What do you think?
Rate this book
Walking Through Walls
The son of a renowned decorator who in his off hours used his psychic abilities to heal the sick and talk to spirits discusses his 1960s youth, his mixed feelings about his father's dual life, and his rebellious unwillingness to follow in his father's footsteps.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2008
17 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Philip Smith
1 book12 followersPhilip Smith is a painter with works in numerous museums around the country. His memoir, Walking Through Walls is about growing up with a father who had extraordinary psychic powers and could talk to the dead and heal the sick.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 4, 2016
I'm giving this one five stars, as I really couldn't think of what would cause it to earn less.
As a brief summary: starts out as the story of a boy in 1950's Miami, before it was quite the "hot" city. After a few chapters, the focus pivots to the author's dad and his interest in New Age philosophy, eventually leading to his folks' divorce (they continued to live separately on the same property). His father becomes a healer whose "powers" seemingly know no bounds. Meanwhile, poor Philip is a teenager who wants anything but a "weird" dad. Still, they are very close throughout the story, until his father's slightly ... unusual death.
A few factors come together to make this a terrific story. To start, there's a strong sense of place, both the familiar image of Miami and the not-so-touristy sides. Smith pulls of something that I hadn't realized until sitting down to write this -- the "voice" he uses matches his age well as the story progresses. He's clearly a kid at the beginning, while the last few chapters have a mature tone. A couple of the incidents that really stood out were the author's brush with Scientology (in the 60s). His dad was unaware of the group specifically, but told Philip "There's a really bad energy there, if you continue with them, you'll certainly regret it." He was able to extricate himself later, but it wasn't easy. Coincidentally, I happened to be reading Leah Remini's story of her time in Scientology as well. Another chapter involves Philip taking a date to a spiritualist reading service in a sketchy part of town; that date wasn't particularly successful, although Philip did get an accurate message.
As for his dad, Lew Smith ... if you are not at all interested in "faith healing" and such (like my mom), this is not the book for you: stay away! If you are interested, or neutral, the stories of his healings and related activities proved fascinating to me, and there were a lot of them to chalk all of it up as coincidence. One time, Philip comes into his dad's office to find him giving directions on exactly where to locate a missing hiker thousands of miles away, as well as a report of the condition they'll find him in (not great, but okay). Another time, Lew manages to call off a relative's cancer operation at the last minute. You guessed it ... the diagnosis proved wrong!
I'm really glad my library had a copy, but if yours doesn't, it's well worth buying one!
As a brief summary: starts out as the story of a boy in 1950's Miami, before it was quite the "hot" city. After a few chapters, the focus pivots to the author's dad and his interest in New Age philosophy, eventually leading to his folks' divorce (they continued to live separately on the same property). His father becomes a healer whose "powers" seemingly know no bounds. Meanwhile, poor Philip is a teenager who wants anything but a "weird" dad. Still, they are very close throughout the story, until his father's slightly ... unusual death.
A few factors come together to make this a terrific story. To start, there's a strong sense of place, both the familiar image of Miami and the not-so-touristy sides. Smith pulls of something that I hadn't realized until sitting down to write this -- the "voice" he uses matches his age well as the story progresses. He's clearly a kid at the beginning, while the last few chapters have a mature tone. A couple of the incidents that really stood out were the author's brush with Scientology (in the 60s). His dad was unaware of the group specifically, but told Philip "There's a really bad energy there, if you continue with them, you'll certainly regret it." He was able to extricate himself later, but it wasn't easy. Coincidentally, I happened to be reading Leah Remini's story of her time in Scientology as well. Another chapter involves Philip taking a date to a spiritualist reading service in a sketchy part of town; that date wasn't particularly successful, although Philip did get an accurate message.
As for his dad, Lew Smith ... if you are not at all interested in "faith healing" and such (like my mom), this is not the book for you: stay away! If you are interested, or neutral, the stories of his healings and related activities proved fascinating to me, and there were a lot of them to chalk all of it up as coincidence. One time, Philip comes into his dad's office to find him giving directions on exactly where to locate a missing hiker thousands of miles away, as well as a report of the condition they'll find him in (not great, but okay). Another time, Lew manages to call off a relative's cancer operation at the last minute. You guessed it ... the diagnosis proved wrong!
