Psychic – Medium Thomas John says, “the dead view life as a classroom that teaches us vital lessons”. In his new book Never Argue with a Dead Person: True and Unbelievable Stories from the Other Side, he explores those lessons by telling 15 stories from his busy Manhattan practice. They are lessons of hope, forgiveness, tolerance and love and Thomas tells them with wisdom and humor.
This is a man who talks to dead people for a living. What’s more he’s been able to do that since he was 4-years old. So it makes sense that he has some fascinating tales to tell. Some are heart warming, such as the mother who comes back from the dead to forgive the daughter who accidentally killed her. Some are a little creepy like the woman who got a message from the husband she thought was still alive (but wasn’t) or the house that is haunted by a resentful aunt. Many are heart breaking, including a story about the spirit of six-year-old who accosts Thomas in a store and persuades him to contact his grieving Mom. Yet more read like true crime mysteries, especially the woman who appeared to have committed suicide, but comes back from the grave to implicate a man who had been blackmailing her.
These stories make the book a riveting read, but Thomas also uses them to give us a glimpse into his own process and is honest about his doubts and insecurities. He explains what he sees, feels, and hears as he receives messages from spirit, which helps the reader to understand the complexities of his job. It’s a job he does exceptionally well, but Thomas wears his gift lightly and talks about his work with humility and warmth. By the end of the book he feels like a friend – a friend it would be fun to share a beer with.
In the interests of full disclosure I need to tell you that I do know Thomas. That I, along with thousands of other people, including many Hollywood celebrities, have made my way to Thomas’s door and been amazed by his skill. My own reading with Thomas was so accurate, it was little short of jaw dropping. When I tell people that, they usually ask, “could he have googled you?” and the answer is that he definitely knew things that aren’t on the internet. Through Thomas, I spoke to my late mother who talked very specifically about places we’d visited together and mentioned things only she and I would know. Having given me this validation, she then went on to offer very accurate advice about my career and even had some words of wisdom about a friend I’d argued with. I was struck by the fact that Thomas repeatedly came up with full names, which in my experience is unusual. In his book he explains this,
“I feel that names are crucial because if I can learn a name, I can really grasp the essence of the person to whom I am talking. I don’t like to play the initials game; you’re coming to a psychic, not playing Scrabble. An initial is not sufficiently specific or authentic.
So is Thomas John the real deal? In my opinion… absolutely. But do you know what? It doesn’t matter if you believe or are skeptical. The message of the book remains the same and I’ll leave it to Thomas himself to tell you why…
“I hope you enjoy this book, but whatever your reaction, believers and skeptics alike, I hope you’ll agree the dead have a lot to say. This book is filled with true yet unbelievable moments when even I stop and say: “Is this for real?” And even though the stories might be about someone else’s dead aunt or crossed-over grandmother, the messages that they have for their loved ones are ones that we all can bear witness to, understand, and heal from. This isn’t about the specific message, story, or character that conveys something about our loved ones. Instead, it’s about the lesson in the connection for all of us. For some, seeing is believing, but for me, it is the opposite: believing is seeing. Hopefully, by reading this book, you will believe and understand the Other Side. And if there’s one thing I have learned about dead people, it’s that they have a lot to say, and they’re usually right—so don’t argue with a dead person!”
