"Mark Edward is an equivocator, fibber, and mountebank. Which begs the if a liar admits to lying, can he be telling the truth? He is a literate, informative, intellectual, a student of the psychology of humans, a foe of those who would defraud the public for personal gain, and as an author and practicing psychic, he is first and foremost an entertainer."—Joel Moskowitz, International Brotherhood of Magicians
Mark Edward confesses that for years he exploited believers who wished to connect with supernatural ideas and sad family members who missed dead loved ones.
Edward is a professional mentalist who has worked the Magic Castle in Hollywood for over thirty years and is also on the Editorial Board of Skeptic magazine, where he has worked with other critical thinkers to reveal the methods of psychic scamsters. This entertaining book is at once confessional and instructional regarding human belief and those who exploit it.
Edward believes that most practitioners of the psychic business are out-and-out scam artists, and that the common need to believe in things supernatural is merely a part of human nature.
Mark Edward is a professional mentalist specializing in magic of the mind. His amazing mind reading techniques make a statement about our limited powers of observation and our refusal to believe manipulation can easily happen to the best of us. He has performed as a psychic entertainer at the Hollywood hot spot Magic Castle as well as world-class venues, nightclubs and corporate events. His television appearances include A&E's Houdini the Great Escape, NBC's The other Side, two episodes of TLC's Exploring the Unknown, Emmy nominated, Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Talking to the Dead, and most recently he was the guest Medium on the season finale of Last Comic Standing.
I just finished reading "Psychic Blues" and am a bit confused as to why James Randi endorsed it. Randi's reward for doing so is to appear in the "Acknowledgements" section alongside Uri Geller, which must hurt. The author at no point shows any particular remorse about his actions and implies that he continues to make a living by telling people their fortunes. I suppose I was envisaging some sort of conversion or something, but, no, he keeps on suckering chumps, with Tarot cards, for money.
There is also the fact that he has come to actually believe his own nonsense. Consider:
"The amazing thing was that, even though the cards of these two Hollywood toasts-of-the-town had been thoroughly mixed by each of them individually, Brian and Gigi had ended up with the exact same three cards, only in different aspects— past, present, and future. It was evident they were true soul mates, but with patterns that ran in different directions. This kind of tarot spread almost never happens. Sure, once in a while a married couple may have one or two cards alike, but rarely all three." (p. 205)
"Conflicted" may indeed be the word, because it looks there like Mr Edward actually does believe that the people's mystical vibrations are influencing their tarot card selections -- even though he mocks his true-believer associates as "shut-eyes". Laying down with dogs will get you fleas, I suppose. A similar confusion seems to exist when it comes to his "trusty pendulum" (although he also reports having "many different pendulums" so who knows how trusty he actually thinks it is):
"When most people hold the end of the pendulum chain and ask it a question, it will swing in a back-and-forth line for a yes answer, and in a small circle for a no." -- page 140.
Well, quite. I'd like to see that tested.
The "Conflicted" of the title manifests also in the endless stream of self-serving and even quasi-heroic anecdotes wherein his readings save damsels in distress. Well, gosh, Mark, aren't you wonderful? That makes up for scamming poor and vulnerable people for a small cut of $3.99 a minute and acting in phony Psychic Friends ads that used staged hot-reading techniques you had sworn were beneath you, I'm sure.
But the most obvious and sad part of the "conflict" that the author feels is that he yearns for "respect". He deplores a coworker who views psychics with "thinly disguised disrespect, if not outright distain [sic]." -- p 102, and complains that "I sometimes get paid quite well for my services— at least as much as a plumber— but respect is a whole other matter." -- p 185.
At the end of the day, it seems that Mr Edward is "a Conflicted Medium" because knows his contemptible, dishonest career hasn't earned him the respect he craves.
After years as a stage magician at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, Mark Edward decides he'd make much more money being a fake psychic.
I thought this would be a book about a con man who finally comes to the realization that being a scammer and lying to people is unethical and wrong, and then decides to use his behind-the-scenes knowledge to debunk fake psychics and educate people on how to spot fakes and encourage people to use their critical thinking skills.
