What Reviewers Say About READING THE ENEMY'S MIND - Inside Star Gate, America's Psychic Espionage Program


Media Reviews

Publishers Weekly (Jan.) Copyright 2005:

Likely to be controversial but certainly absorbing, this is an insider's view of the CIA's covert work in psychic espionage during the 1980s and early 90s. The author, an Army intelligence officer, participated in remote viewing (psychic perception of distant objects, people or locations) both as a supervisor and as an actual observer. He found what most people did: that perception was not difficult, but recognizing what one perceived was. This reliability problem was a factor in the cancellation of the project, along with negative publicity and opposition from skeptics in the military bureaucracy. But during those 10 years, the author dealt with the whole range of psychic phenomena and the range of attitudes toward them, and he portrays both the extreme believers and skeptics as capable of being led astray by the fervor of their preconceived positions. He also portrays normal bureaucracy in collision with paranormal research, as when a newly commissioned intelligence NCO was sent back to repeat introductory courses that he had already taught. Even skeptics may reign in their doubts upon hearing of a remote viewer having a clear image of an unknown Soviet missile sub-and also at what strange paths the U.S. government traveled down in its effort to gain an advantage over the Soviet Union.

George Noory, Host of Coast to Coast AM, Premiere Radio, Jul 1 2004:

One of the most important books about human potential you'll ever read.

Individual Reviews

At last, a hard-hitting, comprehensive, insider’s view of the Star Gate Program. Paul H. Smith names names and provides a much-needed unique and unvarnished history lesson. It is a must-read for anyone interested in remote viewing.

Col. John B. Alexander, US Army (ret.), author of Future War and Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-9/11 World.


Star Gate Warrior Maj. Paul H. Smith gives us an up close and personal look behind the scenes of the government's psychic spy program as only an insider can. A must read!"

H. E. Puthoff, Ph.D. Founder and Former Director of SRI's CIA-funded Remote Viewing Program; Director, Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin.


When I was asked to review this book...I just didn't have the time to read anything. But as soon as I opened it for a glance, I was hooked and made time! This is a fascinating book about a most important aspect of human nature.

Charles T. Tart, Ph.D., Core Faculty at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UC Davis.


Paul, Thanks for the book and your kind words. Once I started on it, I couldn't put it down. It is well written, informative and for the most part quite entertaining. As far as I am concerned, it's the best RV book on the shelf today.

Mel Riley, the only person assigned to the Ft. Meade Army remote viewing unit twice.


The more pragmatic you think you are, the more you should read this fascinating book on psychic espionage. All the things you think you know for certain are suddenly suspect, and all the things you swear you would never believe in are suddenly believable.

Walter J. Boyne, New York Times best-selling author, and former director of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum


Customer Reviews from Amazon.com

A thoughtful and important book, March 2, 2005
Reviewer: James A. Scott (Lexington, MA USA)

Having been an undergraduate at MIT, I can attest to the innate scepticism that Paul Smith describes when those trained in the scientific method are first exposed to remote viewing. I also understand that the government, funded by taxpayer dollars in channels constantly modified by the electoral process, would be an unreliable sponsor for such efforts, regardless of their degree of success. Yet Paul Smith has done us all a profound service with his very well written and emotionally measured story of the history of remote viewing. This book really does make a difference and it is a pleasure to read and get to know a man who has lived at this most interesting borderland of science as we now know it.

If you are interested in RV buy this book....., February 22, 2005
Reviewer: JFK "JFK" (Michigan)

I started my journey into the world of RV in 1998. Paul had told me for years that he was working on this book...I thought to myself "gees, hasnt the story been over told already?" Once I started to read this book I could not put it down, it is beautifully written and well balanced between RV theroy and historical timelines. I had the fortunate pleasure of being trained and working along side Paul and other Stargate viewers. I felt that I had a complete picture of the goverments involvement in remote viewing. Only after finishing this book does the true picture emerge and a deeper understanding of how and why this powerful project came to a sudden end.

If you are interested in RV and want to know the truth as told by someone who made the history then please treat yourself to this wonderful book.

