One Last Time is an account of the work of a 30-year-old psychic medium, written with a refreshingly upfront attitude usually rare in such books.

John Edward began having psychic experiences when a young child and by the time he was a teenager, people were asking him for readings. Before long he realised that he wasn't just getting psychic impressions from his clients, but was actually receiving messages from the dead. The title of the book comes from a conversation with his mother shortly before she died, when he said that people should be given "one last time to talk to the people in their lives"; it is this, he believes, that he is doing.

Edward is honest about his own doubts and his problems: "I never forget that I can always be wrong. What I do is full of ambiguity and inconsistency, and sometimes second guesses." Although he hears the spirits speaking to him, there are often problems in the communication: "If there was one thing I would ask the spirits, it would be to slow down and speak more clearly."

One Last Time is a warm and engaging read, totally lacking the often sickly pious preaching found in many other books about communicating with "the Other Side". John Edward is down-to-earth and straightforward and doesn't pretend to have all the answers. This, more than anything, makes the book both enjoyable and believable. --David V Barrett

2008-07-04 Before the hype...

One Last Time is, for me, a seminal work. That is not to say there aren't more important or more insightful or more useful books out there on this subject. (Having said which, I haven't found one yet!) John Edward has had a profound influence on my life, so I'll admit to considerable bias. His (pre-stardom) story is fascinating. His down-to-earth, regular guy personality is a refreshing change from the plethora of mystical morons out there. I think John's greatest contribution to the field has been to demystify the process, to truly humanise it and to spread the word far and wide better than anyone before. Although on his show Crossing Over he may occasionally come out with some intriguing information, too much of what he does leaves him open to accusations of cold reading etc. (Frankly, in my limited experience, I have witnessed and undergone far more astounding phenomena of spirit communication/clairvoyance/clairaudience than anything described in this, or any other, book.)
John's later books, thus far, have been more showbizzy and, therefore, a lot less profound. But I suppose that is inevitable. I'm also a little perturbed by the quite astronomical amounts he charges for private readings/seminars etc. On the other hand, he is a pioneer for the 21st century and is merely reaping what he, himself, has sown.
A fantastic introduction, then, to talking with the dead. And, although I don't agree with everything he says - especially about psychic protection and psychic vampires (!) - his development tapes and CDs are also well worth getting hold of.