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The Effect
This phenomenal work by the ‘Dean of American Hypnotists’ is the most comprehensive text ever to be published on stage hypnotism. It also has widespread therapeutic applications. The first section, Mastering Hypnosis, covers the history of the subject together with an extensive description of how to use the power of suggestion. The second section, Entertaining with Hypnotism, describes how to design and perform a modern hypnotic show and includes extracts from some of the most successful and exciting shows ever performed. Everything is covered, from opening the show to the best ways of advertising. There are chapters on the business aspects of hypnotism and how to avoid lawsuits.
“Ormond McGill has produced a masterwork on Stage Hypnosis … all inclusive of his previous work but with much new, up-to-date material added for today’s mastery.”

Gill Boyne, President,
American Council of Hypnotist Examiners

“This phenomenal work … is not only the most comprehensive book ever to be published on stage hypnotism, it also has widespread therapeutic applications as well. … I am confident that even the most experienced practitioner of hypnosis will gain new skills from this important work.”

Martin Roberts PhD

Cost
£45 from http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Encyclopedi ... 797&sr=8-1

or http://www.crownhouse.co.uk/index.php?p ... uct_id=122

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Depends on your personality!


Review
Apart from a hokum chapter about "Your Hypnotic Power" this book is a no-nonsense, practical approach to learning the fundamentals of stage hypnosis.
I decided to review it as, although it's not a magic book specifically, it's a related art and lots of people tend to post asking for recommendations regarding hypnosis books.
Now, first things first, this book does NOT teach you how to be a hypnotherapist, it concentrates purely on using the state of hypnosis for entertainment purposes.
I don't want this thread to deteroirate into a slanging match regarding whether a hypnotic state exists or not, but to review this book, which I wholeheartedly recommend, to anyone who's interested.

So what do you get for you £45?

605 pages of useful information!

The first half of the book concentrates on the 'how to', covering suggestiblity tests, inductions and over 100 methods. Some practical, some dated, some excellent and a couple of dangerous ones!
No stone is left unturned and to absorb all this information you will really need to study this book, re-read it and take in the thinking behind it. Hypnosis has a lot to do with your personality and people who are naturally good with words will find themselves to be a far more convincing and sucessful hypnotist.
The first 270 pages of this book tell you all you need to know to start hypnotising people and once you have found a few willing subjects, it's a matter of experience and continuing to study this book.

The second half concerns Entertaining With Hypnotism and takes you through some hypnosis shows stage by stage and supplys you with ideas for your own routines. Their is also a section called Hypnotrix - subtle things you can do to convince the partcipant further that they are being hypnotised.
This book is excellent, the only things lacking are anything to do with UK stage hypnosis laws (which you wouldn't expect in a book written by an American, years ago!) and any kind of academic study of what hypnosis is.
This book is perfect for those that want to add suggestion to their magic and any wanabe Derren Browns (I'm sure there's a few lurking on this forum!), though if you are interested in hypnosis as therapy - look elsewhere.
For anyone wanting more on the history of hypnosis, I recommend 'Hidden Depths' by Robin Wakefield, which also has some useful information about methods of induction in it.

Overall, if anyone asked me to recommend a book on stage hypnosis, this is my number one choice. It's readable, clearly written, the stuff in it does actually work if you peform it correctly. If you are a performer, rather than someone who 'does tricks', then you will find the methods and techniques in this book fairly easy to do.
A great book and worth every penny.



Overall

I have to say 10/10.
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I think it is a wonderful book yet I keep reading statements on the Magic Cafe and other places that it is supposed to be very dated. I don't accept this and old Ormond knew more about "hypnosis" than anyone alive in my opinion.

I think he was an old rogue though and didn't believe half of what he wrote. He is still a hero of mine though and I once spoke to him on the phone to thank him for his teachings. He said "I am glad it was useful to you"

I was fortunate enough to meet Ormond long ago through my then partner Dean Hankey who studied Hypnosis under Ormond who managed to get the boy certified. What the "experts" at the Cafe fail to recognize is that Ormond and Arnold Furst both had exceptional clinical backgrounds and both wrote extensively on either side of this topic and to this day BOTH are heralded as two of the greatest "Master Hypnotists" that ever lived... granted, Arnold would sell you his mother I believe, if given half the chance but both were good men that knew their job better than most and were responsible for bringing most of the biggest names in stage hypnosis to the fore.