The Consummate RV History, February 22, 2005
Reviewer: GR (Texas) - See all my reviews

Paul Smith has done a remarkable job in tying together the numerous loose strings left dangling in other works on remote viewing (RV); consequently, this book will be considered a seminal work in this field. Many of the pioneers already have published significant works. For those new to RV, following are some of the more important books to consider: Hal Puthoff and Russell Targ began the public outing of remote viewing in their work `Mind Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic Abilities' in 1977. (Targ recently published `Limitless Mind: A Guide to Remote Viewing and Transformation of Consciousness,' an overview and `how to' of remote viewing and remote influencing). Although not a member of the military unit, Jim Schnabel's 1997 book `Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America's Psychic Spies' was the first full public accounting of the U.S. government's use of RV. Since then, we have seen several of the major players in military RV publish their accounts. Joe McMoneagle, the most widely known of the military viewers, has published four very significant books on RV, most recently, `The Stargate Chronicles; Memoirs of a Psychic Spy.' Fred Atwater published `Captain of My Ship, Master of My Soul: Living With Guidance,' which went beyond the usual `I was there' recollection to provoking the reader to exploring the metaphysical. Lyn Buchanan authored the excellent `The Seventh Sense: The Secrets of Remote Viewing as Told by a "Psychic Spy" for the U.S. Military.' Of interest, Lyn details the critically important observation that remote viewers have different strengths and that it is crucial to database viewing results to increase the accuracy of RV sessions. Dale Graff, one of the unit's directors, has authored two books in this area: `Tracks in the Psychic Wilderness: An Exploration of Remote Viewing, ESP, Precognative Dreaming, and Synchronicity,' and `River Dreams: The Case of the Missing General and Other Adventures in Psychic Research.'

Most of these authors were hindered by security or personal concerns-Paul was able to bring a large portion of what remained hidden into the open. What sets Paul's book apart from the others is his attention to the philosophy and meaning Ingo Swann imparted behind each of the stages he developed (along with Hal Puthoff) for controlled remote viewing. Paul remains the faithful student of Ingo's teachings, and takes great pains to elaborate on the how and why behind the stages of controlled remote viewing.

Of interest, approaches to RV are as distinct as the people who practice it. For example, while Lyn Buchanan believes that you should practice ideograms until your subconscious is trained to immediately associate a specific ideogram with a specific item or activity (e.g., a wavy line equates to water) that you receive from the signal line, Paul Smith doesn't feel this is necessary. Dale Graff thinks that Swann's rigid process of controlled remote viewing may not be necessary as one may be able to obtain target data through directed precognitive dreaming. One common thread through the majority of the military viewers is that RV is a form of martial art (e.g., Joe McMoneagle's Rvdo), and requires practice like any martial art to develop expertise.

Be advised that there are other non-military RV practitioners worth noting such as Dr. Angela Thompson Smith who authored `Remote Perceptions: Out-of-Body Experiences, Remote Viewing, and Other Natural Abilities.' Stephen Schwartz has used RV to conduct archeological digs (see `The Alexandria Project' and `The Secret Vaults of Time: Psychic Archaeology and the Quest for Man's Beginnings.') For those wondering why, if all of this is real, hasn't the scientific community acknowledged its existence should read Dr. Dean Radin's work summarizing the over 130 years of valid scientific research in psi in his book `The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena.'

And then there is Ingo. Considered the father of controlled remote viewing, he has authored numerous books, and has been writing his own history of RV which can be accessed at his website http://www.biomindsuperpowers.com/.

Finally, those who are interested in knowing the current status of RV should visit the International Remote Viewing Association's website at http://www.irva.org/.

In summation, Paul Smith's book is a must read for those who want the most complete, up-to-date accounting of RV and it's rise and fall in the U.S. government.

A personal journey from sceptic to psychic spy, February 6, 2005
Reviewer: P. Rivera (Los Angeles)

Ingo Swann is the God-Father of the remote viewing program that started it all. Paul Smith, one of Ingo's star students, writes a cohesive and comprehensive story from the inside view of the many covert remote viewing programs and its participants over a more than 25 year time line.

Paul Smith sets the story straight and fills in many details that have been glossed over by others, or just plain lied about.


Many of the people claiming to have been key players in these programs are given exposure by Paul to what may have been hidden previously, and purposedly kept in the dark by these same individuals.

Paul Smith as done a wonderful job of writing this story, allowing us to live with him in his own personal journey from a sceptic to a psychic spy.


This book is an important addition to the few good books on the subject of Remote Viewing. It should be required reading for any person interested in this subject.

Secret Heroes All, January 26, 2005
Reviewer: F. T. (USA)

The courageous heroes in Smith's saga of RV insiders are laser physicists, artists, military types right up the ranks, spies of every stripe and, believe it or not, some forward thinking members of the United States Congress! Without the personal courage to put their reputations and careers on the line, the highly successful secret remote viewing program described in detail in Paul's book would never have happened. This is a well-written story about how brilliant but otherwise ordinary people had the courage to do on a daily basis something that less open minds believe is impossible. I, for one, certainly hope there are other secret RV programs still in existence tackling the extremely difficult problems democracy faces in the war on terror. Our country needs more scientifically based, forward looking programs like this one. We certainly need more brave people willing to look carefully into the incredible human potential we all possess. My favorite quote in the book is "...human consciousness is not locked within the narrow confines of our physical bodies, ...it does not stop at the edge of our skins, but...can roam virtually at will across the face of the planet, down the hallways of time, and into at least some of the secrets of men." You don't have to be a physicist, artist, military type, spy or member of congress, to enjoy Reading The Enemy's Mind!

