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oddbodd · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 855 Location: Castle Dracula

The mind is an odd thing (especially mine, but we won't go there - you'll have nightmares) Despite the sorts of intuition that even a low-IQ person can dsiplay and which would nonetheless be beyond the capabilties of any modern computer, the human mind is strangely predictable and easy to trick.

That's the conclusion that I've reached after reading this book by the famed beardy mentalist. The book covers a disparate range of subjects whose only link is their involvement with the mind - be it magic, hypnosis, psychic ability, memory or unconscious communication. Basically, those things that he might utilize or seek to debunk in his shows.

For the most part, it is offers some fascinating insights into the workings of the mind, but also discusses the problems with wooly thinking and bad science. It does come off as very sceptical toward non-scientific approaches to things, but even this is somewhat refreshing in a world where people are looking more and more to new-age or alternative methods of doing things.

The writing style is both clever and funny (a quote about trying to get away from an annoying person in a hotel: "Away from the prying fan and into the foyer"), not far from the language he uses in his shows, though he does appear to get really quite miffed at time, especially on occasional sceptic rants.

I'd recommend it to any fan of Derren or to anybody interested in the workings of the mind. Except mine.

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"It's ok to be different, it's good to be different, and we should question ourselves before we judge others." -- Johnny Depp