On June 23, 1936, Edgar Cayce, the most renowned psychic of the twentieth century and the father of holistic medicine, gave a life reading for Thomas Jefferson (T. J.) Davis, the two-day-old nephew of his secretary, Gladys Davis. In this reading, Cayce identified one of the child's past lives as that of Thomas Jefferson, adding this stunning prediction: he "may become more important in the affairs of the WORLD than this entity in its previous experience has been to America--Thomas Jefferson."

This book examines all the reasons why that prediction never came to fruition. It is an endearing look at the relationship between Cayce and young T. J., who was tutored by Cayce for the first nine years of his life in preparation for the great work ahead of him. But it also explores how decisions made by T. J.'s absentee parents put their son's soul on a totally different path. For those who make the assumption that a soul that reaches the greatness of a Thomas Jefferson would continue its upward trajectory, this book clearly illustrates the role that free will plays in the outcome of any life. It is a classic case of karma in action, of synchronistic events that make one cringe to think how close and yet how far T. J. was from redeeming the world.