One of those books you just can't put down, January 26, 2005
Reviewer: churlish_imp

A must read! A cogent and recondite history of RV, including a "Who's Who" in RV, as well as the political tides that buffeted the program.

A comprehensive treatise on RV for both the curious-minded, as well as practitioner. Not a "how to" book, but a great review for those who have embarked on training, replete with some salient viewing reminders and pointers.

Paul Smith is an engaging and erudite storyteller. I now feel compelled to gain exposure to Paul Smith, the teacher.

The best and most thorough CRV account so far, January 9, 2005
Reviewer: Smude (Oklahoma)

"Reading the Enemy's Mind" is the most comprehensive and recent account of the US government's 20+ year foray into remote viewing, the "psychic" protocol that allowed intelligence gathering against Cold War and drug war targets. Paul Smith, a retired army intelligence officer, is uniquely qualified to tell this story as he was unit historian throughout various incarnations of the secretive Ft Meade-based INSCOM/DIA/CIA remote viewing unit for much of its existence during the 80s and early 90s. This gripping account serves believers and skeptics alike as a thorough historical record and an enlightening, honest commentary on the potential of the human mind. Smith goes into great detail explaining what remote viewing is and what it is not. Smith's book provides an insightful perspective on accounts also told by Jim Schnabel in "Remote Viewers" and several of Joseph McMoneagle's books. With over 470 pages, it is remarkably detailed in its account, yet is thoroughly engrossing. It also puts David Morehouse's fantastical, largely fictionalized account ("Psychic Warrior") in a well-grounded context. I highly recommend "Reading the Enemy's Mind;" look at Schnabel and McMoneagle's books after reading Smith if you want some shorter reads on the same subject.

Reading the Enemy's Mind, January 7, 2005
Reviewer: Robert Durant

This is a uniquely comprehensive and reliable book about Remote Viewing. The history of RV - and its military/intelligence applications - is brought to life by the author, who was one of the first "pychic spies" trained by Ingo Swann. Plus, the theory and practice of real Remote Viewing is explained in crystal-clear language. Stands alone in the field, and will probably remain the definitive work on the topic.

About the Author:

Paul H. Smith, a retired Army intelligence officer and Operation Desert Storm veteran, spent seven years in the Department of Defense's remote-viewing program, serving as operational remote viewer, theory instructor and trainer, security officer, and unit historian. Smith has a B.A. in Middle Eastern studies from Brigham Young University, and an M.S. in Strategic Intelligence (Middle East emphasis) from the Defense Intelligence College, and is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is president of Remote Viewing Instructional Services, Inc. , and vice president of the nonprofit International Remote Viewing Association.

Product Description:

If you thought The Manchurian Candidate was fiction or John Farris's The Fury, which featured a CIA mind-control program run amok, was the stuff of an overheated imagination, you were sorely mistaken.
From behind the cloak of U.S. military secrecy comes the story of Star Gate, the project that for nearly a quarter of a century trained soldiers and civilian spies in extra-sensory perception (ESP). Their objective: To search out the secrets of America's cold war enemies using a skill called "remote viewing." Paul H. Smith, a U.S. Army Major, was one of these viewers. Assigned to the remote viewing unit in 1983 at a pivotal time in its history, Smith served for the rest of the decade, witnessing and taking part in many of the seminal national-security crises of the twentieth century.
With the Star Gate secrets declassified and the program mothballed by the Central Intelligence Agency, the story can now be told of the ordinary soldiers drafted onto the battlefield of human consciousness. Using hundreds of interviews with the key players in the Star Gate program, and gathering thousands of pages of documents, Smith opens the records on this remarkable chapter in American military, scientific, and cultural history. He reveals many secrets about how remote viewing works and how it was used against enemy targets. Among these stories are the search for hostages in Lebanon; spying on Soviet directed energy weapons; investigating the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland; tracking foreign testing of weapons of mass destruction; combating narco-trafficking off America's coasts; aiding in the Iranian hostage situation; finding KGB moles in the CIA; pursuing Middle East terrorists; and more.

Between the lines in the official records are revelations about unrelenting attempts from within and without to destroy the remote viewing program, and the efforts that kept Star Gate going for more than two decades in spite of its enemies. This is a story for the believer and the skeptic - a rare look at the innards of a top secret program and an eye-opening treatise on the power of the human mind to transcend the limitations of space and time.
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