The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1973 novel)
Encyclopedia
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud was written by popular fiction author Max Ehrlich
. It was published in 1973 by Double Day and a year later, in 1974, by Bantam
.
When college professor Peter Proud is overcome with a series of ever more frightening nightmares, he seeks professional help from a colleague in the Psychology department, who recommends outside help. All of his nightmares are similar, and as he relates them to a psychologist, recordings are made of him for future reference. When they are strung together, they have him swimming in a lake at night, and drowning at the hands of a woman who strikes at him from the safety of a rowboat, mercilessly bludgeoning him with her paddle.
Deciding there is something to his nightmares, he travels from California
to the Eastern Seaboard
to locate the exact location of the places he sees in his dreams - a church steeple and a town hall building, and - most importantly - the lake where he keeps drowning. It helps being independently wealthy, as he finds himself taking an extended sabbatical as he painstakingly goes through old newspaper records for cases of death by drowning. He eventually locates and confronts individuals who can remember the death. Although they do not recognize him because he looks different, one of them recognizes his mannerisms, and believes he has come back from the dead for unspeakable reasons.
Deciding he must get closer to the principals involved in his death, he begins a romance with the daughter of the woman that may have murdered him out on the lake. At first, he practices tennis
with her. Later, it becomes more serious. Meanwhile, the woman who was married to him in his previous life has never remarried. She becomes suspicious of him, especially when he starts saying and doing things that remind her of her husband. Even though he does not look like her husband, his mannerisms appear to identify him in an undeniable way. She is so certain that he is the same man as her husband, she feels she must do something about it, and possibly call him on it, if not take him out to the center of the lake and kill him all over again.
The novel was turned into a movie released in 1975
.
Max Simon Ehrlich
Max Simon Ehrlich was an American writer. He is best known for writing the novel The Reincarnation of Peter Proud and the movie of the same name.-Early life and education:...
. It was published in 1973 by Double Day and a year later, in 1974, by Bantam
Bantam
Bantam may refer to:* Bantam , a small variety of poultry* Bantamweight, a weight class in boxing-Places:* Bantam , a city and former sultanate on Java island, in Indonesia...
.
When college professor Peter Proud is overcome with a series of ever more frightening nightmares, he seeks professional help from a colleague in the Psychology department, who recommends outside help. All of his nightmares are similar, and as he relates them to a psychologist, recordings are made of him for future reference. When they are strung together, they have him swimming in a lake at night, and drowning at the hands of a woman who strikes at him from the safety of a rowboat, mercilessly bludgeoning him with her paddle.
Deciding there is something to his nightmares, he travels from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to the Eastern Seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
to locate the exact location of the places he sees in his dreams - a church steeple and a town hall building, and - most importantly - the lake where he keeps drowning. It helps being independently wealthy, as he finds himself taking an extended sabbatical as he painstakingly goes through old newspaper records for cases of death by drowning. He eventually locates and confronts individuals who can remember the death. Although they do not recognize him because he looks different, one of them recognizes his mannerisms, and believes he has come back from the dead for unspeakable reasons.
Deciding he must get closer to the principals involved in his death, he begins a romance with the daughter of the woman that may have murdered him out on the lake. At first, he practices tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
with her. Later, it becomes more serious. Meanwhile, the woman who was married to him in his previous life has never remarried. She becomes suspicious of him, especially when he starts saying and doing things that remind her of her husband. Even though he does not look like her husband, his mannerisms appear to identify him in an undeniable way. She is so certain that he is the same man as her husband, she feels she must do something about it, and possibly call him on it, if not take him out to the center of the lake and kill him all over again.
The novel was turned into a movie released in 1975
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud is an American motion picture released by Bing Crosby Productions, and Cinerama Productions Corporation. In the supernatural suspense genre, the film was directed by J...
.
See also
- Berkeley SquareBerkeley Square (play)Berkeley Square is a play written by John Balderston which tells the story of a young American who is transported back to London in the time of the American Revolution and meets his ancestors....
, a 1929 Music BookLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by John L. BalderstonJohn L. BalderstonJohn L. Balderston was an American playwright and screenwriter best known for his horror and fantasy scripts....
.
- Berkeley SquareBerkeley Square (film)Berkeley Square is a drama film produced by Fox Film Corporation, directed by Frank Lloyd, and starring Leslie Howard, Heather Angel, Valerie Taylor, and Colin Keith-Johnston. The film was thought to be a lost film until rediscovered in the 1970s....
, a 1933 film.
- On a Clear Day You Can See ForeverOn a Clear Day You Can See ForeverOn a Clear Day You Can See Forever is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on Berkeley Square, written in 1929 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been reincarnated...
, a 1965 Broadway play.
- On a Clear Day You Can See ForeverOn a Clear Day You Can See Forever (film)On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is a 1970 American musical/romantic fantasy film directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner is adapted from his book for the 1965 stage production of the same name...
, a film that premiered on June 17, 1970. A hypnotherapist falls in a love with a woman who remembers past lives.
- TransmigrationTransmigration (novel)Transmigration is a science fiction book written in 1970 by J. T. McIntosh.The hero discovers he is both cursed with bad luck and blessed with a miraculous power - the power to occupy other people's minds - provided he dies first...
, by J. T. McIntoshJ. T. McIntoshJ. T. McIntosh was a pseudonym used by Scottish writer and journalist James Murdoch MacGregor.-Biography:Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, but living largely in Aberdeen, MacGregor used the McIntosh pseudonym as well as "H. J...
. Sometimes you have to die several times before you meet the one you were meant to spend your life with.
- Reincarnation in Venice, by Max EhrlichMax Simon EhrlichMax Simon Ehrlich was an American writer. He is best known for writing the novel The Reincarnation of Peter Proud and the movie of the same name.-Early life and education:...
. A man travels to VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
to discover who murdered him, and why. If he can prove it was murder, will there be justice?