How to Be a Mentalist: Master the Secrets Behind the Hit TV Show Paperback – January 4, 2011

Some other reviewers have complained that this book doesn't go into enough detail about how to become a mentalist. Well duh! Mentalism, at least as far I understand it, is a multi-dimensional field encompassing a broad range of subjects like hypnosis, lie detection, reading body language, showmanship, etc etc. It would be impossible to cover all these subjects and teach anyone how to be effective. What this book DOES do is give you a broad outline, an overview of the subjects you need to become familiar with and then proficient at. The rest is up to you. It help me understand mentalism and gave me a solid outline so I can now continue my studies.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I'm a professional magician, and this book is soooooo good. I got this for Christmas about ten years ago, and it was one of my favorite gifts I ever got.This is a cool, concise book and deals with all the mentalist tricks and strategies as seen in "The Mentalist" TV series starring Simon Baker and Robin Tunney. A lot of the specific techniques Patrick Jane uses in the show, Winthrop explains in detail. Read this book, and you'll learn most of the tricks Patrick Jane uses.The Mentalist is still hands down my favorite show, and this book is a perfect companion piece. If you or a loved one likes The Mentalist, this is THE perfect gift to get them. It explains cold reading, lie detection, hypnotism, eating and food choices, and several other great important nuggets of Wisdom.There are also a handful of magic tricks that people started paying me for. This book kickstarted my career as a professional mentalist and magician, and I can't recommend this book highly enough.It's also an entertaining read too.

This is a significant read it you want to start your journey into the world of mentalism. I've studied NL P and Hypnosis for years but there are things in this book I've never read before. I enjoyed it AND I will use it as a reference when I write my book. Thank you Mr. Winthrop. You've done well. Now for a cup of tea.

Simon Winthrop is a brilliant writer and a top mentalist. His book is helpful and enlightening to anyone who wants to be a mentalist. It is so great that it should be on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Despite the title "How to be a Mentalist" it's NOT a "how to" book. There are more pages devoted to talking about episodes of the tv series "the mentalist" (which I've never seen and dont care about) then there are actual "how to's" In addition, when he does try to delve into how to ascertain certain things, it's often worthless. Example: pg 207 suggests having an assistant who speaks in code to tell you what the object is. Really? Really really? I was hoping to understand how mentalists make deductions based on their observations, but as the author says on pg 74 "... useful observations are endless, and so they can be difficult to teach. They're better learned through years of patient observation." well, that is certainly an easy out for the author. and finally when the author does give you an observation it's worthless. Pg 76 "if the person isnt in great shape, you can rule out weight lifting." Wow!! So clever... sigh...

This book is an excellent introduction to the world of Mentalism. There are a few excellent practices to help you maximize your mental capacity/observational abilities. Not a definitive guide, but an excellent Intro class to the art.

Don't waste your time or money on this one.

Perfect book for first time learners.