140 of 161 customers found the following review helpful:
 Well-written, but reincarnation not scientifically proveable, 1999-12-18
If someone told me that a fairly mainstream journalist was going to travel with Dr. Ian Stevenson, the world's leading scientific researcher on reincarnation, to investigate the scientific proof for reincarnation, and what would I expect, "Old Souls" would fit quite well. I would suspect tnat the book would show more humanity than Dr. Stevenson's rather dry accounts of his cases, but most importantly, if a conventional, rational thinking person needs to travel to various countries to find "proof" of reincarnation to convince them, it is unlikely that they would ever be convinced that reincarnation is a fact. "Old Souls" is easy and pleasureable to read, and I agree with tne reviewers who compliment Mr. Shroder on the travelogues of his and Dr. Stevenson's tales in Lebanon and India. He very effectively describes the conditions in the two countries, clearly and honestly, and conveys both the terrible effect that many wars have had on Lebanon, as well as the rather gruesome and awful poverty in India. The author also depicts the drama of meeting people in the flesh who can clearly remember what I believe is a fact, their lives in other bodies. There are several cases in "Old Souls" that I feel would convince anyone with an open mind that reincarnation is true. "Old Souls" in a way is an attempt to vindicate Dr. Stevenson, who comes across as a very noble, persistent, but frustrated scientist, largely ignored by the mainstream scientific community despite thousands of solid cases in many countries which point to reincarnation. And in a way the books succeeds in vindicating Dr. Stevenson. But unfortunately Mr. Shroder himself, typical of people indoctrinated in cultures which reject reincarnation, can never seem to accept it, and his objections are also the same reasons we hear over and over, e.g., since he can't remember past lives, he can't accept it; since science, which he obviously accepts as the arbiter of truth, cannot "prove" reincarnation, it can't be true; and so on. I found this aspect of the book quite tiresome. I must wonder if there can ever be "scientific proof" of reincarnation, the soul, Karma and so on. And I must ask, "Who cares?" I certainly do not, I do not consider scientific materialism the arbiter of ANY truths when it comes to metaphysical questions. So as I understand it, "old souls" like the author's do indeed keep reincarnating until they learn that evolving as souls through multiple human experiences is indeed our true mission. I can't "prove" that either. There are simply some truths that we must come to by non-rational methods and experiences, and it's really sad that rational proof is the only way so many people can decide on the veracity of crucial matters. God is an experience, not an experiment.
11 of 14 customers found the following review helpful:
 A dissapointing evaluation of the evidence, 1999-11-29
The author learned of the research of Ian Stevenson, M.D. and decided to accompany him to evaluate the subjects first hand. The book spends more time describing the details of the trips and the surroundings the author found himself in than on describing the subjects themselves. In support of the evidence of reincarnation the author concludes that the subjects are truthful and the evidence cannot be explained by any other explanation than reincarnation, but it is much more interesting to read the evidence in the several books that Ian Stevenson has written about his case studies.
24 of 24 customers found the following review helpful:
 "Old Souls" proves to be a heroic adventure, 1999-11-04
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in adventure stories. A man sets out against incredible odds, traveling through perilous lands and braving endless tests of faith to deliver Truth to the masses. Is reincarnation a reality? No one can prove it, not definitively. But no one seems to be looking for concrete proof either way. With the exception of Dr. Ian Stevenson and a small handful of other researchers he has inspired to believe in his work. "Old Souls" is a fascinating portrait of one of the last true heroes: the scientist. Dr. Stevenson has dedicated his life to investigating children's claims of past-life memories, claims the majority of modern science has turned it's back on. The book, filled with descriptions so vivid you feel as if you can smell, taste and touch the surroundings, takes the reader on a colorful journey to Beirut, India and Middle America. We are following the 79 year-old scientist on what may be his last interviews with the families, past and present, of the children who have memories of another life. These spontaneous memories are not the grand, theatrical "I was Cleopatra"-type claims that have become old hat in New Age philosophy. They are not a product of regression-hypnosis. The past life memories in Stevenson's research are simple, plain and out of the mouths of babes--often with enough details and names to identify the adress and family of the person they claim to have been. In almost all of the cases covered in the book, the families of the past personality support the cliams of the child, believing, despite any descrepancies, that they have regained their departed relative. Stevenson has fought to keep his records accurate, copious and, most of all, sane. His research is unquestionably thorough, which you'll find is quite an accomplishment when you read about the daunting odds he is up against--travels all across the globe to conduct interviews with subjects who are sometimes unwilling, often surly and occasionally downright dangerous. "Old Souls" seves as testimony to the doctor's relentless dedication to accuracy. In places that have been too busy trying to survive multiple wars to keep exact records of anything beyond the past month, Stevenson has spent days searching for 20 year-old documents helpful only to verify a small portion of a child's claim. I found the studies conducted to be fascinating and the book to be extraordinary in it's ability to make feild research seem thrilling. Although I was not fully convinced, by the end of the book, that reincarnation was the only explanation for these children's stories, author Tom Shroder did convince me that this research can no longer be ignored. If any part of these cases of past-life awareness, numbering over 3,000 documented cases to date, can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, the implications could be revolutionary. These investigations cannot end with Stevenson's retirement. As I've said, Stevenson, by virtue of his dedicated search for truth outside what our society has deemed possible, seems to be one of the last true heroes. And this book is the story of one of the last true adventures.
6 of 6 customers found the following review helpful:
A provocative thinking persons exploration of reincarnation, 1999-11-03
What an adventure Tom Shroder recounts in Old Souls. Fascinating and poignant, this should thrill believers with a more rigorous, intelligent presentation of actual hard evidence than they have ever seen elsewhere. For a skeptic, the case histories recounted here are riveting, challenging (to say the least) and provocative to the point of forcing one to think the unthinkable. Old Souls is a great read, and no matter what your ultimate conclusion, enlightening in the way few books on such subjects ever are.
24 of 26 customers found the following review helpful:
Title should be: Travels with a Reincarnation Researcher, 1999-10-29
I have been familiar with Stevenson's reincarnation research since the late 60's and early 70's but was frustrated that his works were so far removed from the non-academic public. It was the only "scientific evidence" that I knew of. Even large public libraries didn't carry his books. One of his best books is expensive and I was elated that the library I interlibrary loaned it from was willing to send it. So I was SO EXCITED to see the review of "Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Past Lives", and ordered the book for our library (I'm a public librarian). So with the attitude "Finally! Stevenson's scientific evidence for public palate!", I read the book. I was D-I-S-A-P-P-O-I-N-T-E-D ! I was not at all interested in the very detailed descriptions of the hotel dining room and how often the table cloths were changed: "It was a long, narrow room with windows stretching across one side and a blank wall on the other. The tables were covered with freshly ironed white table cloths, which the staff changed after every meal and sometimes in between courses. Waiters in white jackets lurked inconspicuously behind the pillars in the center of the room, always appearing, as if by telepathy, when they were needed." I wish this detail were applied to the cases. The cases got lost and dispersed in the travelogue and other irrelevant detail. The title of the book should have been more accurately, "Travels with a Reincarnation Researcher". But since that was not the title, I am rating this book only two stars, because I felt the title was misleading. Also, in metaphysical circles, the word "old souls" describes spiritually advanced souls who have had many, many lifetimes (hence the term old souls), not just "any soul", as the cases seem to discuss. An example of an "old soul" might have had the character Gandhi had. The other reviewers were right, not much meat in here in so far as the "scientific evidence". Though I understand that Shroder could only write first-hand about the cases that they investigated in those few weeks, like I said, the title was misleading. However the book was not without value. The value is in an appreciation of what Dr. Stevenson has to go through to collect the "scientific evidence" and other data for me to sit in an armchair and read. He has to find remote villages, find the people, and suppose he has to make a long grueling trip out there and they aren't there anymore, or at least not for the day, as not everyone has a phone. I suppose many of his efforts are without fruit. The book also gives glimpses of Dr. Stevenson's personality and it answered what I always wondered: "Where does the money come from to finance his research and pay for his worldwide travels?" I used to think that is why the books (earlier editions or previous publishers) cost so much. But now that I know, I feel "God" provided the way that his research was financed. If one wants true scientific evidence of reincarnation, I recommend "Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect", by Dr. Stevenson, which is the condensed version of the much longer (and more expensive) title "Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects". I read the latter, which is a medical monograph with extensive documentation, references, numerous tables, and many footnotes. The "Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect" has none of this. I especially found fascinating, the chapter "Birthmarks Corresponding to Wounds Verified by Medical Records". "Old Souls: Scientific Evidence for Past Lives" would be a better title for "Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect", than Shroder's book . I like reading case after case after case after case, which books written by Dr. Stevenson provide. He gets to the NITTY -GRITTY! Stevenson also covers his methodology and interview methods. It's just that it's very academic, as a physician would write about a patient in their chart. Some of Stevenson's other titles, which you can interlibrary loan, if not purchase, are: Birthmarks Cases of the Reincarnation Type: Twelve Cases in Thailand & Burma Children Who Remember Previous Lives: a Question of Reincarnation A Handbook on Reincarnation Reincarnation and Biology: a Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects Telepathic Impressions: a Review and Report of Thirty-Five New Cases Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation Unlearned Language: New Studies on Xenoglossy Xenoglossy: a Review and Report of a Case
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