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I have just seen this on the international magic webpage, had a quick search around on google and here, couldn't seem to find a review!

I would also like to know why it is an 18?!?! It can't be because it's mentalism surely, because no other mentalism text or DVD I have come across has had an age rating?

Any thoughts?

great book...have not watched the dvd yet...

Wild Card wrote:I would also like to know why it is an 18?!?! It can't be because it's mentalism surely, because no other mentalism text or DVD I have come across has had an age rating?

An interesting book. It's main point concerns how to make people believe you have psychic powers. As such, it's promoting something rather out of fashion at the moment. I found it a fascinating read, but very much non-essential for most performers, even professionals.

It's probably an 18 because of the pictures of a naked witch.

Part-Timer wrote:

Wild Card wrote:I would also like to know why it is an 18?!?! It can't be because it's mentalism surely, because no other mentalism text or DVD I have come across has had an age rating?

An interesting book. It's main point concerns how to make people believe you have psychic powers. As such, it's promoting something rather out of fashion at the moment. I found it a fascinating read, but very much non-essential for most performers, even professionals.

It's probably an 18 because of the pictures of a naked witch.

Not "out of fashion" just misunderstood by those that don't have the brass to do Old School Mentalism as it was vs. the white washed magic shows we have today.

A lot of the interest with the Shiels Effect came from within the Bizarre Community more than Mentalism in that it did lean towards the more "realistic" sense of approach. This is one of those classics I've yet to get my grubby hands on however so I can't say a lot.

It has a wonderful account of how Shiels would turn up at pubs and do Geller type effects and astound the locals...I would recommend it to get a sense of how this sort of persona is created and maintained. There are some really nice passages,tips, and insights.

Martin at International Magic has a good offer on it.

Martin funnily enough was the guy that mentioned it but I was too fascinated with a different effect to really pay attention. Only recently did I notice it on his website and become intrigued!

Craig Browning wrote:Not "out of fashion" just misunderstood by those that don't have the brass to do Old School Mentalism as it was vs. the white washed magic shows we have today.

I agree, Craig. I used the phrase 'out of fashion' in an effort to be brief (but mainly to avoid yet another one of 'those' debates). I think such presentations are very strong, but in today's climate, anyone trying to portray themselves as a genuine psychic or occult mage will open themselves up to a torrent of exposure and abuse from sceptics and much of the magic community. It is perhaps similar to the use of animals in magic acts. Such performances can be very entertaining, but these days no matter how well creatures are treated, there will be people laying into you about animal welfare.

It is possible that I am wrong, but I think that the media was more forgiving and willing to go along 'for the ride' in the 70s, when the book was first published. I really can't see someone emulating Uri Geller's success these days, at least not in any society with access to the internet.

I think it's a shame that so many magicians are willing to trample on the possibility of anything being truly magical. I understand concerns about charlatans conning people out of thousands of pounds to contact dead relatives, but magicians should chose their targets carefully.

Part-Timer wrote:

Craig Browning wrote:Not "out of fashion" just misunderstood by those that don't have the brass to do Old School Mentalism as it was vs. the white washed magic shows we have today.

I agree, Craig. I used the phrase 'out of fashion' in an effort to be brief (but mainly to avoid yet another one of 'those' debates). I think such presentations are very strong, but in today's climate, anyone trying to portray themselves as a genuine psychic or occult mage will open themselves up to a torrent of exposure and abuse from sceptics and much of the magic community. It is perhaps similar to the use of animals in magic acts. Such performances can be very entertaining, but these days no matter how well creatures are treated, there will be people laying into you about animal welfare.

It is possible that I am wrong, but I think that the media was more forgiving and willing to go along 'for the ride' in the 70s, when the book was first published. I really can't see someone emulating Uri Geller's success these days, at least not in any society with access to the internet.

I think it's a shame that so many magicians are willing to trample on the possibility of anything being truly magical. I understand concerns about charlatans conning people out of thousands of pounds to contact dead relatives, but magicians should chose their targets carefully.

First and foremost THANK YOU! That was one of the most amazing and logical replies I've seen around this issue in ages and I do tend to agree with you on certain points... especially the issue of fanaticism and how it blinds folks.

30-40 years ago people in the world were still intelligent enough to figure out that most attractions sold as "a show" and within the confines of a theater, dinner club, night club, etc. was in fact SHOW BIZ e.g. they didn't have to be blatantly forced to accept that what they were seeing was just a magician doing tricks. The Anal Retentive of the skeptic's realms however, do no like giving the public credit for having any intelligence (it would seem) and at the same time, feel obligated to strut their superior understanding in ways that are simply mean, not to mention, arrogant.

Banachek and I have spoken on this topic as have I chatted with other noted personalities in the Skeptic's world, we all agree that far too many in today's Magic element simply embrace the label and philosophy because they are members of the same church e.g. they must stand up and support what the preacher tells them to say and believe (and yes, the parallels here are quite deliberate in that the enthusiasm of today's Skeptic is on par with any and all religious fanatics or "evangelists" as we call them here in the States). Just as I tell the born again jerks for Jesus, I simply don't feel it is anyone's business what I do with my own soul and my life and for that matter, how I go about peddling my talents.

