Chapel of Extreme Experience: A Short History of Stroboscopic Light and the Dream Machine (Paperback)

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Product Description

Chapel of Extreme Experience is an engrossing look at flicker potentials — a visual phenomenon which became the basis of scientific studies into how the visual brain works. In the 1960s the Dream Machine was developed to reproduce this phenomenon, emitting pulses of light and projecting patterns that produced kaleidoscopic images and even hallucinations. This book follows the interest in flicker, from its scientific underpinnings to its role in the countercultural art scene. This is a fascinating look at the Dream Machine and its influence on major cultural figures like William S. Burroughs, Aldous Huxley, and Allen Ginsberg who all experienced and wrote about the "flicker effect." Photographs are featured.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press (December 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932360018
• ISBN-13: 978-1932360011
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #883,590 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting but dated, April 29, 2007

By	Robert Whitaker Sirignano "Robert WS--" (Directly above the center of the earth) - See all my reviews

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A study and review of the Brion Gysin invention "The Dream Machine", as seen by the few that ever were able to get their hands on one.

They were constructed as a hollow tube with cut outs of various shapes on it, set upon a rotating device (a record player), with a light souce dangling from within.

This is dated, since there exist a vast number of machines, like The Nova Pro, David PAL, and other sound and light machines, all which deal with the same phenomena, but do it at a more rapid pace.

Still, this intreresting book shows a clip of history, and explains where such things came from, what they do and why it didn't go forward.

Interesting reading for those interested in Light and Sound Machines, and those interested in the ideas that propelled the "Beat Generation" writers.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a bit scattershot, but review of invention thorough-enough, May 7, 2007

By	C. S. Saenz - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A little more on Gysin would be nice, but this'll do...