to read it and find out.

Available from Amazon.co.uk for £8.99

*I've also published this review under my own name on Waterstones.com*

Summary: A humourous journey through the supernatural.