Contrary to the perception of many, I don't come off as some kind of "real" or "occult" oriented mystic though I do come off as a fairly well educated student of metaphysical spirituality, theology, etc. In short, I agree with you, in part, that we probably aren't going to see another Uri Gellar type sensation... then again, we have John Edward who is leaps and bounds ahead of his own contemporaries (Sylvia Brown and James VanPraagh) when it comes to both, believability and public rapport. VanPraagh just comes off as being a strange old queen while Sylvia is a bossy old bitch. John is the boy next door that every mother wishes their daughter would bring home, which makes him box office.

Stephen Minch pointed out 30 years ago why we were (and still are) seeing so many within magic clinging to this "less mystical" side of performance, GUILT being at the top of his list followed closely by genuine inability to execute mentalism in a manner that is believable -- to be one's character 24/7 which few ever do... but that's why, even a decade ago, one would be hard press to find a genuine Psychic Entertainer in that less than 200 were known to exist world wide and less than 100 of them actually worked full time. Not due to the lack of a market place but simply because we played things much closer to the vest in those days and weren't as commercially inclined... on some levels there simply was no market demand in that the public had been burnt out by years of Dunninger, Kreskin, Fogel, etc. on Television and hitting the headlines... a lull was needed and the field had to lay fallow for a while.

Our problem today is too many that have jumped onto the proverbial bandwagon are giving permission to look at Mentalism and Bizarre Magick as being the same thing as doing a kiddie show or table side card tricks when it's far from being anything remotely close... at least in the minds of the old timers that respect and wish to sustain the real "magick" within this side of the craft. Today's mind set is to chase the elusive dollar and be as commercial as you can be vs. as enticing and mystical or the "enigma" role popularized in the 80s & 90s by Maven, Waters and a handful of others.

I believe that the responsible student of Mentalism in today's world needs to look at how to marry the ideas and approach offered in sources like the Sheil's Effect and the thinking of people like Stephan Minch, Robert, Nelson, etc. to our present day circumstance. We need to honor the position of the believer and the advantages of soliciting belief from our patrons allows, while GENTLY helping them to see for themselves, alternative possibilities over acts of blind-faith. Obviously, I do not support the attitudes or actions we see so often on display by people like Jaimie Ian Swiss or Penn Jillette, in which the public is brow beat into submission, complete with a dunce cap on their heads because they read the bible and go to church (or such equivalents).

RESPECT is the buzz word -- respect of our craft and the nuances that have been studied and used for generations (now being cast to the side or "exposed" as charlatan's tricks) as well as respect for our audiences and giving them credit for having a bit of intelligence... oft times more than the performers themselves. But we are also talking about respect of our fellows in this world and how many still embrace the old ways and many more are waking up to the fact that those older techniques are in many ways, superior to the present day contentions, allow one greater longevity as well as market reach.

That's a really interesting post, Craig. I don't have anything much to add to it (what more could I say?), but one thing reminded me of something David Berglas said last year at Tabula Mentis. He said that, if you're going to portray yourself as a person with a powerful mind, you have to maintain that appearance. You can't forget where you've put your keys, for example.

Of course, in reality, perhaps you can get away with the odd slip. One well-known performer (whose acts are based in part upon memory skills) was in the same restaurant as a couple of friends of mine. He left and then had to come back for his coat!

Part-Timer wrote:That's a really interesting post, Craig. I don't have anything much to add to it (what more could I say?), but one thing reminded me of something David Berglas said last year at Tabula Mentis. He said that, if you're going to portray yourself as a person with a powerful mind, you have to maintain that appearance. You can't forget where you've put your keys, for example.

Of course, in reality, perhaps you can get away with the odd slip. One well-known performer (whose acts are based in part upon memory skills) was in the same restaurant as a couple of friends of mine. He left and then had to come back for his coat!

That line made me laugh... seems Dunninger himself was known for forgetting where he parked his own car even though he was able to locate the one hidden previously that evening.

I've known many an old timer from this arena and found it odd, the number of them that suffer from memory problems when they are away from the stage... not that I'd known anything about that sort of thing first hand

on one of the derren brown behind the scenes extra thingies on a dvd - he's interviewed and mentions how he's lost a couple of laptops, leaving them in coffee shops and just forgetting all about 'em...

Craig Browning wrote:That line made me laugh... seems Dunninger himself was known for forgetting where he parked his own car even though he was able to locate the one hidden previously that evening.

Now that really is a brainbuster! The problem is that it is pretty much impossible to be 100% all the time, but I suppose you can try to minimise the risk of mistakes through organisation and planning.

IAIN wrote:on one of the derren brown behind the scenes extra thingies on a dvd - he's interviewed and mentions how he's lost a couple of laptops, leaving them in coffee shops and just forgetting all about 'em...

He doesn't work for the government, does he?

Wild card. I have said book and dvd. It is an interesting read. The dvd is a , put a couple of hours aside get a good brand of coffee and sit down press that play button and wait. I have still not got thru the whole dvd yet. This could just be me tho. You know how sometimes when you buy something and dismiss it. You then find it a year later and look at it again and it all makes sense. I should maybe go look it out and get that coffee on. I found the book good , but found the dvd a bit "where is this going".
Just my opinion. I perform mentalism all the time as you know. Maybe a different style.