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Rating: 
Summary: Something Like a Phenomena
Review: A good book, but not a great one. The subject fascinates me so when I see a book at a discount bookstore in Philadelphia w/the title Stigmata I pick it up. The title and the cover intrigued me. However, Harrison does not break any new ground here. He uses modern day examples of people who have been given this gift from God. He explains the migration of the stigmata from Europe to America. There have been several instances of people from the U.S. with the stigmata. He also touches on the recent phenomena of other Christians besides Catholic Christians receiving the stigmata. The book is very easy to read and is neatly broken down into titled chapters so if you don't want to read about "cases from the past" you can move straight to "cases from the present" without losing anything. In other words you can read chapter six before you read chapter three and not get confused. He does have an interesting chapter on how the medical profession views these phenomena. He sites papers authored by medical doctors on spontaneous wounds and not just the stigmata type. Doctors do not have an explanation. People under close medical observation have spontaneously received scars or burns for no reason. Very odd. He mentions "blushing" as a very small example of this where an intense emotion triggers a visible physical response. I gave the book only two stars because it didn't go into any depth on the subject. I enjoyed parts, but for the most part I knew this stuff prior to reading it. I get a little annoyed after I finish a book and realize I didn't learn anything from it.
Rating:
Summary: Something Like a Phenomena
Review: A good book, but not a great one. The subject fascinates me so when I see a book at a discount bookstore in Philadelphia w/the title Stigmata I pick it up. The title and the cover intrigued me. However, Harrison does not break any new ground here. He uses modern day examples of people who have been given this gift from God. He explains the migration of the stigmata from Europe to America. There have been several instances of people from the U.S. with the stigmata. He also touches on the recent phenomena of other Christians besides Catholic Christians receiving the stigmata. The book is very easy to read and is neatly broken down into titled chapters so if you don't want to read about "cases from the past" you can move straight to "cases from the present" without losing anything. In other words you can read chapter six before you read chapter three and not get confused. He does have an interesting chapter on how the medical profession views these phenomena. He sites papers authored by medical doctors on spontaneous wounds and not just the stigmata type. Doctors do not have an explanation. People under close medical observation have spontaneously received scars or burns for no reason. Very odd. He mentions "blushing" as a very small example of this where an intense emotion triggers a visible physical response. I gave the book only two stars because it didn't go into any depth on the subject. I enjoyed parts, but for the most part I knew this stuff prior to reading it. I get a little annoyed after I finish a book and realize I didn't learn anything from it.
Rating: 
Summary: A good review of those who have suffered the stigmata
Review: A very good overview of the evidence for the occurence of thestigmata. Most of the cases point to its reality as a psychosomaticmanifestation of the individuals identification with the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth. While this view makes the stigmata less "miraculous," it makes the event just as fascinating as a demonstration of what the mind can render through the flesh (those who insist that all the cases are fraudulent haven't read any serious work on the subject). Ian Wilson's Stigmata is also a good read as well.
Rating:
Summary: All things are possible
Review: All things are possible. Many debate, is sigmata, the act of expression of a god, or the subliminal acts of the minds of a few. It matters not. The point is well made, all things are possible.
Rating:
Summary: A good review of those who have suffered the stigmata
Review: This book is a wonderful introduction to the subject and covers a lot of ground. It will pique your interest and may make you want to buy "They bore the wounds of Christ" which is a much more detailed book but comes from a Jesuit and will therefore have a rather less sceptical approach to the matter.Noetheless, the best intro to this world including a good history of the subject and several recent subjects which don't always fit the bill of the traditional white Catholic Europeans. Catch the MGM movie STIGMATA this fall...
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