Unlike many authors who report insights and connections from beyond the edges of our science, Morgan never over-interprets such incidents. (Others here include a patient with precognition, a possible ghost at a Singapore university, some experiments, and other surprises.) Instead, Morgan presents them with a storyteller’s elan, a welcome lightness of touch, and a sense of curiosity and quiet awe that makes it easy to give the tales credence. The effect is more like a trusted friend thinking through the implications of a shiver-inducing mystery than an author peddling lofty secrets.
The conclusions he draws—about aging and memory, about how educating the “wealthy and powerful” about life extension might make them “better motivated to heal the world that they would live longer in”—prove both wise and playful. Morgan indulges that sense of play in some loose, silly chapters that experiment with memes, emojis, and jokes about Xi Jinping and Kardashian amplitude. That material isn’t especially edifying, but it’s honest to the “Time Statues” mission—setting down who Morgan was at these moments.
Takeaway: A psychologist’s surprising moments, insights, and brushes with the beyond.
Comparable Titles: Rupert Sheldrake’s The Sense of Being Stared At, Edward F. Kelly and Paul Marshall’s Consciousness Unbound.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: C
Illustrations: C-
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B-
Comment on the Time Statue books
“I’m enjoying the reading. What a great collection of vignettes, very wise, poignant, and often humorous. Robert F. Morgan has written a series of unique books that provide his idiosyncratic perspectives on the human condition, and now he has done it again. Bob places his own life experiences within the social, cultural, and political matrices of his era. His readers will enjoy his case studies, his anecdotes, and his creative speculations -- all told with humor, wit, and a disarming sense of modesty. Bob, indeed, is not only a man for all seasons but a man for all reasons.” Stanley Krippner, Ph.D.
“Great stories!” Charles Tart, Ph.D.
“Bob Morgan delves chronologically into the human condition, and the world we live in using a combination of entertaining vignettes and memoirs with wit, honesty, and humor, telling it like it is. Access to songs and music as suggested by Morgan will not only entertain the reader but perhaps bring back one’s own ‘Time Statues’. All of Morgan’s books are a must-read for Baby Boomers and future generations.” Kenichi K. Yabusaki, Ph.D.
“These are great! As usual, poignant and fun to read.” Ann Yabusaki, Ph.D.
“Brilliant collection of stories. Absolute must read. I lost count of how many times I was quietly reading, then to bust out in a loud belly laugh. Endless capturing stories, history and collections of experiences that infiltrate and stimulate each of our own reflections of time and journeys. Surprise humor, gut laughing moments through this delightful collection,” Mindy Caruso, RN, Oncology Nurse
“A psychologist’s insightful, surprising historical insights and future speculations. Psychologist Morgan (author of Training the Time Sense) presents an idiosyncratic exploration of time and experience, juxtaposing critical events from his past eight decades with speculative predictions for the decades to come. Working from the assertion that ‘each moment is a statue in time, always rooted in that time and that place’, Morgan's playful, proudly idiosyncratic work blends personal memoir, forward-thinking imagination, and surprising historical reflection. His narrative is rich with striking personal anecdotes and professional observations. This keeps the historical sections informative and engaging—Morgan has no time for received wisdom or familiar pieties. That insistence on fresh thinking also shines in the speculative portion of the book. He envisions future scenarios with a psychologist's eye for behavior and detail, exploring how emerging technologies, environmental changes, and evolving social norms might impact human society. These predictions are grounded in current trends and scientific advancements, lending a sense of plausibility to his visions of the future.” Publishers Weekly
