Borderland Phenomena
Borderland Phenomena Volume One: Spontaneous Combustion, Poltergeistry and Anomalous Lights
Louis Proud
Society’s concept of the natural world has little or no room for such
phenomena as spontaneous human combustion, poltergeistry and anomalous lights.
Rather, these weird and baffling occurrences are either ignored altogether or
unfairly and inaccurately labelled “supernatural” and hence assumed to exist
“beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.”
In 'Borderland Phenomena: Volume One,' Proud adopts a richer, broader
concept of the natural world, one that views paranormal phenomena not as
foreign or magical but as occupying a position on the margins of this reality,
in what he refers to as the “borderland.” In a balanced and objective
investigation that spans many topics, including ball lightning, earth lights,
strange rains, mysterious fires, and jinn, he manages to lay bare a refreshing
and innovative approach to looking at the paranormal and so too the natural
world.
Praise for Borderland Phenomena
“The paranormal can be glossed as the ‘super natural,’ that is, as the
furthest reaches of the natural world that neither our science nor our religion
can quite grasp yet, if indeed they ever can. Simplistic debunkers and naive
believers abound. Able and trustworthy guides through this ‘strange, liminal realm
where almost anything is possible and nothing quite adds up’ are rare and very
hard to find. Louis Proud is just such a guide. His wholistic or comparative
approach, whereby he reads one paranormal phenomenon off another and sees them
all as deeply related, results in a vision of our world, and ourselves, that is
literally fantastic and yet somehow eminently plausible. It is also, I dare
add, thrilling.”
~ Jeffrey J. Kripal, J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion at Rice
University and author of 'Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the
History of Religions'
“The borderland is an uncertain in-between territory, a liminal space
that is neither sleep nor waking, dream or reality, but some uncanny
combination of the two, a twilight zone full of strange experiences and weird
phenomena. Onto this ambiguous landscape Louis Proud casts a sharp searchlight,
capturing glimpses of its inhabitants, as they quickly scurry out of view. With
the patience of a naturalist, Proud examines such unusual phenomena as spontaneous
human combustion, poltergeists, ‘fairy lights,’ and many others, in an attempt
to widen our ideas of what exactly is natural. The result is a fascinating
excursion into the not-yet-known, worthy of more than a few X-Files.”
~ Gary Lachman, author of 'Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin
Wilson'
“What do we do when things occur that aren’t supposed to? We call in
investigators like Louis Proud. Proud is, hands down, one of today’s brightest
and most gleaming intellects in the area of anomalous phenomena. He is the
rightful heir to Charles Fort and a writer who is willing to ask critically and
carefully, ‘what is out there?’ I cannot think of a better guide to walk us
through the ‘damned facts’ in Borderland Phenomena.”
~ Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of 'Occult America' and 'The
Miracle Club'
“The borderland of reality is a strange and interesting place,
imaginary or imaginal, there and not there, real in ways we don’t understand
and ways that we do. Louis Proud’s Borderland Phenomena sparkles with
brilliance as he explores the edge with skill, insight and care. A wonderful
adventure of a book!”
~ Whitley Strieber, best-selling author of 'Communion'
About the author
Louis Proud is a writer and researcher specialising in anomalous
phenomena. His articles have appeared in Fortean Times, New Dawn, FATE and
Nexus magazines, and he has been interviewed on such programs as VERITAS Radio,
Paranormal Realms and Whitley Strieber’s Dreamland. The author of Dark
Intrusions (2009), The Secret Influence of the Moon (2013) and Strange
Electromagnetic Dimensions (2015). He currently resides in Burnie, Tasmania, Australia.
Publisher: August Night Press
Published January 2019
220 pages
Size: 229 x 152 mm
ISBN 978-1-78677-079-0
Amazon UK RRP £12.99 UK Paperback
Amazon US RRP $17. 99 US Paperback