I'm really glad my library had a copy, but if yours doesn't, it's well worth buying one!
June 15, 2024
Giving this one 5 stars because it is one of the most interesting memoirs I've ever read. Especially fascinating since it is from the son's perspective, and the son as an adolescent and teenager does not fully appreciate who his father is and what he might be doing.
The son's ambivalence becomes a kind of mirror for how readers might react when they hear these stories. The medical horror stories are truly horrific, and sadly, these kinds of mistakes fueled by arrogance and ignorance still occur.
Bizarre yet profound — a teenage skeptic, dismissive of his father's purported ability to communicate with spirits, encounters the unexplainable.
The son's ambivalence becomes a kind of mirror for how readers might react when they hear these stories. The medical horror stories are truly horrific, and sadly, these kinds of mistakes fueled by arrogance and ignorance still occur.
Bizarre yet profound — a teenage skeptic, dismissive of his father's purported ability to communicate with spirits, encounters the unexplainable.
August 12, 2010
Very interesting book. This is the true story of Lew Smith as told by his son Philip. Lew was an interior designer turned psychic healer who lived in Miami and worked for and treated many celebrities. The story had some interesting anecdotes about Lew's life as an interior decorator most notably the dictator of Haiti at the time who held Lew Smith hostage until the job was done. After Lew Smith received his calling he began people by raising their psychic vibrations so that their astral bodies would be in tune with their physical bodies. He claimed he could do this over the phone and heal anyone in the world. Lew Smith also claims that he psychically contained the radiation (from his house in Miami) from Three Mile Island. While I often found the story unbelievable I enjoyed the book a lot. The anecdotes were very entertaining and Lew Smith became an endearing character. I would recommend this book, but more as a memoir about a happy father/son relationship and less as a factual retelling of events.
April 27, 2010
This is the first memoir I've read in quite a spell. The long break seems unusual, considering the intensity of my exploration of the genre a while back, but at least I opened the book with a pretty clear idea of how other writers have handled such material.
The subject certainly has appeal: Late in life, the author's father pretty much gave up on his business (he was an interior decorator for the rich and powerful), and his marriage, in order to devote himself to yoga and whole foods, which in time led to communing with spirits, and especially psychic healing. If the author is to be believed, there are enough extraordinary accounts in this book to rule out a verdict that the guy was just a nut.
Having lived in bygone days with someone who also practiced yoga, stocked the kitchen with stuff like brewer's yeast, juiced carrots and wheatgrass, consulted Materia Medica and the Bach flower remedies for every medical question, gave serious thought to the special properties of pyramids, and fantasized about becoming a breatharian, I felt nostalgic as the story traced the radical changes undertaken by Smith's father. Having also had experience seeking a healer of this man's caliber, I found myself wishing our paths had crossed.
I've read other memoirs in which the focus is on someone other than the author ( And When Did You Last See Your Father? and The Color of Water come to mind offhand), but in this case the author's presence is unusually spotty. Introspection is typically an important part of serious memoir, but I noticed only two places where Smith attempts to explore his feelings and motivations.
The first half of the story is given over pretty much to summary, with generous doses of humor. There are different brands of humor, of course. Mark Salzman, author of Lost in Place , was a master at poking fun at his earlier self while still making you like the guy. Haven Kimmel, author of A Girl Named Zippy (who happens to have a blurb on the back cover) wrote in a tone that evokes fond smiles more than outright laughter. What we have here, however, is a tendency to finish paragraphs with punchlines that, I think, undercuts the story's potential.
For example, after describing the neighbors as KKK types who probably couldn't even read, and contrasting that environment with the parties his socialite mom threw for artsy associates, he concludes, "You get the picture: Gertrude Stein meets Hee-Haw."
After describing encounters with offbeat people in a typical day as a schoolboy, he says, "Thus was the cycle of my day: Watching Pop stand on his head, lesbian male-o-phobia, pedophilia, macho mechanics, and then home to a nice hot dish of macrobiotic adzuki beans and organic brown rice."
Maybe I'm just too dull and serious. These touches are obviously supposed to be cute, but I could have done without 'em.
