Does the name Hanussen ring a bell? If you are a mentalist or a historian, it should. Erik Jan Hanussen was recently called “Hitler’s Jewish Clairvoyant.”
Hanussen was one of the foremost mentalists of his day. One of his specialties was muscle reading. In 1920, he wrote this book, which details how he actually performed many of his best known feats.
However, when he became famous, he recalled as many of the copies as possible, because he didn’t want anyone to know that he wasn’t really a clairvoyant. This book was all but lost to modern magicians. Very few copies are known to exist. Jimmy Bix, the Viennese illusionist, magic dealer and publisher unearthed a copy of this rare book, and decided to reissue it. The German version has been very popular, however there has been no practical way for the English-speaking mentalist to access this material, that is, until now.
Bill Palmer, the translator of the Punx books, the Borodin books and co-translator of Ted Lesley’s Paramiracles, stepped in and unraveled the mysteries of Hanussen’s muscle reading methods. According to some of the best minds in the field, this book has the most detailed, meticulous and practical step by step instructions for you to learn how to become an expert muscle reader. It also contains the most effective ways to train your “medium” on the spot, so that with a bit of practice and training, you will be able to perform some of the classics of muscle reading. Learn to perform “The Telepathic Mail” from the man who invented the routine.
Learn how to break complex tasks into simple ones. Learn how to avoid the kinds of mistakes that mentalists who jump to false conclusions will make. And learn the history of muscle reading in what is arguably one of the most accurate outlines of the history of the art from its earliest stages until 1920 when the book was written.
Most books about the subject are written by people who have performed muscle reading only on a sporadic basis. This one was written by the man who staked his freedom on his ability to produce results.
This book that should be in every mentalist’s library. It’s a softback book, A4 format, with 154 pages of muscle reading, introductory material, preparatory exercises, and historical commentary. There are introductions by Banachek, Bill Palmer, Borodin and Prof. Dr. Toni Forster, each of which contributes something special to the book, itself.
From the Book:
You are about to enter the rather strange world of Erik Jan Hanussen, who was a figure of mystery and controversy in the strange twilight world that existed in Germany between the two great wars…
..Also, There is a great deal of introductory material – four introductions by various people who were connected in some way with this kind of performance, as well as Hanussen’s own introductory and oft-times pseudo scientific, pseudo historical material. All of it will give you some insight into the way Hanussen thought as well as his own background and experiences. It is definitely worth reading, especially Banachek’s, because he is quite experience in this field…
So what’s all this fuss about Hanussen, anyway? Could he really read minds? That depends on whose definition you use. By his definition – yes. Was he really a telepath? Again, that depends on the definition you use. By his definition – yes.
– Bill Palmer (Translator)
…Hanussen was, without any doubt, a man who didn’t want to be content with success alone. He wanted more; he wanted power, and this at all costs. Therefore, he was absolutely unscrupulous if it were necessary to be unscrupulous in order to obtain it. It clearly follows from the numerous biographies that concern themselves with the personality of Hanussen that he often crossed the borders of the morally justifiable on those occasions. In the end, his hunger for power also cost him his life.
But now to the content of this rare book: rare, if only, as I learned form Jimmy Bix, because before connecting himself to the Nazi movement, Hanussen took care that all available copies were withdrawn from circulation. This also happened with his 300 page thick book – Die Weltseele…
…So, this book is a true treasure trove for everyone who wants to study Hanussen himself, and the material upon which his enormous fames was based – for whatever reason.
– Ulf Bolling-Borodin (From the Foreword)
