Paranormality - Richard Wiseman

People are emotionally drawn to the supernatural. They actively want weird, spooky things to be true ...Wiseman shows us a higher joy as he deftly skewers the paranormal charlatans, blows away the psychic fog and lets in the clear light of reason". (Richard Dawkins, Professor). Richard Wiseman is clear about one thing: paranormal phenomena don't exist. But in the same way that the science of space travel transforms our everyday lives, so research into telepathy, fortune-telling and out-of-body experiences produces remarkable insights into our brains, behaviour and beliefs. "Paranormality" embarks on a wild ghost chase into this new science of the supernatural and is packed with activities that allow you to experience the impossible. So throw away your crystals, ditch your lucky charms and cancel your subscription to "Reincarnation Weekly". It is time to discover the real secrets of the paranormal. Learn how to control your dreams - and leave your body behind. Convince complete strangers that you know all about them. Unleash the power of your unconscious mind.


In this well written book Wiseman explains ideas of the Paranormal in a scientific and psychological way. He sets about to express the thoughts of the supernatural in another light/another side to the story. Wiseman's explanations are thought provoking, interesting and accessible. With each chapter he explains one area of the paranormal, and using well chosen examples explains how this could also be perceived.  All chapters are well written and the examples and explanations are well chosen and easy to read.  He also includes experiments you can try yourself, and also provides video links via QR codes, which are easy to load on a iPhone.

He presents each case against the supernatural in a non patronising way, and explains another side to the story which could explain why these events occur.  Its a great read, and Wiseman puts enough wit and humour into the chapters of this book it gives a lighthearted edge to this book. I really enjoyed this, and it really got me thinking throughout.