As for summarizing vs dramatizing, the ratio might be off-kilter here. Drama does occur at key moments, such as when Philip Smith, his dad, and his dad's secretary all arrive at the hospital to tell a doctor he mustn't perform surgery on the secretary's mother because the dad has divined that it is unnecessary. Maybe the fact that the other stuff feels like background material makes these anecdotes pop out more vividly, so this may not be a fault. On the other hand, if you remove the handful of truly impressive demonstrations of the dad's powers, there isn't much left. The only bit of the author's personal story that has legs is his ill-fated foray into Scientology.
The writing itself is mostly acceptable, but I was very much put off by occasional sentences such as, "As a kid, my fascination with archaeology and ancient Egypt seemed to have some impact on the formal construction of my paintings." My theory is that the author added these pain inducers after the editor had cleaned up his manuscript.
I give the book three stars for the same reason a high school teacher once gave my term paper a B-minus when it had a misspelling (her policy was to fail papers with misspellings). My paper was on UFOs, and that subject excited her. Philip Smith's dad must have been the kind of person who comes along once in a century, if then. During his life, he was tolerated, at best, by those closest to him, and this memoir is his son's way of saying, belatedly, Pop, I hardly knew you!
The subject certainly has appeal: Late in life, the author's father pretty much gave up on his business (he was an interior decorator for the rich and powerful), and his marriage, in order to devote himself to yoga and whole foods, which in time led to communing with spirits, and especially psychic healing. If the author is to be believed, there are enough extraordinary accounts in this book to rule out a verdict that the guy was just a nut.
Having lived in bygone days with someone who also practiced yoga, stocked the kitchen with stuff like brewer's yeast, juiced carrots and wheatgrass, consulted Materia Medica and the Bach flower remedies for every medical question, gave serious thought to the special properties of pyramids, and fantasized about becoming a breatharian, I felt nostalgic as the story traced the radical changes undertaken by Smith's father. Having also had experience seeking a healer of this man's caliber, I found myself wishing our paths had crossed.
I've read other memoirs in which the focus is on someone other than the author ( And When Did You Last See Your Father? and The Color of Water come to mind offhand), but in this case the author's presence is unusually spotty. Introspection is typically an important part of serious memoir, but I noticed only two places where Smith attempts to explore his feelings and motivations.
The first half of the story is given over pretty much to summary, with generous doses of humor. There are different brands of humor, of course. Mark Salzman, author of Lost in Place , was a master at poking fun at his earlier self while still making you like the guy. Haven Kimmel, author of A Girl Named Zippy (who happens to have a blurb on the back cover) wrote in a tone that evokes fond smiles more than outright laughter. What we have here, however, is a tendency to finish paragraphs with punchlines that, I think, undercuts the story's potential.
For example, after describing the neighbors as KKK types who probably couldn't even read, and contrasting that environment with the parties his socialite mom threw for artsy associates, he concludes, "You get the picture: Gertrude Stein meets Hee-Haw."
After describing encounters with offbeat people in a typical day as a schoolboy, he says, "Thus was the cycle of my day: Watching Pop stand on his head, lesbian male-o-phobia, pedophilia, macho mechanics, and then home to a nice hot dish of macrobiotic adzuki beans and organic brown rice."
Maybe I'm just too dull and serious. These touches are obviously supposed to be cute, but I could have done without 'em.
As for summarizing vs dramatizing, the ratio might be off-kilter here. Drama does occur at key moments, such as when Philip Smith, his dad, and his dad's secretary all arrive at the hospital to tell a doctor he mustn't perform surgery on the secretary's mother because the dad has divined that it is unnecessary. Maybe the fact that the other stuff feels like background material makes these anecdotes pop out more vividly, so this may not be a fault. On the other hand, if you remove the handful of truly impressive demonstrations of the dad's powers, there isn't much left. The only bit of the author's personal story that has legs is his ill-fated foray into Scientology.
The writing itself is mostly acceptable, but I was very much put off by occasional sentences such as, "As a kid, my fascination with archaeology and ancient Egypt seemed to have some impact on the formal construction of my paintings." My theory is that the author added these pain inducers after the editor had cleaned up his manuscript.
