Optical Illusions: The Science of Visual Perception

by Al Seckel

This intriguing collection contains more than 275 optical illusions that appear to change before your eyes. Al Seckel carefully selected both well-known images, such as Shepard's tabletop, Wade's spiral, Ames room and Rubin's face/vase, and many lesser-known, but no less effective, illusions. Every type of optical illusion is here, along with notes about the science of each visual perception and how the illusions work. Among the baffling images and shapes With illusions rendered in photography, artwork and computer imaging, and a huge variety of themes and effects, Optical Illusions dazzles both the mind and the eye.

Genres: Art, Science, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published November 9, 2006

Reviews

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be seeing spots for days but the fact that my daughter informed me that she finally got to borrow this from the library after "being on the waiting list forever" makes my heart sing! My child knew how to request a hold at her school library! This book is quite awesome, too. The illusions are fascinating and there are tons of them. Good luck to me. My eyes may never be the same.

[ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahh!!

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and very entertaining book of visual illusions ranging from the whimsical to the headache-inducing. I like the way it is presented in that each of the 200+ illusions is displayed on a full page with a short description or hint as to what specifically to look for. The detailed explanations of how your eyes and mind are being tricked are in the back of the book. This arrangement allows you to browse through the images without unintentionally learning the "answers" before you're ready. Two drawbacks: first, there are so many illusions that they necessarily become a bit repetitive--after two or three versions of the same effect, the surprise wears a little thin. My other complaint is that the descriptions in the back tend to be on the scientific/technical side (I guess I should have paid attention to the subtitle: "The Science of Visual Perception"!). My eyes glazed over more than once as I tried to understand the subtleties of "perceptual shifts," "perceptual priming, "perceptual constraints," etc. But feel free to skim over the technical stuff and enjoy messing with your mind!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eye candy store.

[Brent Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

My whole family has already spent hours and hours with this book. It is fought over as bedtime reading.
This book has by far the most variety of illusions I have seen in one collection and the science and history is actually explained for many of them. This is now a part of my science kit that I use to teach kids. I read this cover-to-cover and enjoyed most of the illusions. Our brains do not actually present reality to us all too often. Our brain interprets reality by its own rules.
My only complaint is that the book construction is weak and I expect the pages to start coming loose with all the turning upside down and page shaking that's required to see some of the illusions.

[Branden · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a really crazy book, and most of the pictures had me stumped!

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tween really enjoyed this.

[Lulu]

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