Old Souls (book)

Old Souls: Compelling Evidence and Reincarnation Stories is a non-fiction book written by Tom Shroder, published in 1999. The book explores the work of Dr. Ian Stevenson, a psychiatrist at the University of Virginia who dedicated his career to researching children who claimed to remember past lives.

Shroder, a journalist, accompanies Stevenson on several investigative trips to India and Lebanon, documenting Stevenson's methodology and his interviews with children and their families. The book details numerous cases where children provide verifiable details about deceased individuals, including names, locations, and family relationships, which were previously unknown to the child or their immediate family.

Old Souls presents a largely objective account of Stevenson's research, acknowledging both the potential for fraud and the limitations of the scientific method in evaluating claims of reincarnation. Shroder neither definitively proves nor disproves the existence of reincarnation but allows readers to draw their own conclusions based on the evidence presented. The book examines the challenges of separating genuine memories from cultural influence, confabulation, and coincidence. It also touches upon the philosophical implications of reincarnation for understanding consciousness, identity, and the nature of life and death.

The book is structured as a narrative, following Shroder's journey of discovery as he becomes increasingly familiar with Stevenson's meticulous approach. It emphasizes the human element of the stories, focusing on the families involved and the impact of these purported past-life memories on their lives. Old Souls is regarded as an accessible introduction to the topic of reincarnation research and remains a significant contribution to the popular understanding of Dr. Stevenson's work.