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The Truth About Psychics: What's Real, What's Not, and How to Tell the Difference
How do psychic abilities work...and how can you tell if they're real? In this fascinating look into the history of spiritualism, celebrity psychic Sylvia Browne tells what's real, what's not, and how to tell the difference! Starting with her own personal odyssey, Sylvia covers the history of psychics dating from biblical times and reveals the truth about everything from witches and talking boards to angels and astral projection. Did you know... ? If someone tells you that an object is "haunted"...they are probably fooling you. Objects can retain impressions of prior owners, like a photograph, but they don't contain the spirits of those on the Other Side. ? If you get rid of one item in your house...it should be the talking board. Using one is like leaving your front door unlocked, inviting anyone (good or evil) to waltz right in. ? Why Sylvia didn't believe in "living ghosts"...until she had a terrifying experience that changed her mind. The phenomenon called a doppelgänger happened to her more than forty years ago. ? How to tell if a psychic is giving you a good reading...or just followiwing a script. There are a few key phrases that can give away a fake. Through a wealth of personal stories and research into the lives of great psychics, Sylvia offers solid advice on how to put valid procedures to use and ignore the rest. The Truth About Psychics explains how you can spot a fraud and shows you how to tap into your own spiritualism and develop legitimate psychic skills!
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
10 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Browne
237 books598 followersSylvia Browne was an American author and self-proclaimed psychic who built a lucrative career through books, television appearances, and psychic readings. Known for her frequent guest spots on The Montel Williams Show and Larry King Live, she claimed to communicate with angels, spirit guides, and the deceased, and said she had psychic visions from the age of three. In 1986, she founded the Society of Novus Spiritus, a Gnostic Christian church, and ran a variety of businesses, reportedly earning millions annually.
Browne wrote over 40 books, many of which were bestsellers, and maintained a dedicated fanbase throughout her life. However, her career was marked by controversy. She made numerous high-profile predictions about missing persons and criminal cases that were later proven false—errors that drew widespread criticism and scrutiny from skeptics and media outlets. A 2010 study by the Skeptical Inquirer concluded she had not been accurate in any verifiable case. Her reputation suffered further after her 1992 conviction for securities fraud.
Despite criticism from figures like James Randi and John Oliver, Browne retained a devoted following. Her vague prediction about a “pneumonia-like illness” spreading around 2020 drew renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. She remained a polarizing figure—revered by some, discredited by others—until her death in 2013 at the age of 77.
Browne wrote over 40 books, many of which were bestsellers, and maintained a dedicated fanbase throughout her life. However, her career was marked by controversy. She made numerous high-profile predictions about missing persons and criminal cases that were later proven false—errors that drew widespread criticism and scrutiny from skeptics and media outlets. A 2010 study by the Skeptical Inquirer concluded she had not been accurate in any verifiable case. Her reputation suffered further after her 1992 conviction for securities fraud.
Despite criticism from figures like James Randi and John Oliver, Browne retained a devoted following. Her vague prediction about a “pneumonia-like illness” spreading around 2020 drew renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. She remained a polarizing figure—revered by some, discredited by others—until her death in 2013 at the age of 77.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 15, 2018
This is my first time reading a book by Sylvia. Her chatty style is easy to read and I found it to be relaxing.
There seems to be far more background history than how to spot a fraud. But then a book consisting of two sentences wouldn't sell.
Sylvia sums up the topic with if they say you are cursed or if they're following a script, the so called psychic is a fraud.
There seems to be far more background history than how to spot a fraud. But then a book consisting of two sentences wouldn't sell.
Sylvia sums up the topic with if they say you are cursed or if they're following a script, the so called psychic is a fraud.
April 6, 2021
Useful viewpoint
August 24, 2011
I picked up this book in my local library, where its title "The Truth About Psychics" intrigued me. I became even more curious when I realised that the book was written by a self-proclaimed psychic, who promised to arm readers with the tools to enable them to spot a fraud. Faced with this tantalising prospect, I promptly took the book out on loan.
The book begins with a long section on how Sylvia Browne allegedly discovered her psychic abilities. There's lots of talk of spirit guides and psychic grandmothers, as well as an undertone of injustice when discussing how some people didn't automatically believe in her abilities. This is followed by a rather waffly section about the way different cultures have traditionally viewed life after death.
Next we come to a section entitled "Tricks of the Trade". I thought maybe we'd finally come to the section I'd been waiting for, but, alas, no. She spends this section mainly talking about various supposed branches of psychic abilities, such as clairvoyance, palmistry etc. This is followed by a section on 'pioneers', who all seem to be heroes of Browne that are in some way linked to spiritualism.