I give the book three stars for the same reason a high school teacher once gave my term paper a B-minus when it had a misspelling (her policy was to fail papers with misspellings). My paper was on UFOs, and that subject excited her. Philip Smith's dad must have been the kind of person who comes along once in a century, if then. During his life, he was tolerated, at best, by those closest to him, and this memoir is his son's way of saying, belatedly, Pop, I hardly knew you!
May 19, 2010
A classic finish in three days book. Phillip Smith pays tribute to both of his parents in this eccentric, spiritual and at times unbelievable (yet I believe) account.
If you have any interest in healing and or psychic abilities it's a must read. With a hysterical Scientology flashback and a strong Miami flair, Walking Through Walls is funny, touching, odd and terrific.
A literal page turner.
If you have any interest in healing and or psychic abilities it's a must read. With a hysterical Scientology flashback and a strong Miami flair, Walking Through Walls is funny, touching, odd and terrific.
A literal page turner.
January 21, 2018
In this non-fiction book, Philip Smith, an editor and artist writes about his life growing up with his father, Lew Smith, a decorator and psychic healer. Yes, this is non-fiction though it does read like fiction and in this very interesting account, he details his father’s highly unusual life as he helps heal people psychically using pendulums and also has the ability to talk to the dead. As I read this very unusual book, I did and still have my doubts about his father’s abilities but I think you’ll have to read this hard to put down book to make up your own mind.
August 12, 2011
Philip Smith’s father, Lew Smith, started off as an interior decorator. As Philip grew up, however, his dad started receiving mysterious messages from spirits beyond the grave, who encouraged him to take up psychic healing and educated him in various mystic practices. Philip’s memoir describes many of his own experiences growing up in such an environment (imagine, if you will, having a father who knows everything you’re thinking and everything you’re up to, and often has an idea of what your future holds), but also collects anecdotes from others who were touched by his father’s unique gifts. Philip spent equal amounts of time embarrassed or frustrated and fascinated by his dad’s exploits. Lew was able to diagnose people over the phone, through their relatives, and without ever having contact with them except through the spirit world. He used a pendulum to ask yes-no questions while he held open Gray’s Anatomy and pinpointed ailments and their causes. On more than one occasion he was able to prevent unnecessary surgeries and he saved the lives of countless others whose doctors had given up on them. Although readers might be skeptical of psychic healing, Philip’s account really makes one wonder at the possibility – it helps that he, too, is somewhat skeptical. Fascinating read. It’s a pity Lew Smith is himself now beyond the veil.
March 21, 2010
Quirky memoir by Phiip Smith, who grew up in 1960s Miami, the son of an interior decorator to the rich and famous, and an elegant if equally idiosyncratic mother. Smith has quite a few entertaining stories to tell about this early part of his childhood -- like his father's being held hostage by a Carribean dictator who really, really wanted him to decorate the palace -- but believe it or not, Smith's memoir gets even weirder. Smith's father undertook a spiritual evolution, beginning with changes like a macrobiotic diet and ending up with the ability (according to Smith) to psychically heal people of physical and mental illness. Whether you regard it as fact or fiction, it will certain entertain you!
January 13, 2021
I read this book three times because with each reading I get more gems. I own the paperback and kindle version. I have gifted it to many of my friends; that's how much I love it. I am only hoping that Philip Smith writes a sequel to this highly charged spiritual memoir that offers more of his father's teaching, and Philip's art work (which I believe is intertwined in the healing that they both produce).
August 4, 2022
I met Philip last year at an art commissioner event and got a hold of a copy of this included with one of his art pieces. Loved reading his memoir and learning all about Lew "Pop" Smith and his work in Miami.
January 5, 2009
Quite an Odd book. Very thought provoking... makes you wonder if this type of healing is possible...
December 20, 2019
This is one of my favorite books. It is the story of a kid growing up in Miami in the 50s and 60s. His father was a very successful interior decorator, very talented. The mother was a beautiful and wonderful character herself. She would drive around Miami in a convertible Cadillac, Smoking camels in Ammon cigarette holder. And then the father discovered he could heal people, even at a distance. And their lives changed tremendously. It’s an incredible book. The first time I read it I finished it in one night. At seven in the morning my whole body was vibrating with energy, as I came to the end. I stayed up for four more hours and then took a nap. I have no idea what happened there.
