Customer Reviews

Mindfreak: Secret Revelations

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

though the book is not the best written, anyone who is a fan of criss angel will probably find it enjoyable. you almost picture criss angel's voice when you read it if you have ever watched the show. for people interested in magic, or maybe insight into his life or passions, it is a very easy read.

also, the forty mindfreaks will prove invaluable to someone looking to get into magic. if you are an experienced magician you may not find much you don't know or much you could use, but it's still worth a look. and whether these tricks play big or not, they may inspire even bigger tricks from newcomers. anyone (maybe not literally) can learn these tricks but it is more important to know that where criss angel finds the largest impact is the presentation.

one thing i took away from it is that no matter what the trick, how good it is or how much it may cost or how big or small it might be, if you don't have the passion and the energy and time to put into practicing it and making it your own, you will not be successful with any kind of magic. anyone can do a trick. it takes even more to make people believe or at least leave them in wonder and confusion.

I pre-ordered this book on Amazon about a month ago and I just got it. Is it a good book? Well, put it this way, I finished it in one evening. I really liked the way it was written. Easy going. Open. Honest. Just like Criss. If one were to see Criss Angel on the street without knowing anything about him, one might see a Goth, or a rocker, or some other stereotype, but just like his magic, he goes beyond the appearances and reveals something more.

What I got from this book is that Criss Angel is one focused individual. He had a dream and he followed through on it no matter what it took. How many of us can say that? We have these dreams and then we give up on them as soon as there is struggle. I'm not saying to seek out struggle, but if struggle does come, work with it. In fact, put it out of your mind and just see the end result of your dream and keep doing everything in your power to bring that dream to pass, and eventually it will.

Criss Angel is so down to earth. It is so obvious that he loves his family, his friends', and what he does for a living. I guess that's part of his magic. I thought he was going to be this very complicated, misunderstood individual but he's actually quite simple...almost childlike...which also accounts for his ability to astound his audiences. He still has wonder, a passion for the mysterious, he still seeks joy in the unknown. Most of us learn to curb our enthusiasm, take things at face value, and stop being curious about life and then we wonder why our lives are so mediocre.

I doubt that I will do any of the magic tricks that he includes in section II of this book because I primarily got it for the biography. To me, the "real magic" Chriss performs is how he has learned to fully integrate his body, mind, and spirit into one collective whole and if one piece of the trinity is missing, his magic will not come together. This is the Greek ideal and oddly enough, Chriss is Greek, but it is a great example of why all of us need to incorporate all three aspects of being human into our daily lives. Most of us just think that we're a physical being; a body. A few of us use our minds and ocassionally some of us will access the soul or the spirit, but very few of us incorporate all three aspects into one cohesive whole and yet when we do, magic is bound to happen in our lives.

So am I recommending this book? Heck yeah. Criss is definitely a blessed angel who has help me to regain a deeper sense of wonder and excitement for life. The possibilities of life are endless...tap into them!

Peace and Blessings,

john, "the Light Coach"

Criss Angel is the Darling Child of the Magic World. Of course, he is on top because he works day and night to do that. He has earned his wings.

Reading Secret Revelations is like walking next to Criss and have him tell you about himself, his family and his passions. It is unconventional and it is entertaining -

As a second generation Greek American kid myself, I was proud and can relate to the closeness of Angel and his family - when Criss writes of his father, his Dad's cancer and death, it was hard because it made me miss my Dad, (whom I lost in 2003).

Angel can walk the talk and is living his dream - with the integrity his heritage instilled in him - At one point Criss wrote that he only wished his father was alive to see his success - Criss - your Dad is right there with you every step of the way - never forget that.

I see in my future trips to the Luxor to see Angel's new professional new home -

This book does not go into excruciatingly personal detail - what it does do is show you a very nice talented focused guy who is following his passion with his family's blessings. I am of The Loyal.

In the later part of the book, Criss shares his secrets on some tricks to dazzle your own friends and family.