Finally, we come to the section that promises to reveal how to spot a fake. Only a very small part (2 & 1/2 pages) is devoted to general psychic ability - the rest seems to focus on curses and fortune-telling (specifically physical mediumship). The two pages on psychic ability provide a very brief overview of cold reading - so brief that it's really of very little use. Bearing in mind the title of the book, it seems amazing that the book's main topic is only dealt with in such a fleeting way. Browne then claims that she always tries to provide reasonable details, although nothing specific like dates of birth, and provides information that the client doesn't already know (how convenient!). In my opinion, this rather vague statement doesn't really clarify how what she claims to do is any different to the fake psychics she's so against. As a result, you can't help but wonder if this book is just a propaganda campaign to try and discredit her competition.
In general, the book is incredibly long-winded and lacks focus. One minute she's lauding over Harry Houdini and other sceptics who've worked to expose fake psychics and mediums, then she's complaining that people don't believe her and criticising the self-same sceptics for raising questions over Uri Geller's supposed psychic abilities (while Browne seems inexplicably convinced of his abilities, Geller himself has recently stopped referring to himself as 'psychic'). In her introduction she derides fake psychics for cashing in and exploiting vulnerable people, which seems ironic considering that the back jacket of the book reveals that at least 22 of her books have been best-sellers! Most curiously, on page 18, she mentions that her abilities have undergone testing. A very quick Internet search reveals that, in 2001 on the Larry King Live show, Browne stated that she would be happy for the well-known sceptic, James Randi, to test her abilities. To date, she's yet to arrange a test. This begs the question: if she's so happy to be tested and claims to have been tested before, why hasn't she arranged this already? Surely it would be the ideal way to silence her critics.
She seems to be equally confused about her list of 'pioneers'. Most of the people that she's chosen to write about either admitted that they were fakes (e.g. the Fox sisters) or, in many cases, Browne herself seems to think it rather unlikely that they had any genuine psychic ability. And, yet, she always manages to add a small twist to the story to plant a seed of doubt. She even claims that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was psychic, although I've yet to find any evidence to corroborate this.
The whole book is incredibly vague and contradictory, and lacks any footnotes, references or even a recommended reading list that would enable the public to validate her sources. Ultimately, then, what we have here is a book that's essentially an opinion piece and doesn't even deliver on what it promises (to reveal how to spot a fake). Browne seems to be hoping that if she's vague enough and simultaneously aligns herself with and distances herself from her sceptics, she'll create a sense of trust in her audience that will encourage them to turn to her over her competitors.
Save your money - this book isn't worth it.
The book begins with a long section on how Sylvia Browne allegedly discovered her psychic abilities. There's lots of talk of spirit guides and psychic grandmothers, as well as an undertone of injustice when discussing how some people didn't automatically believe in her abilities. This is followed by a rather waffly section about the way different cultures have traditionally viewed life after death.
Next we come to a section entitled "Tricks of the Trade". I thought maybe we'd finally come to the section I'd been waiting for, but, alas, no. She spends this section mainly talking about various supposed branches of psychic abilities, such as clairvoyance, palmistry etc. This is followed by a section on 'pioneers', who all seem to be heroes of Browne that are in some way linked to spiritualism.
Finally, we come to the section that promises to reveal how to spot a fake. Only a very small part (2 & 1/2 pages) is devoted to general psychic ability - the rest seems to focus on curses and fortune-telling (specifically physical mediumship). The two pages on psychic ability provide a very brief overview of cold reading - so brief that it's really of very little use. Bearing in mind the title of the book, it seems amazing that the book's main topic is only dealt with in such a fleeting way. Browne then claims that she always tries to provide reasonable details, although nothing specific like dates of birth, and provides information that the client doesn't already know (how convenient!). In my opinion, this rather vague statement doesn't really clarify how what she claims to do is any different to the fake psychics she's so against. As a result, you can't help but wonder if this book is just a propaganda campaign to try and discredit her competition.
In general, the book is incredibly long-winded and lacks focus. One minute she's lauding over Harry Houdini and other sceptics who've worked to expose fake psychics and mediums, then she's complaining that people don't believe her and criticising the self-same sceptics for raising questions over Uri Geller's supposed psychic abilities (while Browne seems inexplicably convinced of his abilities, Geller himself has recently stopped referring to himself as 'psychic'). In her introduction she derides fake psychics for cashing in and exploiting vulnerable people, which seems ironic considering that the back jacket of the book reveals that at least 22 of her books have been best-sellers! Most curiously, on page 18, she mentions that her abilities have undergone testing. A very quick Internet search reveals that, in 2001 on the Larry King Live show, Browne stated that she would be happy for the well-known sceptic, James Randi, to test her abilities. To date, she's yet to arrange a test. This begs the question: if she's so happy to be tested and claims to have been tested before, why hasn't she arranged this already? Surely it would be the ideal way to silence her critics.
