Listen free for 30 days

  • Demonic Foes

  • My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal
  • Written by: Richard Gallagher
  • Narrated by: Kevin Collins
  • Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (11 ratings)

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Demonic Foes cover art

Demonic Foes

Written by: Richard Gallagher
Narrated by: Kevin Collins
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $35.73

Buy Now for $35.73

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

The world’s leading psychiatric authority on demonic possession delves into the hidden world of exorcisms and his own transformation from cynic to believer over the course of his twenty-five-year career.

Successful New York psychiatrist Richard Gallagher was skeptical yet intrigued when a hard-nosed, no-nonsense Catholic priest asked him to examine a woman for a possible exorcism. Meeting her, Gallagher was astonished. The woman’s behavior defied logic. In an instant, she could pinpoint a person’s secret weaknesses. She knew how individuals she’d never known had died, including Gallagher’s own mother, who passed away after a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer. She spoke fluently in multiple languages, including Latin—but only when she was in a trance. 

This was not psychosis, Gallagher concluded. It was, in his scientific estimation, what could only be describe as paranormal ability. The woman wasn’t mentally disturbed—she was possessed. This remarkable case was the first of many that Gallagher would encounter. Sought after today by leaders of all faiths—ministers, priests, rabbis and imams, Gallagher has spent a quarter-century studying demonic activity and exorcisms throughout history and has witnessed more cases than any other psychiatrist in the world today.

In this eerie and enthralling book, Gallagher chronicles his most famous cases for the first time, including: 

  • A professional who claimed her spiritualist mother had “assigned” her a spirit who “turned on her.”
  • A petite woman—”90 pounds soaking wet”—who threw a 200-pound Lutheran deacon across the room to the horror of onlookers in a church hall;
  • And “Julia,” the so-called Satanic queen and self-described witch, who exhibited “the most harrowing” case, a “once-in-a-century” possession.

Going beyond horror movies and novels, Demonic Foes takes you deep into this hidden world, sharing in full details of these true-life tales of demonic possession.

©2020 Richard Gallagher (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

More from the same

Narrator:

What listeners say about Demonic Foes

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A timely, thoughtful, well-written, meaty read.

Thank you, Dr Gallagher and all who allowed their stories to be shared in such a compelling, rational, wise way. I have listened to this twice while driving, working, etc. No doubt, aside from the years of actual work supporting the healing of those afflicted by both natural (mental health) and supernatural (evil spirits) challenges, this book may be your greatest life’s contribution. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us all.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent audiobook

This is was an excellent audiobook. Well written, insightful and intriguing. Narrator was very good too, adding to, and not distracting from the narrative.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Objective, knowledgeable

Demonstrates an expertise in both psychiatry and theology. He also walks us through some misconceptions about the topic theiughout history ( with references to biblical and historical events and persons). I highly recommend it; however, I wish the author were accessible to us who can not find an exeprt of his calibre to assess mental illness vs. possession/ opression privately, so that the agony of our loved ones continues.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for SecretOktober
  • SecretOktober
  • 2020-10-15

An Exceptional Book for Reference and Debate

Although I can't entirely agree with all of Dr. Gallagher's conclusions, and I felt that he expressed too much bias, I found his medical professionalism, knowledge, and dedication towards the subject of possession to be unprecedented. Also, the publisher could not have found a better voice performer for this audiobook. I highly recommend this audiobook, especially if you are involved in the paranormal community.

The audiobook captured my interest so much that I bought the hardcover, which says a lot about the value I found in the doctor's perspectives on possessions from a psychiatric viewpoint. An exceptional book for reference and debate!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for matterdaddy
  • matterdaddy
  • 2020-10-20

Excellent combo

A very professional combination of science and religion. It's interesting to hear stories and conditions that could be or have been mistaken for possession. This book should be enough for skeptics to at least begin to look further into the subject instead of dismissing the possibility of possession immediately.

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for AudioPhile
  • AudioPhile
  • 2020-10-15

Excellent audiobook

Fascinating and eye-opening. The author's genuine compassion for his patients is apparent, as is his expertise as a psychiatrist. His initial skepticism on the topic lends credibility to his later findings. The book includes scientific analysis, historical and anthropological background on demonic possessions, and the author's riveting first-hand accounts of his encounters with those afflicted by demonic attacks. All are handled exceptionally well by the narrator, Kevin Collins.

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for David Chmielecki
  • David Chmielecki
  • 2020-12-01

For the skeptic and the believer

Entertaining and well written it discussed a sober view of the subject from an analytical and scientific standpoint. The author prudently eludes sensationalism while at the same time gives a hard hitting testimony complete with the right amount of case studies (without overdoing it or self aggrandizement) approached with a mix of the scientific method and Occam's Razor. As a therapist and a Catholic, I found it very enlightening.

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Celeca
  • Celeca
  • 2020-11-22

Very informative

Very interesting book. The author’s professionalism and skepticism lends credence to all the claims made in the book, which is very thorough and convincing. I would consider it a must-read if the subject of demons and possessions interest, or in my case, fascinate, you.

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for miriam sanchez
  • miriam sanchez
  • 2021-05-04

mindblowing

A very interesting read on medical accounts of possession and its comparison mental illness. I love how logically everything is stated and the flow of this book. Decent read.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Tyler Clatanoff
  • Tyler Clatanoff
  • 2021-04-29

excorcisms are earthbinding rituals not banishing

loved it. excorcisms are actually binding rituals, exactly like the root word in Latin says.

Jesus is a loosh eater, atheists never get possessed for a reason. the demons are training you to need that unholy Jesus name so you never learn to banish them yourself.

They eat fear and suffering, hate, etc. to get rid of demons cut all animal products out of your life fully. get off all Rx pills, those are like demon eggs. and learn to fully control your own thoughts and emotions. "be gone clowns, I fill feed you nothing" works every time too.

monsters inc was essentially a documentary and Christianity/Satanism are actually two sides of the same coin. All the mock cannibalism and tortured dead bodies all over the walls should tip you off.

I really got a lot out of this book and very much enjoyed listening the whole time.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Brett Phar
  • Brett Phar
  • 2021-02-24

an excellent non-fiction work.

excellent nonfiction work on the source matter. if you want a serious in-depth and scientifically minded discussion on the subject of exorcisms this is the book you've been looking for.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for dennis katsefes
  • dennis katsefes
  • 2021-01-05

Fabulous!

A must listen. Excellent reader. Sooo enlightening, last book you ll need to listen to on this subject. Contains information about actual real possessions, psychiatric disorders, psyvhosis, etc that have occurred over the last 100 yesrs. Couldn't stop listening!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Rochelle
  • Rochelle
  • 2020-11-19

Decent listen

The stories were pretty entertaining and enlightening. Nothing beyond that though. Author is clear and definitive in how he feels and what he thinks of it all. Not sure how he came to his conclusions though... really... would have been nice

2 people found this helpful