Thursday Book Babble: Messages From Beyond the Grave

Let me start out this week's Book Babble post by stating that I did NOT expect to like this book: Messages--Signs, Visits and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11, by Bonnie McEneaney. After reading a review of this book in an online UK newspaper, I was intrigued and asked for it from my local library. I'm glad I did. Not only is it a thought-provoking and compelling read, it takes us inside the lives of some very ordinary people who died tragically on that extraordinary day, September 11, 2001.

From the dust jacket:
"When Bonnie McEneany's husband, Eamon, died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, she thought she had lost him forever. And then something unexpected happened that would shake her to the core and reassure her that her husband was still with her. As Bonnie reveals in this groundbreaking book, she began to have experiences that convinced her that her husband, in spirit, was sending her signs, indeed messages, that he was still watching over his family."

Being a scientist, I was hugely skeptical when I began this book. I was also wary, wondering if this was not just another way for someone to take advantage of the public's emotional state regarding the terrorist attacks. But the author is a talented writer and her voice is genuine. A former business executive and no-nonsense thinker, Bonnie relates her personal experiences after the grim events of 9/11.

To sum it up in my own words, this is a story about a woman who experienced paranormal phenomena, both before and after her husband was killed in one of the World Trade Center towers. Some may say that her "messages" are not real, just the imaginings of a normally rational woman grappling with extreme grief. Perhaps. But, she isn't the only one who feels that a loved one who died that day returned in some form to give comfort to those they left behind. Many others connected to this event describe--in their own vivid, sincere words--the paranormal experiences they have had since the Towers fell. For example, some had premonitions of the tragedy, or tell of how a loved one who perished foresaw his or her own death. Others saw signs, had visitations, or other-worldly dreams. The author has spent four years compiling such stories into this unique anthology.


Several of the stories in Messages are told under the cloak of anonimity--lest someone be called a "crackpot" However, many spoke using their full names. In fact, the former First Lady of New York allows her name to be used. This fear of ridicule is understandable. In our society, by and large, these stories are scoffed at, as is anything that can't be explained with rational science. But the fact is, many "logical" and "sane" people experience paranormal events after a loved one passes. And they don't know why these things happen, who they can talk to about them, or what the events mean.

If you elect to read Messages, I would implore you to keep an open mind. You don't necessarily have to believe in a "hereafter" to receive some important messages yourself, about forgiveness, acceptance, and the power of love.

Note: Bonnie is making a donation from proceeds from this book to VOICES (Voices of September 11th Living Memorial Project). To find out more, visit http://www.voicesofsept11.org/.