But, quite the contrary, he stays in the business and gives one rationalization after another on how he somehow is helping people by giving them positive readings and trying to steer them out of bad situations or relationships. Yet he often expresses contempt for his clients and their stupidity, and acts as if he's disgusted at the dishonest tactics behind the scenes by the psychics and agents at Psychic Fairs and Expos. Somehow, even though he's doing the same thing they're doing, he believes HE can look himself in the mirror, with clean hands and no guilt, because he never gives a negative reading to a client.
Mark Edward has found a unique niche in the world of entertainment. Coming from the world of magic, he started working as a psychic aware that he (and almost certainly every other psychic) possesses no supernatural ability. Instead, Edward paints the seasoned psychic entertainer as having legitimate skill cultivated from years of observation. It is that experience he shares with the reader, detailing his methods, along with the highs and lows, of being a psychic on the phone, over the radio, at psychic fairs and at private parties. Cold reading, hot reading, common sense and some really lucky guesses are the arsenal he uses to amaze and confound even some fairly hardened skeptics.
The really confounding thing about Edward is that he himself is a skeptic, exposing the secrets of Mediumship to one audience while plying that same trade to others. The squishy moral line between duplicity and entertainment, harming and helping, is one that he explores extensively throughout the book, discovering his own personal boundaries in the process.
Whatever your appraisal of that moral stance, Edward recounts many fascinating tales that are sure to influence your ideas about magicians and psychics. It's a well-written book and thought provoking; Edward clearly appreciates history, human behavior, and a good turn of phrase. Highly recommended.
It must be a twisted ball of wax that puts James Randi, Uri Geller, and Kreskin in the same book's acknowledgments, and indeed, it is a plain tale plainly told without any remorse. Yet at no time does Mark ever indicate he is less than completely skeptical about any paranormal activity, and even now goes out of his way to expose frauds like Sylvia Browne. Perhaps in this memoire, he was trying to walk the line which would allow him to continue his psychic work even in a world in which everyone has read his exposé, because he knows that even if believing in ontologically basic mental substances is insane, people will never stop craving the kind of intimate exploration of their lives and circumstances that suspension of disbelief (and even wholesale belief) in psychic powers can allow them to let their guard down for. Insight and advice is the service he was peddling in disguise (refusing either on moral principle or on pain of litigation never to give medical or legal advice) in one of the few ways an unqualified unprofessional is allowed to do so. In short, while he has done a few slimy things from a skeptic's viewpoint, Mark never forgot his roots as a magician and maintained his (own internal version of) integrity.
Fantastic peak behind the curtains of the world of charlatans, psychics and con-artists. If you have ever wondered "how could he possibly know that?" this book is for you.
I liked this, but I thought it became repetitive towards the end. The comments about his experiences at Eddie Murphy's parties were too vague, too -- he only related one anecdote, and when it came up again later in the book, he just seemed to be taking a shot at him. The author also seems to categorize himself into being a better kind of psychic than the other charlatans, and that reminded me of James Comey's recent memoir. It seemed a little like a work of hagiography. Still, I liked the book, and you probably will too if you're interested in the subject matter.
Psychic Blues gives you a inside look into some of the most commonly used techniques to part your from your money – pretending to be ‘psychic’.
There’s some great examples of cold reading and hot reading in this book, and it’s apparent that Mark has a lengthy career and experience behind him, allowing him to be a very convincing fortune teller.
My favourite chapters of the book are where Mark recalls his time as a 900 number psychic reader. Every bizarre scenario you can think of is thrown at him when he’s on the night shift, and even calls you could never imagine come his way. These chapters are certainly the most entertaining of the book, as Mark attempts to walk the line between pleasing his bosses and holding on to his integrity, when he suggests to people who need professional help the referrals they really should be calling.
The part of the book that makes me a little uneasy is that Mark assumes that everyone is in on the joke with him. Personal opinions aside, there’s an expectation that if you say you’re providing a service, that you’re doing so with good faith. When Mark is hired to complete a job, he’s built a rather established professional career as a ‘psychic’ and whilst the reader understands that his professional prowess is little more than some educated guesses, the unassuming public that he launches himself at are not at all cognizant of this fact. And that seems a little mean.