Also, To compare this book with “running with scissors” is an insult. This book is the real thing, not a fake recovery memoir written by an ad man.
Also, To compare this book with “running with scissors” is an insult. This book is the real thing, not a fake recovery memoir written by an ad man.
July 4, 2017
A fun, breezy read. Written a bit unevenly and not all that well, but vastly entertaining. What's with Smith's petulant hating of all his dad's girlfriends? I think it's supposed to be funny but it comes off as bratty, cliché and misogynist. Also, I know it's a memoir about his relationship with his dad, but his mom all but disappears from the narrative after they divorce when he's a teenager, which feels odd and uncomfortable. The last chapter and epilogue, dealing with Smith's reaction to his father's death and its aftermath, were especially bad in a very cringey trying-hard-to-make-you-laugh way--I would have given this 4 stars if not for them.
May 3, 2018
Walking Through Walls: A Memoir is a Must Read
A well written tribute to an amazing father from his son. I was moved to laughter and tears by Philip Smith's writing. Walking Through Walls: A Memoir is a book I'll read again and again. I first heard Philip Smith on the Coast to Coast Radio program, bought the book from Amazon at 3am to begin reading before my morning cup of tea or coffee. I'd like to tell Philip, I wish him success in all his endeavors. Thank-you for writing A Memoir to your father. Hugs, Linda
A well written tribute to an amazing father from his son. I was moved to laughter and tears by Philip Smith's writing. Walking Through Walls: A Memoir is a book I'll read again and again. I first heard Philip Smith on the Coast to Coast Radio program, bought the book from Amazon at 3am to begin reading before my morning cup of tea or coffee. I'd like to tell Philip, I wish him success in all his endeavors. Thank-you for writing A Memoir to your father. Hugs, Linda
August 20, 2022
I think we all had the experience of wanting to do the exact opposite of our parents. But what if your dad went from western science to psychic healing? And what if you showed some psychic healing gifts yourself? As you can imagine, this is a highly entertaining memoir!
April 26, 2024
Remarkable psychic told by his son any most remarkable book
This is a story that needed to be told. Phillip had me hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time. Is it great joy to read.
This is a story that needed to be told. Phillip had me hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time. Is it great joy to read.
February 22, 2018
I loved this book and didn't want it to end. Such interesting, weird things happening. The author's writing style was very conversational and made it easy to read.
January 19, 2019
This book is astonishing, it will change your mind.
October 14, 2022
Requirement for school: not a bad book, it was actually very interesting
Read
June 5, 2023Interesting and enjoyable.
July 15, 2024
I think this is my very favorite book of my top 5. I'm going to read it again, and I'll update, attempting a modicum of eloquence not reflected in my current incarnation of a review.
April 26, 2009
Philip Smith's childhood was anything but ordinary. During his early childhood, his father's career as an interior decorator took the family all over the world. Lew Smith's clientele were among the famous and elite, the rich and the powerful. The author's mother seemed to be his perfect companion, both in life and in work. According to the author, things for the Smith family began to unravel, however, when Philip's father, Lew Smith, became more and more interested in the metaphysical.
The author's story pushed the boundaries of believability--at least in terms of my own beliefs. Lew Smith could heal people by manipulating their energy. The stronger he grew in his abilities, he was more and more able to heal, even people in other countries without even talking directly to them. He was constantly learning and perfecting the art of healing. He was guided by the spirits. Lew Smith believed that everyone was capable of doing what he could do if they took the time to learn. People came to him in droves to be healed and to learn how to heal.
While Lew Smith's influence and abilities as a healer and psychic often take center stage in the book, it is really only a part of the whole story. Walking Through Walls is also the story of a father and a son. Their relationship with each other was typical in many ways, but not so in others. The two of them were very close, even when at their most distant from each other--physically and emotionally. During his teen years, Philip resented his father and the lifestyle his father had chosen. Philip longed to fit in with the crowd, but his father's eccentricies made that difficult. He was embarrassed by his father.
