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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Skepticism for fun at prophets,
By Laon (moon-lit Surry Hills) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The new Apocrypha;: A guide to strange science and occult beliefs (Hardcover)
This is a magnificent book, a hugely entertaining look at pseudoscience and various kinds of occult/spiritual silliness, from Nostradamus to various "psychic detectives", taking in eternal motion machines, various ludicrous but successful cults that would no doubt sue Amazon if I named them, Noah's Arc, Erich von Daniken, the incredibly strange people who claim to be UFO contactees, the secret codes that "prove" that Bacon wrote Shakespeare, and various other forms of nuttery along the way. Sladek's expositions of these beliefs are impressively researched, and his use of original sources to let his various cranks and charlatans speak for, and demolish, themselves is brilliantly effective and often hilarious. I found it a life-changing book. I was already starting to wean myself away from various kinds of woolly thinking - eg taking Lyle Watson more or less seriously - but it wasn't just the extraordinary range of Sladek's material that impressed me, but how much fun the book was. Sladek's obvious glee at challenging various kinds of straight-faced amd deeply serious nonsense is highly enjoyable - and contagious. Sadly, though (like the previous reviewer) I too was waiting for the encore, there isn't going to be one. Sladek died in 2000. His friend Michael Moorcock apparently suggested that Sladek write "The New Apocrypha"; perhaps Moorcock might provide us with the long-awaited sequel? Anyway, Sladek's science fiction is also well worth reading, though this remains my favourite of his books. As for the feeble pun in my review title, it's a homage to Sladek, who does rather better. His chapter on flying saucer cullts is headed, childishly but splendidly, "Will U kindly FO?" Grab this book if you find a copy. Note to publishers: It's time it was re-issued. Cheers! Laon
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Guru-Busters Malleus,
By A Customer
This review is from: The new Apocrypha: A guide to strange science and occult beliefs (Hardcover)
A text well worth searching for! Sladek weaves an exciting book out of what could be a very dry subject. A must-have to be jealously guarded by any aspirant guru-buster. The only thing left to say is...when is the sequel due
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time To Reissue This Classic,
By
This review is from: The new Apocrypha;: A guide to strange science and occult beliefs (Hardcover)
Very funny and very informative, this book is a classic of skepticism, mockery, and paranormal scholarship. Sladek does New Agers and credulists the favor of taking their lofty beliefs seriously, then poking them so full of holes they sag into a limp heap on the ground. "The New Apocrypha" belongs on the bookshelf right next to Martin Gardner's "Fads & Fallacies In The Name Of Science" and James Randi's "Flim-Flam". Better than that you cannot get.
After more than 30 years, it's surely time for a reissue-- sadly, Sladek's untimely death makes a new edition impossible.
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