As the book progresses and his ruse becomes more elaborate (infiltrating spiritualist churches etc), Mark begins to believe his own hype, and is disdainful of others who don’t show him the ‘respect’ he is due. Being treated like a party favour at a party that he’s been paid to perform at is suddenly beneath him, and he yearns for more high profile, genteel jobs.
The most you’ll get out of this book is that much like you suspected, there’s plenty of people out there who are more than happy to buy in to the excitement surrounding spiritualism and paranormal pop culture in order to line their pockets.
This was a really entertaining read. Mark Edward knows what he's doing, and a carefully cultivated personality is evident through the pages. I would have liked more detail about the spiritualist church, and about some of the celebrities, but Edwards really knows how to keep you tantalized.
The writing is pretty good, but the editor has a problem with contractions that REALLY bothered me. Dialogue sometimes sounded stilted because of the lack of them, and while the text is clean and lacks errors, sometimes the writing was a little stiff. That said, Edward's narrative voice is very strong. I would have loved more info about a seance session; it's the one element that's really obviously missing from the text, especially considering how much info there is about cold reading.
Funnily enough, I walked away with a lot of respect for psychics and what they do; there's a lot of educated guessing and a real art to figuring out how to reassure people the right way. I think a psychic or a seance could be a really entertaining experience--if you walk into it with open eyes and understand that it's a performance.
The glaring problem I had with this book is that the author can't seem to decide whether or not his time as a 'psychic' was a bad thing. That is to say, he knows he was talking to people who honestly believed he had psychic powers, and he used that belief to tell them the kind of things they wanted to hear. Some of these people are clearly distraught and looking for something, and Mark Edward takes their money and gives them bullshit in exchange.
He tries to justify this by opening with a story about a woman he supposedly inspired into turning her life around from the brink of suicide, and also by pointing out that what he does is purely entertainment and is meant to be understood as such. He also talks about the many ways he uses showmanship to make himself look like he has actual paranormal abilities. He seems mostly at peace with his career, and yet it seems like he's constantly trying to justify himself. Does he feel guilty? Should he? Beats me. Nor does he reveal any particularly interesting or novel tricks of the trade, which was my primary interest. Oh well.
A great book. Some seem to misunderstand where Mark is coming from. He is a magician & was credited during alledged scientific tests as being a great psychic. Many magicians (mentalists) work in the world of shut eyes, or sheep as parapsychologists call them. (Non believers being defined in parapsychology as goats.) It is a job, but often too easy. A magic audience looks for the slight of hand, the trick. Believers in psychic ability, make even poor readings work. That make the reading fit what they believe. This book tells the story of a magician who wants a critical audience who appreciates the skill, but does not want to be seen as greater than he is, simply because it fits the belief system of the client.
I read this because I wanted to understand the mentality of someone who acts as a psychic while knowing they're a fake. Apparently the answer is 'massive self delusion and cognitive dissonance'. The author admits he's a fake, admits he uses plants and makes it all up, yet is angry at the 'shortsightedness' of sceptics. At one point he says he likes to look in the mirror 'and see integrity looking back.' This is someone who literally admits he just makes stuff up to persuade people he has non-existent powers.
Unpleasant, delusional, ego-ridden and uninformative. Can't imagine why James Randi put his name to this.
Listened to the audiobook—I didn’t like it at first but then changed my mind. The author came across badly: egotistical with axes to grind, name-dropping, hypocritical, and alternating between being self-aggrandizing and self-pitying. Parts of the book are cringe-inducing. But, he has an interesting story to tell. Given how often he tells us about lying to people, it seems safe to assume most of his stories are untrue or at least spun heavily in his favour. In spite of that, I still listened and he eventually won me over. I appreciated his insights into his craft. His voice also started to remind me of Bob Odenkirk’s and I think that helped change my mind. Once I started thinking of the Saul Goodman-esque qualities to the character, I enjoyed the book more and wanted it to keep going.
DNF. Hard to read a book when in the first few pages he already comes off as an idiot with false information. He blames the issues with the inverted pentagram on certain music, a certain religion, and of course certain people. Some research into this would show that an inverted pentagram isn't a new symbol and its meaning has always been connected with evil. Maybe he should have tossed his new age books in the garbage before reading them.
