Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Spirits Speak by Paul Gorman is a compilation of interviews with spirits who happen to be the famous dead, recounting their deaths as a chosen transition that redefines their awareness and the continuity of it, beyond the physical body. In the Harry Houdini interview, the escape artist explains that his lifelong focus on breaking free masked a deeper truth, saying death ended his need to resist life and replaced struggle with the acceptance of existence as an illusion. In the Billie Burke interview, the actress who played Glinda in The Wizard of Oz explains that death did not end her awareness, describing it as a shift into a state of illumination where thought shapes reality and healing begins within the mind. In the Cleopatra interview, the Egyptian queen speaks from within the interviewer’s consciousness, arguing that giving without expectation restores balance because all exchanges return inward and define what a person receives in life.

Paul Gorman’s Spirits Speak is a really interesting collection that's as entertaining as it is enlightening, written in an accessible style that is easy to follow and absorb. While it is almost impossible to choose a favorite, the George Orwell interview stands out because it feels totally relevant to today, especially his warning that truth depends on individualism and not any form of imposed belief. And there's a pup! The interview with Terry, the Cairn Terrier who played Toto in The Wizard of Oz and a massive number of other roles, affectionately reminisces on her film career, and her happiness in how her performances continue to reach audiences long after her life ended. This perspective gives the book a distinctive contrast that human voices alone could not achieve. Readers interested in the reintroduction of well-known figures, along with those curious about spiritual ideas presented through conversations, will really enjoy this book. Recommended.