She seems to be equally confused about her list of 'pioneers'. Most of the people that she's chosen to write about either admitted that they were fakes (e.g. the Fox sisters) or, in many cases, Browne herself seems to think it rather unlikely that they had any genuine psychic ability. And, yet, she always manages to add a small twist to the story to plant a seed of doubt. She even claims that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was psychic, although I've yet to find any evidence to corroborate this.
The whole book is incredibly vague and contradictory, and lacks any footnotes, references or even a recommended reading list that would enable the public to validate her sources. Ultimately, then, what we have here is a book that's essentially an opinion piece and doesn't even deliver on what it promises (to reveal how to spot a fake). Browne seems to be hoping that if she's vague enough and simultaneously aligns herself with and distances herself from her sceptics, she'll create a sense of trust in her audience that will encourage them to turn to her over her competitors.
Save your money - this book isn't worth it.
June 14, 2014
If you're looking for a book that focuses on what the title lists as what the book is about, I would suggest skipping this one. I have read a few of Sylvia's books having met her years ago in San Jose at a psychic fair she and I were attending (as well as working). Living in the bay area and working in the same type of business, afforded me a chance to talk with her. This book is quite a bit of rehash of her other books, spending a great deal of the book talking about her upbringing, her spirit guide Francine, (Francie) as well as how religion fits in (sort of), with metaphysical understanding, but it's mixed up like a fruit salad and disjointed.
I fully understand why it would be important to write a book about psychics, how to discern skills from cold guessing and 21 questions that would apply to anyone ("I see a grandmotherly figure around you", we all have that). And in saying that, there is a slippery slope to this idea: all professions have both skilled as well as questionably bad skilled workers in them (anyone else have had a doctor you walk out on wondering where he/she got their license from a crackerjack box?). The problem with writing about a profession that is considered as 'fake' regardless of years of training, mentorship, books of research and use, as well as successes assisting people with real results is, that a large majority of the public STILL believes psychics are fake.
Yes we have a problem in this field. It is no different from any other profession with folks who are well meaning, but unskilled to do what they claim that can do, or those who don't give a FIG about being ethical or skilled that are only out to fleece the public. Once you start writing a book of this content, it's hard topic to discuss without ending up either focusing on the crap, forgetting the good, or ending up as a convoluted mess.
The answer? There are some very basic things that separates good readers from "questionable" readers: 1. Non Vagaries. The answers to your questions should be an answer, not a vague platitude that means little or nothing. 2. Not answers that aren't backed up: if a psychic 'sees' something, the 'seeing' should include something that the client should readily identify in some way or another. If a tarot reader should explain what the cards are expressing, why they see this in the reading, based on other cards surrounding the question cards, and how they effect the reading. This is backing up the question: can the psychic/tarot reader clearly state what they are seeing/why? 3. No one is perfect, no psychic, tarot reader, anything or anyone is 100% anything!! This means that they can have a bad reading, bad day or even client's who go to readers in hopes of tripping them up, and this leads to bad readings! Also, if the client has a very, very strong WISH that something happens in their lives, whether practical or not, chances are will skew the reading. If a reading is skewed, or off, or not reaching the client, a good psychic/tarot reader will either offer money back or schedule a free 'redo'.
There's much more, but the question put before us on "Good Reads" is, is this a good book? My answer remains, not so much. It is a good book for those who have little or no understanding of metaphysics (still confused in my honest opinion, Alchemy is NOT divination as an example of what she has wrong here, and there are so many more things that are misapplied and misunderstood). I think she TRIED, but writing a book of this nature is going to be a problem, in my opinion, because of what the mainstream has done to misunderstand and misalign psychics and other metaphysician work, in the end the focus of the reader will still be on: so who's fake and who's not? Not what it takes to get a quality reading, and the work psychics/the like do, how to discern them.
I fully understand why it would be important to write a book about psychics, how to discern skills from cold guessing and 21 questions that would apply to anyone ("I see a grandmotherly figure around you", we all have that). And in saying that, there is a slippery slope to this idea: all professions have both skilled as well as questionably bad skilled workers in them (anyone else have had a doctor you walk out on wondering where he/she got their license from a crackerjack box?). The problem with writing about a profession that is considered as 'fake' regardless of years of training, mentorship, books of research and use, as well as successes assisting people with real results is, that a large majority of the public STILL believes psychics are fake.
Yes we have a problem in this field. It is no different from any other profession with folks who are well meaning, but unskilled to do what they claim that can do, or those who don't give a FIG about being ethical or skilled that are only out to fleece the public. Once you start writing a book of this content, it's hard topic to discuss without ending up either focusing on the crap, forgetting the good, or ending up as a convoluted mess.
