This book investigates the origins and nature of the author's reported psychic abilities and their potential implications for scientific understanding. Matthew Manning, the subject and author, documents his transition from a young boy experiencing unexplained phenomena to a public figure subjected to rigorous laboratory testing. He presents his personal history as a case study, aiming to bridge the gap between anecdotal accounts of the supernatural and empirical scientific inquiry.

Readers often note the matter-of-fact tone Manning employs when describing highly unusual events, which contrasts with the sensational nature of the subject matter. Experts in the field of parapsychology frequently cite this work as a significant primary account of a subject who remained available for repeated scientific observation.