Beginning in 1870, the hunger for scientific discovery in Great Britain drove prominent scientists, philosophers and others to promote the legitimacy of telepathy. At the same time, mind-reading as a form of entertainment gained increasing popularity as persuasive performers like John Randall Brown, W.I. Bishop, and Stuart C. Cumberland convinced reporters that they truly could read the thoughts of others.

The widely publicized, sometimes bizarre, interactions between scientists and these charlatans ushered in the Thought Reader Craze, a period that lasted through about 1910 and saw entertainers make and lose fortunes and scientists make and lose reputations. This volume explores this unusual cultural phenomenon, showing how it was aided through the years by public scientific pronouncements, astonishing performances by the thought readers, and the rapidly changing industrial society.

About the Author
Retired high-tech executive Barry H. Wiley is the author of numerous books on the history of thought reading and spiritualism. He is an associate of the Inner Magic Circle, London, and a member of the Order of Merlin of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He lives in Oregon.

Reviews
"Valuable"-Psypioneer Journal; "rigorously researched"-Journal of the Society for Psychical Research; "fascinating accounts...the author's fluent style makes for enjoyable reading, the book is well illustrated, thoroughly referenced"-The Magic Circle; "fascinating reading. Wiley has combined exhaustive archival research with keen insight to bring this story to light"-Magic; "a remarkable job...highly recommended"-The Linking Ring; "Barry Wiley is a first rate researcher...thorough piece of work...required reading"-Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine.



Book Information
ISBN 9780786464708
Author Barry H. Wiley
Format Paperback
Page Count 238
Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
Publisher McFarland & Co Inc
Weight(grams) 331g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 12mm