You might think you know Criss Angel, but really you have no idea. This book was absolutely hands down AMAZING! For anyone who is a Loyal, a fan or just beginning to watch MindFreaK, watching the show gives you what he can do physically, but not where it all came from, or what is in his heart or what he believes. Criss has always said "What I do is completely real, what you see is what you get." This is especially true when reading this book. Secret Revelations is not a "it's good" kind of book. I took every free moment I had to read the book. I don't do that with most books. I took the book in my bag every time I left the house.

From the first page, first sentence to the last; I was hooked into everything this man had to say. Chapter 4, in which he talks about his father, is so unique and special that it makes you think about your own relationship with your parents and how your parents can become a tremendous influence if you just talk to them and share and want them to be part of your life.

If you haven't noticed, I enjoyed the book very much. Criss is a really good author. He explains things by using examples and ends each chapter with the reader wanting to know more. He adds humor to his writing which makes you laugh because you understand what he means. At least that's how it was for me. In the past few days as I was near finishing the book I actually had to physically pull myself away from reading it. It was the type of book that made you want to finish it, but in a way savor it because it was that incredible. As my dad says "its sort of a sad, happy ending". When you finish reading it (which I know everyone will want to!) you will see that Criss Angel has no pretense and that he is not a fake. Criss Angel gives you the strength to believe that you can get anything you can dream of if you work hard enough and you really believe it's what you want.

"I have the best way of telling who the most popular magician is. Fifteen years ago I was only asked about David Copperfeild; five years ago I was only asked about David Blaine, and now I am only asked about Criss Angel" ~ Penn Jillette

I like Criss Angel and appreciate his skill with magic, but found the book to be very short, and low on any substance. It focuses on his own belief in himself. I hope a proper biography or autobiography gets written at a later date

Criss Angel goes through his family history and personal insights. This is quite a read. From being promised contracts and connections, and receiving "microscopic pieces of nothing", to eventually getting his families go-ahead to mortgage the family home.

Criss is Criss, and he made it on his families love, his memories of his father,

and the undying spirit to succeed.

That sums up the American Dream. Free will at its best.

Oh! The pictures! One picture shows his mother... suspended... levetating on the edge of a broom, lying down 5 feet in the air. The note attached to the picture, has his brother, upon witnessing this as he walked in, realizing that Criss was in fact, going to be big! Criss at this time is in his early teens!

Thanks for sharing your family and your life with us!

Highly reccomend this to anyone who is a fan of Criss Angel or just interested in magic. It is very well written and includes pictures and some pretty cool magic tricks. I'm a fan of Criss Angel and learned interesting things I didn't know, love this book!

Criss Angel has written a brilliant autobiography that sounds like his own voice talking to you, as if he was sitting right next to you. I could not stop reading the book. I could hear his voice after I put the book down. I could hear his voice after I finished the book. He is truly the embodiment of success using mind, body, and spirit. His imprint on the world of magic and entertainment is indelible.

From the moment I received this book I couldn't put it down. Criss takes you on a journey and shares his story from childhood to the present. He leads you through his life-path and reveals what it took to get where he is and what he continutes to do to be the best at what he does today. It's written as if he is sitting in front of you telling you his story. His strong connection to his family, their support and his drive to achieve his dreams made this a very enjoyable and inspirational read. It made me take note of my own goals and dreams. It motivated me to put the wheels in motion to make things happen in my own life. I've always believed that "it is all possible" and this book and its message reminded me to get off auto-pilot and make it happen.

"Mindfreak: Secret Revelations" tells of Criss Angel's evolution as a performance artist, magician and musician, charting his rise to fame beginning at age 6 and adding details of his life and his artistic philosophy and influences. Criss is today a performer in his own TV series and specials doing live shows, soundtracks, and other music. He's studied mysticism, music, and even dance. His survey covers the 'Mindfreaks' which allow him to push for excellence in very different worlds - and offers step-by-step instructions on mastering some forty 'Mindfreaks' for magicians or general-interest audiences. Perfect for general-interest lending libraries.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch