This work investigates the historical, theoretical, and practical dimensions of psychic phenomena to determine the validity of human extrasensory perception. Herbert B. Greenhouse, a researcher of parapsychological studies, synthesizes decades of anecdotal evidence and early laboratory findings to construct a comprehensive overview of the field. The text argues that psychic abilities are a latent human potential that can be categorized, studied, and potentially harnessed through specific mental disciplines.

The text serves as a broad, introductory survey of parapsychological topics as they were understood in the mid-1970s. Its scope suggests a focus on accessibility for the general reader rather than a rigorous scientific critique of the phenomena discussed.