Long story short, buy and study everything by Ormond and Arnold or even Jerry Valley for that matter (one of Arnold's partners and students) and you'll go further than all the experts that have read a couple of books on the topic but NEVER stepped into the pit as it were, and made a real go of it.

That's the biggest thing I loathe about that group over there... all talk and very little genuine experience in anything but sucking up.

I have found to be an excellent work. Unlike the tawdry "how to hypnotise" pamphlets you often seen, the methods in here are the ones used by professionals and they actually work.
Although some concepts, like the Hypnodisc, seem very dated and fifties sci-fi, they DO work as they live up to people's expectations about hypnosis that have been implanted via films and television.
There are other good hpynosis books, but this is the starting point. The Royal Road of stage hypnotism.

It's highly thought of among hypnotherapists too. Many of his inductions are a bit too touchy-feely in these litigious times, but there are lots of useful ideas there, including a clear description of the Elman induction.

Barry

i've got a few ormond books, he was a genius...

there's some old ed wolff books for a couple of quid at cards4magic.co.uk too if you're interested...they're quite informative for what they are...

Thanks! I will check those out.
Deeper and Deeper by Jonathon Chase is a good book also.

magicofthemind wrote:It's highly thought of among hypnotherapists too.

As a hypnotherapist, just thought I'd humbly second that. I got this book whilst training a few years ago and learnt a lot. Never tried to "hypnotise" a frog though (and yes, that's in there too!).

There's loads in there!
I also have The Secrets of Dr Zomb which is Ormond's autiobiography.
The hypnosis and magic sections are good but there's too much new age mumbo jumbo in it for my liking.
The Encyclopedia is a classic though. Has anyone here read Ormond's Stage Mind Reading book?

I happen to know he didn't believe the new age baloney. And he didn't believe in hypnotism either from the rumblings I have heard!

Have you read the autobiography Mark?
I was quite suprised how much was given over to psychic and 'past-life' type things and it seemed at odds with his approach to things in the encyclopedia.
His writings on magic, though a small part of the book, were excellent. These are the only two books I have read of his and the second one made me cautious about other books he may have written lest they be full of spritual mumbo jumbo.
The Encyclopedia, of course, is a classic and more is gained from it through reading between the lines at some of it.

At a convention he gave a lecture full of mumbo jumbo about psychic stuff and hypnosis and a sceptical magician smelled a rat. He got into conversation with Ormond and asked him point blank "do you really believe that stuff you just spouted on stage?" Ormond replied "of course not!"

This reminds me of the time I watched a great escapology act, lots of thrashing about and so on to get out of the strait jacket before the rope burned through etc. I met the guy afterwards and asked him what was the hardest part of the act. He replied with a knowing wink, 'Keeping a straight face!'

i have always been tempted to buy a hypnoise book but they all look to good to be true. i am trying to put together a good skill set alot of mentalism bit of hypnois bit of magic mainly card and bar tricks. thanks for the review

I got a copy of this for Christmas but haven't started reading it as yet. It was highly recommended by a friend who also recommended these titles to start with:

1. New Concepts of Hynosis (Theories, Techniques and Practical Applications) by Bernard C Gindes (ISBN 0-87980-108-5)
2. Post Hypnotic Instructions by Arnold Furst (ISBN 0-87980-119-0)
3. Modern Hypnosis by Lesley Kuhn (ISBN 0-8-7980-100-X
4. Mind Control, World Control (A Virtual Encyclopedia of Mind Control) by Jim Keith (ISBN 0-932813-45-3)

I've read 1 and 2 and the results to date have been marvelous. By the time that you've reached 2/3rds of the way through the first book you should have no problem in being able to hypnotise.

Book 2 will give you many ideas about application and will help you find subjects to hypnotise as almost everyone has a phobia or addiction that they're happy for you to try and cure.