The answer? There are some very basic things that separates good readers from "questionable" readers: 1. Non Vagaries. The answers to your questions should be an answer, not a vague platitude that means little or nothing. 2. Not answers that aren't backed up: if a psychic 'sees' something, the 'seeing' should include something that the client should readily identify in some way or another. If a tarot reader should explain what the cards are expressing, why they see this in the reading, based on other cards surrounding the question cards, and how they effect the reading. This is backing up the question: can the psychic/tarot reader clearly state what they are seeing/why? 3. No one is perfect, no psychic, tarot reader, anything or anyone is 100% anything!! This means that they can have a bad reading, bad day or even client's who go to readers in hopes of tripping them up, and this leads to bad readings! Also, if the client has a very, very strong WISH that something happens in their lives, whether practical or not, chances are will skew the reading. If a reading is skewed, or off, or not reaching the client, a good psychic/tarot reader will either offer money back or schedule a free 'redo'.
There's much more, but the question put before us on "Good Reads" is, is this a good book? My answer remains, not so much. It is a good book for those who have little or no understanding of metaphysics (still confused in my honest opinion, Alchemy is NOT divination as an example of what she has wrong here, and there are so many more things that are misapplied and misunderstood). I think she TRIED, but writing a book of this nature is going to be a problem, in my opinion, because of what the mainstream has done to misunderstand and misalign psychics and other metaphysician work, in the end the focus of the reader will still be on: so who's fake and who's not? Not what it takes to get a quality reading, and the work psychics/the like do, how to discern them.
March 9, 2010
This was interesting. I picked it up off a random shelf at the library while I was killing 10 minutes of time before I had to pick up Alex from band rehearsals. I didn't intend to check it out, but was interested by her history of mediums, including the Fox sisters, Houdini (not a medium, although he pretended to give psychic readings early in his career, and spent the later part of his career debunking seances), and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yes, that Arthur Conan Doyle.)
So, long story short, I checked it out and have read about half, and skimmed through through the rest of it. Am I convinced that there are "real" psychics out there, somewhere? Convinced that spirits from The Great Beyond talk to them? I'd say I'm ... agnostic ... about it all. But nothing in this book really convinced me one way or another.
So, long story short, I checked it out and have read about half, and skimmed through through the rest of it. Am I convinced that there are "real" psychics out there, somewhere? Convinced that spirits from The Great Beyond talk to them? I'd say I'm ... agnostic ... about it all. But nothing in this book really convinced me one way or another.
July 7, 2012
It seems that some of the information she wrote in this book is a repeat from another book of hers I read, however she does give information concerning how to tell a fraud from the real thing as far as psychics are concerned and I feel that is definitely valuable information to have. As far as the rest of it, it is interesting when she talks about some of her own experiences she's had, and how to meditate, how to try to heal yourself with past-life regression therapy, etc. My rating is what it is only due to the repeat of information.
April 23, 2011
I must admit, there is nothing better than watching Montel when Sylvia Brown is on. And I mean nothing...except maybe swamp people. Still the woman is something. Very fascinating. I picled up this book at the library and said...sure. I was sorta impressed to learn about her. Who knew she actually had some collegiate education? A really good read if you want to learn more about the history of supernatural things and people (and also the frauds).
December 2, 2009
I love every book Sylvia writes. This one she talked about the history of different religions and different psychics throughout history but didn't really give much of an opinion on them as she normally does. The last two chapters on the book focused on how to detect frauds and different meditations you can do to tap into your own psychic abilities.
July 24, 2010
Yep, I read it. Sylvia's books are comfort food at stressful times in my life. There's nothing new here, but it's interesting, and I enjoy her voice. I always come away with something to think about, even if I am not entirely on board with all she says.
January 15, 2010
Have always been fascinated by metaphysical things, and I found this to be a very quick and interesting read.
February 19, 2010
Maybe this book would be suitable for people who have never heard or read anything related to the subject. Seemed more like regurgitated information, nothing I hadn't read before.
January 18, 2011
A brief overview of psychics and spiritualism.
January 28, 2011
What can I say...I love Sylvia Browne!!
March 4, 2011
I liked this book; has a few things that I am going to try out; like the meditation. Very informative; has a few book recommendations that I'm going to follow up on....
June 5, 2015
Utterly ridiculous, and poorly written.
March 23, 2012
While I don't agree with everything she believes, the book was verry interesting and the astral projection bits in particular were informative and helpful.
September 12, 2012
I was fascinated. I choose to say no more because I am tired of being scorned. I will keep my beliefs and my experiences to myself.
January 19, 2013
Very interesting! Thorough descriptions of the different beliefs around the world and of what it really means to be a psychic.
August 7, 2014
It was very good and i like how it had info about all religons and connects them together. Her writing is seamless and upbeat.
January 19, 2016
Like all of Sylvia's books, this one is a quick read with thoughtful, comforting information. Enjoyable.
October 16, 2023
A light read when you're needing to content to spiritual content.
May 26, 2017
I knew all this stuff, was disappointed because I wanted to know more than the basics.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews