Customer Reviews

Flim Flam

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

James Randi is a one-man crusade against the flummery and charlatanism of what has come to be called the New Age movement. He knows that perhaps the majority of people have a deep psychological need to believe in nonsense, and this, by turns, embarrasses him, exasperates him, amuses and challenges him to pierce through manifold delusions. Unfortunately, judging by the present intellectual and cultural climate of our nation -- along with the rest of the world -- Randi's crusade isn't working. And this is distressing on many levels.

Perhaps the central challenge of Randi's works is this: If you're a person inclined to believe in such things as e.s.p., p.s.i., "pyramid power," astrology, the Bermuda Triangle, virgin births, astral traveling, "psychic surgery," faith-healing, crystals, Tarot cards and other forms of metaphysical malarkey, then you can not possibly be an intellectually serious person. Period.

If, however, you don't believe in such things, well, this guy who writes so skeptically and gleefully about them is one helluva a great entertainer!

On its face, the subjects Randi addresses might seem to be inherently trivial, and in many ways they of course are. But then again, consider this: if a person is apt to be bamboozled by any one of the practitioners of the above New Age "arts," how responsible a citizen can he really be? If he votes for a specific politician, what sort of nonsense the candidate espoused did he believe? If he serves on a jury, can this citizen, who might be inclined to believe in, say, the psychic bending of spoons or the viability of astrology, be said to be a worthwhile juror?

Considering most people in this country probably believe in one form of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo or another, we have a long, long, long way to go before stepping out of the Dark Ages. But you can't blame that on James Randi!

Note: I withheld a final star from my review because this book contains no footnotes.

An excellent book that should be read by everyone. This book is a couple of decades old, but I think it's just as important today; as a reminder of how easily we are deceived by quack artists. James Randi carefully dissects all these paranormal claims, before he systematically debunks them all. He also performs a knockout on several representatives of the parapsychology community that truly whistles in the sails. And his chapter on Uri Geller is mercyless! To the reviewer from Illinois: Your cliam concerning the existence of telepathy have absolutely no legs to stand on from a scientific point of view. Your ridiculous statement that people who doesn't experience telepathy lack something in mental capacity is even wilder! There are no parts of the brain that has been identified as a center for telepathy, or any other form for psi, so that is a completely worthless statement.

While Flim-Flam! does not conclusively prove that the paranormal doesn't exist (to be fair, it's rather impossible to do so; the lack of proof for the paranormal does not conclusively prove the lack of existence), it does a good job in exposing the deceptive claims that have bamboozled the human race even until today.

James Randi gives many case studies of supernatural claims that have turned out to be false, and shows how easily decieved we can be.

The book is easy reading with Randi's sarcasm seeping out every now and then. An interesting book, and an eye-opener; recommended for those who need a healthy dose of skepticism.

In this book, Randi presents many of his experiences, from gnomes, faith healers, ESPs and other nonsense. What I really like about this book is the way Randi explains the claptrap: critical thought, adequate methodology and investigation. He also makes a point, puting his money where his mouth is, asking and paying to see anyone with any special power... Randi is simply Great! Great book! An apology to ones intelligence!

James Randi is not a great writer. In this book, he comes off overly abrasive at times and rambling at other times. Nonetheless, this book gets the full five stars because of the message in the book is so important.

What is the message? Put in Randi-like terms, it is that psychics are frauds. The book is a three hundred page demonstration that there are no legitimate psychics, and everyone who alleges to be one is quickly shown to be a faker. Randi delves into other hoaxes as well, including UFO-sightings, the Bermuda Triangle and fairies.

Randi lacks the skill of a Carl Sagan or Martin Gardener (to name two others who do similar debunkings), but the service he provides by this book cannot be overlooked. Too many people buy into these hoaxes and the harm that results is often too real; one example is a person who is conned by a psychic surgeon and hence winds up neglecting necessary medical treatment.

So, although on writing merits alone, this book would get three stars, Randi gets two bonus stars because of the subject matter he covers. This book is a must-read for almost everyone: for skeptics, so they can spread the word about these hoaxes and for believers in psychic powers, so they can learn they are being conned (although this second group may not be converted by this single book).

Prospective purchasers should be aware that this book was first published in 1982 and is thus very dated. Modern readers may not much be interested in Uri Geller, Doug Henning, or alleged UFO sightings that were barely news thirty years ago. Even were the book more current, I doubt I would have read much more than the 100 or so pages I struggled through. Mr Randi is a little full of himself and his sarcastic tone and attempts at witticisms got old quite quickly. The book suggests that the author himself is investigating and debunking various frauds and fallacies but instead he just addresses certain topics (the Bermuda Triangle, for example) and then just quotes from the research of others. Very poor.

James Randi covers assorted topics in pseudoscience in a very readable and humourous fashion. Although occasionally a topic covered is a bit dated and no longer so strongly in the public eye (eg biorhythm), Randi's rational approach is timeless.

Here is the opening preface to the book:

"The Unicorn is said to be a beast with the configuration of a horse and a long spiralled horn in the centre of the forehead. Only a virgin, we are told, is able to approach a unicorn. For this and other reasons, no reliable reports exist to verify the reality of this animal.

So much for unicorns. Now for the other nonsense..."

Hilarious!

Heartily recommended.

Fortunately, Randi doesn't have to teach us that there are no unicorns or Tooth Fairies, but he does try to cover all the other wierd and foolish things people believe (or have believed at some time in their life.) If you know better, then this book will be intertaining, if you are still a believer - this book will give you some real anxiety.

Anyone who can believe in psychi mind-reading, spiritism, Uri Geller's spoon-bending, dowsing for water, reading auros, the efficacy of biorythyms, Erich Von Daniken's nonsense, pyramidology, and any other of a number of "supernatural" feats after reading this classic of skepticism either didn't really read it, is willfully blind, or is hopelessly duped.

Randi shows not only how psychics, spiritists, and numbers other fakes ply their disgustingly deceptive wares, but also recounts numerous incidents when Randi "put up" (He is now offering not $10,000 but $1 million.) and the then-discredited fraud refused to "shut up."

In this excellent work, illusionist and writer James Randi, the Houdini of modern times, exposes "psychics", "faith healers", "mind readers", and dozens of other frauds, charlatans and Gellers of the world. It's no wonder that the "psychic" scammers of the world cower in fear and flee whenever Randi shows on the horizon! (Want to see *how* frightened of Randi they are without even leaving this page? Read the rambling "review" below, "Dangerous attitudes", written by a clinical example of such a psych(ot)ic lunatic! :)