As time wore on, Philip struggled for his independence. His father was ever present in his life. With Lew, there really were no secrets and Philip often wished he could have some privacy, that he could cut himself off from his father's spirit guides who reported to Lew regularly. Like any teenager, Philip was trying to come into his own. His father, to some degree, was willing to let Philip find his own way, although there was always that tie between them.
Although there were moments when I felt the father (and the mother's) behavior crossed the line into neglect, it was clear that Lew and Philip Smith loved each other. During Philip's early teen years, I once or twice found myself wondering why Philip's mother didn't step in, and it's never really clear why she didn't. She seemed to take a backseat in Philip's life when her marriage began falling apart, too busy nursing her own wounds.
Philip grew up during the 1950's and 60's, an interesting time in American history. The author was able to capture the tone of the times in his writing, never letting the reader forget the setting. Walking Through Walls has humorous moments as well as touching ones. In spite of my skepticism, I found the book interesting and compelling. Philip is easy to like. And while I had mixed feelings about his father in the beginning, by the end I felt I had a better understanding of the type of man he was. And I could see why so many people were drawn to him.
The author's story pushed the boundaries of believability--at least in terms of my own beliefs. Lew Smith could heal people by manipulating their energy. The stronger he grew in his abilities, he was more and more able to heal, even people in other countries without even talking directly to them. He was constantly learning and perfecting the art of healing. He was guided by the spirits. Lew Smith believed that everyone was capable of doing what he could do if they took the time to learn. People came to him in droves to be healed and to learn how to heal.
While Lew Smith's influence and abilities as a healer and psychic often take center stage in the book, it is really only a part of the whole story. Walking Through Walls is also the story of a father and a son. Their relationship with each other was typical in many ways, but not so in others. The two of them were very close, even when at their most distant from each other--physically and emotionally. During his teen years, Philip resented his father and the lifestyle his father had chosen. Philip longed to fit in with the crowd, but his father's eccentricies made that difficult. He was embarrassed by his father.
As time wore on, Philip struggled for his independence. His father was ever present in his life. With Lew, there really were no secrets and Philip often wished he could have some privacy, that he could cut himself off from his father's spirit guides who reported to Lew regularly. Like any teenager, Philip was trying to come into his own. His father, to some degree, was willing to let Philip find his own way, although there was always that tie between them.
Although there were moments when I felt the father (and the mother's) behavior crossed the line into neglect, it was clear that Lew and Philip Smith loved each other. During Philip's early teen years, I once or twice found myself wondering why Philip's mother didn't step in, and it's never really clear why she didn't. She seemed to take a backseat in Philip's life when her marriage began falling apart, too busy nursing her own wounds.
Philip grew up during the 1950's and 60's, an interesting time in American history. The author was able to capture the tone of the times in his writing, never letting the reader forget the setting. Walking Through Walls has humorous moments as well as touching ones. In spite of my skepticism, I found the book interesting and compelling. Philip is easy to like. And while I had mixed feelings about his father in the beginning, by the end I felt I had a better understanding of the type of man he was. And I could see why so many people were drawn to him.
March 26, 2009
Walking Through Walls is the memoir of Philip Smith, an artist and former managing editor of GQ. It follows his upbringing in Miami with his decorator father, Lew Smith, who also just happened to be a very powerful psychic healer. Philip begins his story when he is a child and his parents are the social butterflies of the town. Lew's initiation into the world of natural healing comes first through diet changes, when he decides that his family needs to eat a macrobiotic diet. From there he continues his exploration into mind-body connections, and begins to learn how to contact and be contacted by spirits. It is these spirits that share with him the revolutionary healing techniques that he will use to perform miracles.
I enjoyed this book at the beginning, reading about his parents' lives in Miami, and his father's decorating business. It was interesting to see how Philip's mother reacted to his father's explorations - she continued her coffee and cigarette habit even while her husband and son were living almost exclusively on brown rice. And Lew's spiritual journey was fascinating, whether or not you believe in any of the things he participated in. But after Philip's parents split up, and his father began to use his "pendulum" the book lost me. Lew just got too far out there, and while he may have performed miraculous healings, the explanations of his methods were just beyond kooky. The lengths that Philip went to as a teenager to try to escape his father and the spirit guides was entertaining, and gave a glimpse of what it must have been like to live with a man who performed excorcisms and received communications from the spirits on a regular basis. I know this was not the author's intention, but the book left me feeling sorry for Lew Smith, the man whose life was hijacked by "spirit guides" who left him no time for himself or his family.
