The Scientist and the Psychic

A captivating, one-of-a-kind memoir about a scientist's life with his famous psychic mother and his revealing exploration of the paranormal realm.

Christian Smith realized his mother was different in the autumn of 1977 when he was eight years old. Before then, he'd witnessed seances at home and the kids at school sometimes teased him about his mom being a witch—so he sensed that his life wasn't typical. But it wasn't until he was backstage at Massey Hall in Toronto, watching from behind a curtain as Geraldine commanded an audience of 2,000 with her extrasensory readings, that he understood she was special. As Geraldine's only child, in subsequent years he would assume the role of the quiet observer while she guided a live CBC broadcast of a seance; made startling and consistently accurate predictions; and eventually offered her services to the parents of murder victims in LA. Over time, the high profile and emotionally depleting work affected Geraldine's health and relationships—addiction took over her life, and her son pulled away.

     Fast forward to the present day: Christian is a molecular biologist at a hospital in Toronto, and Geraldine is retired and in poor health. They are closer than they've ever been, and now he gives us the story of her undeniable perceptual abilities and pioneering work as a psychic—and endeavours to make scientific sense of it. Weaving together the strands of a complicated mother-son relationship with research into the paranormal, The Scientist and the Psychic is a fascinating, one-of-a-kind true story of belief, skepticism and familial love.

“In this utterly fascinating book, Christian Smith’s science background is juxtaposed with his mother’s paranormal gifts as a psychic medium, pitting research against experiences that cannot be replicated. Smith’s search for absolute proof of both the afterlife and the survival of consciousness after death will push even the most skeptical minds towards acceptance. The Scientist and the Psychic is also a love letter from a son to his mother—a ‘behind the lens’ exploration of mediumship, channeling, psychometry, and telepathy, and the heart-breaking toll these extraordinary gifts exacted on Geraldine Stringer’s closest family members, and on herself. A candid story told with honesty and great poignancy, and an absolute must-read.” —Susan Doherty, author of The Ghost Garden

“The Scientist and the Psychic is well-written and thought-provoking—an intriguing twist on the tale of a child of whose celebrated parent attends more to her public than to them. Christian Smith offers compelling ideas about his mother’s psychic mind and celebrates, in the end, the gifts of connection and forgiveness.” —Patricia Pearson, author of Opening Heaven’s Door and Wish You Were Here