Looking for the Other Side

March 3, 1997
Journalist (New Woman), author (Secrets of a Very Good Marriage) and admitted skeptic Cohen here explores the world of psychics, mediums and channelers, in an effort to communicate with her dead mother. The experience soon leads her to explore herself, too. Written in fast-moving, breezy, sometimes flippant prose, the book relates her encounters with experts in many disciplines of the paranormal, including with astrologer Matt Locasion and Rick Jarow, Tarot readers Deirdre O'Brian and Cassandra Saulter, numerologist Ken Nelson and channeler Claudia Cusson. She explores past-life regression as well. Each chapter begins with a brief sketch of the discipline to be examined, followed by Cohen's personal experience and assessment. Helpful lists of names and phone numbers are provided for psychic organizations and paranormal experts in each field, along with recommended readings. Although the book is marred by a light (not serious) tone and a failure at times to adequately identify the experts described, it does provide a quick, entertaining introduction to the various types of paranormal consultation available in the marketplace today. Author tour.

April 15, 1997
A contributing editor at New Woman magazine and author of Secrets of a Very Good Marriage (Crown, 1993), Cohen here investigates the possibility of contacting her deceased mother through various paranormal means. Cohen displays a journalist's curiosity in her willingness to try new experiences, seeking the expertise of psychics, mediums, astrologers, tarot readers, numerologists, and many more. She enriches her story with a skeptic's humor. Did she find her mother? Maybe. Perhaps more importantly, she was also encouraged to learn about her own unconscious mind. A valuable list of resources, organizations, and practitioners is appended to this fun-to-read investigation. Ultimately, however, this is a supplemental work for public libraries.--Lisa S. Wise, Broome Cty. P.L., Binghamton, N.Y.

March 15, 1997
When her mother died, Cohen was ready to put aside her skepticism and see if she could reach her mom in some otherworldly way. That journey took her to astrologers, channelers, tea-leaf readers, past-life regressors, parapsychologists, and dowsers. Those interested in the nonmaterial world will be intrigued by Cohen's search. Certainly, she encounters enough instances of events happening without rational explanations to make even skeptics stop and wonder exactly what's going on here. Although the string that ties the whole book together is Cohen's relations with her family, especially her mother, the constant harping about "separation problems" grows tiresome by the end. Still, magazine writer Cohen knows how to draw readers into the story, and she is at her best when giving practical advice about navigating the psychic world and how to avoid frauds. Does she contact her mom? Not exactly, but the phone lines didn't seem totally disconnected, either. ((Reviewed March 15, 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)