I enjoyed this book at the beginning, reading about his parents' lives in Miami, and his father's decorating business. It was interesting to see how Philip's mother reacted to his father's explorations - she continued her coffee and cigarette habit even while her husband and son were living almost exclusively on brown rice. And Lew's spiritual journey was fascinating, whether or not you believe in any of the things he participated in. But after Philip's parents split up, and his father began to use his "pendulum" the book lost me. Lew just got too far out there, and while he may have performed miraculous healings, the explanations of his methods were just beyond kooky. The lengths that Philip went to as a teenager to try to escape his father and the spirit guides was entertaining, and gave a glimpse of what it must have been like to live with a man who performed excorcisms and received communications from the spirits on a regular basis. I know this was not the author's intention, but the book left me feeling sorry for Lew Smith, the man whose life was hijacked by "spirit guides" who left him no time for himself or his family.
March 10, 2010
A very interesting book, even though it seemed to drag repetitively in places. This is the story of Lew Smith through the eyes of his son, Phillip. Lew is a decorator for dictators, movie stars, and other super rich people. Then he becomes a macrobiotic diet devotee and things just snowball. By the end of the book he is healing people long distance, creating projectors so others can do the same, communicating with spirit guides and watching his son--no matter what state or even continent he is on. Phillip wants to know what it's like to live a life of privacy but he never finds out. Not until his dad unexpectedly and to all his followers surprise and horror, dies. No one thought it could happen.
I don't know what I think of this book. So much of what the author relates sounds so impossible that I find it hard to believe, yet it is related with such sincerity and matter-of-factness that I find it hard not to believe. And since I don't know what I think about psychic phenomena, I don't have a foundation to operate from. So I guess I'll just take it at face value and not judge it, one way or the other.
Phillip grew up to be an artist and writer. He has an interesting web site that is more about his dad than his own work. I was surprised that Lew Smith isn't on Wickipedia. I would like some confirmation, but other than a few newspaper clippings on Smith's website, I don't think I will find much.
The book itself is pretty well written. Smith's attitude towards his neighbors in the beginning of the book was getting on my nerves, but then it moved on into the heart of the book, his dad's "ministry" and what it felt like to try and grow up as a normal teenager with a dad like Lew Smith, who sounds like an extremely kind, wise, and loving father and person.
I don't know what I think of this book. So much of what the author relates sounds so impossible that I find it hard to believe, yet it is related with such sincerity and matter-of-factness that I find it hard not to believe. And since I don't know what I think about psychic phenomena, I don't have a foundation to operate from. So I guess I'll just take it at face value and not judge it, one way or the other.
Phillip grew up to be an artist and writer. He has an interesting web site that is more about his dad than his own work. I was surprised that Lew Smith isn't on Wickipedia. I would like some confirmation, but other than a few newspaper clippings on Smith's website, I don't think I will find much.
The book itself is pretty well written. Smith's attitude towards his neighbors in the beginning of the book was getting on my nerves, but then it moved on into the heart of the book, his dad's "ministry" and what it felt like to try and grow up as a normal teenager with a dad like Lew Smith, who sounds like an extremely kind, wise, and loving father and person.
February 14, 2012
I like the matter-of-fact tone that Smith uses in writing his story. He is not trying to defend anything or trying to convince you of anything. He is not trying to push anything on you. He is just telling his story. His story just happens to include physic healers who can heal over the telephone. Whether you believe it is up to you. And Smith does have an interesting story. Growing up with a designer father who invented the bead curtain and also happens to be a physic healer (his mother seemed a bit unusual too) gives him a unique perspective on things. He ends up leading a double life as he tries to be ‘normal’ at school and then comes home to people queued up to be healed by his father. Sometimes, though, I do think the story becomes more of a biography of his father than a memoir of his own life and there are a lot of anecdotes about who his father knew and all the things his father did. Smith also explains terms like ‘akashic records’ and talks about the different ways that his father worked and different techniques that he used. Some of which was interesting because I know next to nothing about such things but at times he describes things in such detail and at such length (a whole page of yes/no questions he asks to locate a tumor for example) that it becomes tedious and then boring. Whether you believe in physic healing or dispersing clouds with your mind or not, Smith still tells an interesting story about an unusual life. His father was, of course, the important influence in his life and we needed to know about him but I was more interested in the parts of the story that focused on Philip himself instead of his father. The parts that dealt with how he was affected by, and learned to live with and come to terms with his father’s celebrity and unusual vocation that sometimes made his life difficult.
