The Divers

"The Divers" by James Stamers is a science fiction novel set in the late 1950s that centers on Fred Williams, a regular guy pulled into a secret world where he finds out he has special mind powers the government wants to use. The book questions who we are, what freedom really means, and what happens when we have amazing psychic abilities, as Fred goes from a normal life to joining an exclusive group called the Divers, people who can send their minds across the galaxy. At first, Fred is just a bored husband, he is picked by Dr. Howard Sprinnell for a government program because he has shown crazy psi talents. When he starts doing "Dives" that expand his mind, Fred realizes he can go beyond his body and check out the universe, watching other societies. But he also struggles with doing what’s right and wrong with his new powers and finally declares freedom from the controlling government, joining other Divers who share his ideas. The story makes us think about what freedom is, what our purpose is, and how our lives connect to the universe.