Great book exposing the tricks of the trade of how psychics work. I enjoyed all the entertaining stories of celebrity psychics, radio psychics and high end tarot readers.
Ok technically I DNF'd this after reading more than half but I'll call it done. The subject matter - what it's like being a self aware and skeptical psychic - was fascinating, but the writing left much to be desired. The book felt very amateur, and I found multiple typos. It started to all feel a bit redundant after a few chapters too. It was fine but I'd never recommend it to someone else.
Psychic Blues is a good read for any waffling skeptic of the world of psychic entertainment. This journey of a magician and mentalist turned psychic-for-hire is revealing. He's open about his experiences--including the inexplicable, bizarre synchronicities and coincidences-- as he parlays his natural and developed talents from the magician/mentalist trade (especially to pay attention to the details) into a psychic entertainment career.
It's a bleak yet humorous exposé both of humanity from every level of American society and of Mark Edward's personal failings, failures, and fortunes. And, like Mr. Edward, I also think having someone affirm our existences and confirm what we know yet don't want to admit can be enriching--it just doesn't replace professional legal, medical, or mental help.
If you're looking for someone who explains the mechanics of psychic tricks, don't pick up this book.
If you're looking for an account that details the narcissism of fraudulent psychics and the disdain they hold for their victims, read here. Edwards reads like a character straight out of a Chuck Palahniuk novel, except real. Edwards said that the character here was meant as an anti-hero, and he accomplishes that and more.
The book itself is ultimately fairly boring. Each chapter describes how he bilks people - the actors change, the locations differ, and the job may be slightly altered, but the story remains the same.
After the first 20 pages, you get the gist: Mark Edward is observant, but not psychic. He's a mentalist, not a fortune-teller. Some of the cases are entertaining, but much in the same way that Edward's clients tend to ask about the same things (money, love, travel), the anecdotes quickly become repetitive. By the latter half of the book, I was struggling to keep going. Edward comes off as terribly narcissistic and, at times, downright unlikable. Though he valiantly seeks to tell his clients what he feels they need to hear, he very clearly has no problem profiting off of them - all while disparaging other psychics for doing the same. It's hypocrisy at its most... magical.
This was a quick and easy read, one I enjoyed more than the last couple of book I read. The subtitle is "Confessions of a Conflicted Medium." And my feelings towards this book are also "conflicted." First of all, it is an entertaining collection of of anecdotes from his stints as a 1-900 psychic, stints on radio, TV, fairs, and Psychic for hire. Anyone what has read more than 10 sentences on cold reading knows the technique, so no great revelations. I am conflicted because knowing it is BS, publishing a book on it, he is still doing it. At least so it sounded at the end of this book (published in 2010.
As the disclaimers say, this is for entertainment purposes only.
A fascinating read by a psychic who at once recognizes the benefits of the service he provides while also maintaining a healthy skepticism. He knows that he’s not working magic, and that he’s in this for the paycheck. It’s an interesting balance and an interesting look behind the curtain (or rather, on the other side of the 1-800 number).
Pretty friggin' dull. Somehow I thought this was the "Crossing Over" guy when I downloaded it. When I was in high school my sister used to watch that show after school and I would watch with her and ruin it, telling her how he scammed the audience.
Mark keeps his feet on the floor & his head in the here & now while exploring the esoteric world in this nicely crafted biography. Scammers & shut-ins will give Psychic blues a wide birth & the gullible crowd will squirm. A very entertaining & enlightening read - recommended.
The fact that James Randi wrote the forward is one of the main reasons I borrowed this book. I read enough of it to get what he was about. He illustrated the cold and hot readings he did through examples. Meh.
Lacking of any real coherent "story" or purpose, this autobiography is a little more than a few war stories about being a professional psychic. The stories are fun, but I felt like it didn't really dig deep enough to create a compelling narrative.
The narrator seems comes across as a conceited asshole and parts of the book are tedious and far too long. However, I found it to be an informative and different look at the behind the scenes of the psychic world.