Review Book - Sleight of Mind

Sleight of Mind: Suggestion and Mind Control

The Mentalist's Toolkit

by Ian Harling and Martin Nyrup

Published in Denmark by Spellbound December 2004

15cm x 21cm, Paperback, 162 pages

Reviewed by MagicWeek

From the rear cover:

"'Sleight of Mind' is a Mentalist's toolkit of psychological quirks and techniques that anyone can use to enhance their performance and create stunning, original effects. No props or stooges are required - just observation and the application of simple methods that will change the way you interact with others - on and off stage - forever.

With respective backgrounds in Hypnosis and NLP, authors Ian Harling and Martin Nyrup have created an indispensable guide to powerful mental trickery. But this is no dry reference manual; instead you'll find this an entertaining and above all, truthful, explanation of a range of techniques - many of which have remained hidden for years. Covering the use of suggestion, waking hypnosis and NLP methods of creating rapport, reading your subjects thoughts, etc, Sleight of Mind is THE book for Mentalists and Magicians at any level."

Well structured and very readable Sleight of Mind presents NLP, Hypnosis and more in a no-nonsense fashion that you will instantly get along with. "What we hope we've created here is the kind of book that both of us always wanted to discover hidden on a shelf somewhere" write the authors... and so they have. 'Toolkit' from the book's title really sums up this book - it is a toolkit, and this material, if used wisely and interspersed amongst your current mentalist routines, should be able to add real depth and believability to your performances.

A 'mind reading' performance should flow, it shouldn't be scripted. You should be free to busk, to ad lib, to go with a hunch, develop a situation and capitalise on every opportune moment (or at least give that impression). Sleight of Mind will help you do it.

I've just had the time to dip into a few chapters so far and have been very impressed with what I've read. In many ways this book is a real one-off and shouldn't be missed - highly recommended.

Back