Customer Reviews:

0 out of 0 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A2TYB52WWRJERF 2008-11-13
 
Review Summary: Perhaps his best illusion yet!
 
Review Content: I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.
 
 
 

4 out of 4 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: AJ6BFSNJEPUWR 2008-11-06
 
Review Summary: Smug and very disappointing
 
Review Content: I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.
 
 
 

0 out of 2 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A2LZZ9O36SGYW4 2008-11-06
 
Review Summary: A really enjoyable read
 
Review Content: If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.
 
 
 

3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A1CO77L5W6TM10 2008-09-29
 
Review Summary: Great start, but ultimately disappointing
 
Review Content: The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.
 
 
 

2 out of 7 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A34TCEKBNYTJW3 2008-09-11
 
Review Summary: Tricks of the mind
 
Review Content: I bought this to read on holiday, which probably didn't help, as I think you have to be in the mood to read it.

I found it a very hard and drawn out read. I didn't get alot out of the book and he reveal tricks which are readily available online. Or to school teachers who help you revise for an exam

I did however like his more autobiographical parts of the book, and I imagine his own will be fantastic. This book is not.