Copyright© 1982 by James Randi Kindle Edition Published in 2011 by the James Randi Educational Foundation All rights reserved No Part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer who may quote short excerpts in review. First printing 1982 Send Inquiries to: The James Randi Educational Foundation 2941 Parkview Drive, Suite 105 Falls Church, VA 22042 www.randi.org Except where otherwise noted, all illustrations and photographs are by the author. Cover Design by Travis Dick ISBN 978-098-28322-1-9 (Kindle Version)

Table of Contents

  Author’s Note

  Preface to the Original Edition

  Preface to the Current Edition

  Acknowledgements

  Acknowledgements for the Digital Edition

  Introduction

  1 Flim-Flam!

  2 Fairies at the Foot of the Garden

  3 All at Sea...

  4 Into the Air, Junior Birdmen!

  5 The Giggling Guru: A Matter of Levity

  6 Chariots in Flames

  7 The Laureland Hardy of Psi

  8 The Great Fliess Fleece

  9 The Medical Humbugs

  10 The Will to Believe

  11 Off the Deep End

  12 Gods with Feats of Clay

  13 Put Up or Shut Up

  Epilogue

  Appendix

  Selected Bibliography

  The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge

  About the Author

  About the JREF

 

 

Author’s Note

  The author has had the good fortune to come under the influence of many kind and thoughtful people in the past five decades. Mr. Tovell taught more than physics—he taught curiosity. Elsie Freedman was more than a landlady—she was a second mother. Harry Blackstone, Sr., was not only the world's greatest magician—he was also a towering inspiration.

  Many years ago I was introduced to a man whose name is familiar to millions, though he has never been interviewed on radio or television, does not give speeches, and has never accepted any of the many personal appearance invitations offered by his admirers. His column for Scientific American magazine attests to his erudition. His alter ego, Dr. Matrix, allows him to vicariously pursue delights that his real life—and his wife, Charlotte—will not allow. I'm thankful that he's on our side, I'm thrilled to call him friend, and I revel in the delight of his company. This book would not have been possible without his help and encouragement, and I take great pleasure in humbly dedicating it to journalist, mathematician, humorist, and above all, rationalist, Martin Gardner.

 

Preface to the Original Edition

  The adventures of this book have been numerous. Contracted by one publisher with great enthusiasm, then passed on to a successor where it was received with somewhat less delight, and finally inherited by the eventual producers with no interest whatsoever in its future, the original hardcover book was planned to have a first printing of 17,500 copies; it ended up being 5,000. Very shortly after it was officially released, it was declared out of print—with several thousand copies on back order, and some already paid for by would-be readers. Why?

  A book so sought after should be a candidate for prompt reprinting in a business that has come upon hard times. But the harsh fact is that the market for books promoting belief in the paranormal is possibly the single greatest money maker in publishing today, and this cannot be ignored by those who assign priorities in the publishing houses. Flim-Flam! was an albatross of sorts.

  I have before me at this moment a huge file of letters from interested persons wanting to purchase the book. Some are school librarians—from the United States, England, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and other countries—who want as many as six copies for their library shelves. State and county library systems want even more. Teachers inquire about quantity prices with the intention of using the volume as a text or as a "required reading" item. I assure you, this is all very flattering to an amateur author.

  Again, why? Why is this book in such demand? I think it is because there is so very little available in the way of rational, skeptical treatment of the supernatural paranormal/occult atmosphere so much in evidence today. Dedicated academics have been forced to turn to the efforts of amateurs for the evidence they need to support their opinions.

  Since this book was published, author Martin Gardner has presented us with another very welcome volume, Science, Good, Bad and Bogus (Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York), which delves into many of the matters handled in this book. It proves, above all, that the parascientists make a great deal of noise about the criticisms they receive but do not come up with the evidence to support their complaints. As usual, Gardner makes a compelling case, and this book can only hope to echo it.

  A modest number of footnotes and corrections have been incorporated in this edition. To do a thorough job would require an entirely new book. The facts as stated here have not changed; but in some cases new developments required the addition of certain comments to make this volume as up-to-date as possible.

  I hope that interested readers will seek out more information of this kind and will support authors who dare to tell the truth about paranormal matters. Our reward is largely in knowing that our efforts have stimulated this kind of interest.

  James Randi

  Rumson, N.J. May, 1982