New book: "Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions"

Excerpt of review from Science News:

Magic wands, fake drop boxes and invisible thread may be fun gimmicks, but a magician’s most valuable tool weighs about three pounds and sits in the skull of the spectator.

In their illuminating book, brain experts Martinez-Conde and Macknik make the case that magicians are some of the most skilled neuroscientists around. No mere hucksters, magicians deftly manipulate brains by sculpting attention, perception and memory so that the outrageous seems possible.

The authors, both researchers at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, have a deep appreciation of magic and close ties to the magic community. ...

Click to read the rest.

Click for links to several articles about neuroscience and magic (Web page of Stephen Macknik, one of the book's authors).

Note (added November 6, 2010): Another article about the book: "Science and magic" (The Scientist).

Note (added December 6, 2010): Still another article about the book: "Now You See It: Neuroscientists Reveal Magicians' Secrets" (LiveScience).

 

Comments

[Ben Ziegler]

Stephanie, this book makes me ponder the potential of "magician", as an organization team member, as someone with unique gifts. Interesting possibilities.

[StephanieWestAllen]

Hello, Ben. Thanks for your comment. I must say, I have been thinking about the potential of the role of magician all morning. I only wish the book was already out, and am very much looking forward to reading it. I hope it is as good as it sounds.

Sounds like you and I might be thinking in similar ways about magic?