Jeremy Stolow’s Picturing Aura offers a groundbreaking visual and intellectual history of humanity’s attempts to render the unseen visible. Drawing on extensive archival research, this richly illustrated volume traces representations of the aura and subtle body energies from early modern spiritualist photography to contemporary imaging technologies and artistic explorations.

What sets Picturing Aura apart is its multi-layered narrative, which combines art history, religious studies, science and technology studies, and psychical research. Stolow masterfully weaves a compelling story about how diverse cultures and historical periods have attempted to depict the immaterial, whether as spiritual presence, vital force, or psychic emission. From theosophy to Kirlian photography, the book investigates the epistemological challenges and cultural aspirations embedded in visualizing invisible realities.

The committee lauded the work’s exceptional scholarship, engaging prose, and beautiful design. While some raised initial questions about whether the topic of the aura lies fully within the scope of parapsychology, further examination revealed strong overlaps with research on clairvoyance, biofield perception, and psychical phenomena. The book’s extensive references to psychical researchers, including J.B. Rhine and Charles Richet, and its attention to methods of perceiving and measuring subtle energies, firmly situate it within the parapsychological domain.

Moreover, Picturing Aura resonates with contemporary debates on how anomalous experiences are validated, visualized, and historicized—central concerns for parapsychologists. Its ability to bridge disciplinary divides while offering a detailed and insightful exploration of a long-neglected aspect of psi research makes it an outstanding contribution.

In recognition of its scholarly merit, historical depth, and relevance to the field, Picturing Aura is a deserving recipient of the 2025 Parapsychological Association Book Award.

The Parapsychological Association Book Award was established in 2015 to recognize books in the field of parapsychology that make significant contributions to science and to the cultural conversation about the implications of parapsychology. Visit the PA Book Award Page to learn more about the award and previous winners.