About the author
Jeffrey J. Kripal is a scholar of comparative religion who holds an endowed chair at Rice University, where his work examines mysticism, the paranormal, and the boundaries of mainstream science. He is known for treating so-called impossible phenomena, including psychical experiences, mystical states, and UFO encounters, as legitimate objects of humanistic and historical inquiry rather than dismissing them as pseudoscience. Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred (University of Chicago Press, 2011) traces how thinkers across the twentieth century engaged seriously with psychical research, while How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else (University of Chicago Press, 2024) extends that argument into a broader case for taking anomalous experience seriously as part of human life. Kripal has written and edited numerous other books on mysticism and esotericism, and his work is widely cited in religious studies and consciousness research.
📖 Where to start with Jeffrey J Kripal
💬 What our editors say about Jeffrey J Kripal's books
“Kripal presents a compelling argument for a reality that defies conventional categorization, skillfully weaving scholarly depth with accessible storytelling. However, this book will not suit readers strictly adhering to…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, Ufos, Time, Belief, and Everything Else
“This title presents an intriguing hybrid of memoir and academic critique, appealing primarily to those with an existing interest in esotericism or parapsychology. While Kripal’s contextualization adds significant weight, readers…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Changed in a Flash: One Woman's Near-Death Experience and Why a Scholar Thinks It Empowers Us All
“While compelling for those open to esoteric perspectives, this book may frustrate strict materialists or skeptics who dismiss near-death experiences as mere neurological artifacts. The blend of subjective testimony with academic…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Changed in a Flash: One Woman's Near-Death Experience and Why a Scholar Thinks It Empowers Us All
📋 Editions by Jeffrey J Kripal in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, Ufos, Time, Belief, and Ev | 2024 | University of Chicago Pres | 312 | 9780226833682 |
| Changed in a Flash: One Woman's Near-Death Experience and Why a | 2018 | North Atlantic Books | 352 | 9781623173005 |
| Changed in a Flash: One Woman's Near-Death Experience and Why a | 2018 | North Atlantic Books | 352 | 9781623173036 |
| Hidden Intercourse: Eros and Sexuality in the History of Western | 2011 | Fordham University Press | 568 | 9780823233410 |
| Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred | 2011 | University of Chicago Pres | 352 | 9780226453873 |
| Machine Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm: Spiritual Freedom a | 2022 | Inner Traditions Internati | 480 | 9781644114063 |