November 3, 2008
Interesting read. Not for everyone. The book is a memoir written by artist Philip Smith about growing up with his decorating father, Lew Smith. Lew Smith was an internationally known decorator, a visionary, and a man before his time. The majority of the memoir takes place in Miami in the 50's and 60's - a very different place than what Miami has now become. It's the story of Philip growing up in a very "unconventional" home and trying to find his own path - not unlike most teenagers today. His father's interests delved into areas that are not even widely recognized 50 years later. Lew Smith was interested in macrobiotics, fasting, and homeopathic remedies. He learned that he was a psychic healer, devoured information on metaphysics, used a pendulum and took instruction from spirit guides. Certainly not subjects you hear spoken of in all livingrooms around the world.
Walking Through Walls is filled with local lore and charming characters. It is a legacy of love written by a son who admired the work his father did, and a testimony to the thousands of people Lew Smith helped when the medical establishment had written them off as lost causes.
Walking Through Walls is filled with local lore and charming characters. It is a legacy of love written by a son who admired the work his father did, and a testimony to the thousands of people Lew Smith helped when the medical establishment had written them off as lost causes.
December 14, 2015
A book I will never forget. Probably one of my all time top ten. I don´t think it´s posible to read this book and not be convinced the author´s father was the real deal, a psychic healer who traveled to astral planes and communicated with spirit guides and helped thousands of people recover from all sorts of diseases and medical conditions. But not written in a serious way at all, it is lighthearted, the style of writing is breezy, and amusing. The story is about how Philip had to grow up while coping with a slightly extraordinary space cadet of a father and how he finally was able to accept and appreciate living with a father with superhuman powers. Set mostly in Miami it is loaded with breezy tropical setting and characters of a flamboyant nature. I enjoyed this book page from the first page to the last, I just loved it and wish I could meet a person Like Philip´s Father, Lew Smith. I did do a Google Image search as I was curious to see the artwork of Philip Smith, the author and his work is awesome, he is able to create the electrified planes of other realities like visual thought patterns. Read this book and look at the artwork of Philip for a trip to the outer realms!
January 5, 2013
I was torn between giving this a three or a four--if only I had a pendulum to help me! A very funny, very sweet, very evocative memoir of the author's father who seems to have been--in the latter three or so decades of his life--the most gifted psychic ever. So I loved the tone and the characters. But tHere's not much of a narrative arc; it's more a series of chronological vignettes. Still, it's so atmospheric of a Miami that no longer exists and I was left feeling so bereft that I never had a chance to meet the author's father in person that I had to go with the higher rating. Lew Smith, if you're floating in the ether out there...and I know you are...there's a few things I'd like to talk to you about. And Philip, thanks for the warm, wacky reading experience.
April 23, 2013
Walking Through Walls..., great title, great read, great book! Although getting off to a slow start almost put me off the book, I stayed with it on the recommendation of a friend and am glad I did. This thoroughly enjoyable , sometimes serious,sometimes very funny memoire of Philip Smith's life growing up with a very kooky, but very skilled psychic father, who read his thoughts, talked to the dead, healed the sick and brought people back from the very brink of the grave. For those who 'believe', it is a good read and for those who do not believe, it is an eye opener. Open you mind to what is possible and enjoy this book.
June 3, 2010
A very interesting story of Philip Smith growing up in Miami with his father who becomes a spiritual healer. As a Miami native, it was particularly interesting to relate to the places he references in the book. Walking through Walls is a memoir, while simultaneously a how-to guide to becoming a healer. Though, Phillip doesn't began mentioning any spiritualism in the first few chapters I almost became anxious. All in all it's a book that must be read with an open mind as the subject matter deviates from our physical-bond way of life. A book I've been recommending to friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews