Crossing Over reads like a casual conversation with an old childhood pal instead of like a memoir of a world-renowned psychic who has his own talk show on the Sci Fi channel. John Edward's narrative is down-to-earth and filled with vernacular expressions (including plenty of instances of "holy shit!"). There's the story of how his deceased mother finally gave him the three signs he hoped for after she died, and how he once contacted the recently departed songwriter Carl Perkins. Most of the time, Edward speaks about how the process of consulting with a psychic brings peace and reconciliation to those left behind--standard fare for medium memoirs. As compelling as Edward's stories are, what makes this memoir unique is how readily Edward exposes his own vanities and ego bruisings. He also delves into the behind-the-scenes reality of being a television medium. For instance, he reveals how his producers wanted to have dead-people "theme shows"--for instance inviting grieving members of Mother Against Drunk Driving to be the audience. This kind of "gallery rigging" goes against Edward's desire to enter readings without any prior knowledge of the person seated before him. Edward offers an amusing, and at times disturbing, look at how the ethereal world clashes with the celebrity world. --Gail Hudson


Book Description
In Crossing Over—the book—John brings his readers with him on the extraordinary journey that has been his life since his New York Times bestseller One Last Time was published in 1998. In the style of his TV show and personal appearances—poignant, funny, and remarkably candid—John deals head-on with the controversial issues he has confronted on his voyage as a psychic medium. Readers might be surprised to learn that it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. On the way to becoming an internationally celebrated medium, John has had to learn his own lessons about the meaning of his work and about the motivations of some of the people he has met on his path. The book also tells the powerful stories of the people John has encountered and the spirits that have accompanied them: The songwriter from Tennessee whose famous father comes through, setting off an extraordinary chain of events leading to an amazing discovery in a memorabilia store in Dallas. The science teacher who leaves her dying grandfather in a nursing home to come to a group reading with John—and finds her grandfather coming through half an hour later, saying he wanted her to leave his bedside so she could report back to the family that he had crossed over safely. The young woman working on a project with John whose murdered boyfriend interrupts a taping session to tell her that it’s all right for her to move on. And John’s own quest to hear from another medium the words he’s waited a decade for: the signs he and his mother agreed she would give him from the Other Side to tell him she was okay. Through these stories and many others, John brings peace and insight to those who grieve for their loved ones. Readers of this book will be captivated by the wit, warmth, and passion that John brings to his work, and by the stories behind the stories that have riveted millions of viewers of his landmark program. *Tradepaper edition will include an added chapter on September 11th.


About the Author
John Edward is an internationally acclaimed psychic medium, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Crossing Over(hardcover), One Last Time,and What If God Were the Sun. He has been a frequent guest on Larry King Live and many other TV programs, and he has been the subject of an HBO special. He lives with his wife on Long Island.

ANNOTATION

In the style of his TV show and personal appearances-poignant, funny, and remarkably candid-John deals head-on with the controversial issues he has confronted on his voyage as a psychic medium.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Crossing Over with John Edward has been the talk of the television industry since it debuted. Now Crossing Over the book, will take readers on the extraordinary journey that has been John's life since One Last Time was published in 1988. The highs and lows of being a psychic medium have propelled him onto the national stage by the force of his extraordinary gift. The powerful stories of the people John has encountered (and the spirits that have come with them), have helped him make his own transition crossing into international celebrity. He has done this while remaining true to his work; trying to bring peace and insight to those who grieve, one by one.

SYNOPSIS