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Hypnotic Control: Reflections on the Nature of Staged Influence
180 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 4, 2025
John-Ivan Palmer’s Hypnotic Control is a raw and riveting memoir-meets-manifesto that dives into the eerie, absurd, and often unsettling world of stage hypnotism. Palmer, a long-time practitioner of the trade, combines autobiographical storytelling with cultural critique, historical digressions, and philosophical musings. The book is divided into sections like “Trance,” “Self,” and “Culture,” all orbiting the central idea of influence—how it's wielded, received, and distorted through the lens of performance. With a voice that swings from sardonic to poetic, Palmer recounts his life in seedy nightclubs, hypnotic disasters, poetic longings, and surreal encounters, all while slowly peeling back the bizarre mask of control, revealing the performer—and the man—behind it.
Reading Hypnotic Control left me equal parts entertained and disturbed. Palmer’s writing is sharp, self-aware, and brutally honest. He doesn’t romanticize the act of turning people into barking dogs or washing machines; he owns the sleaze, the shame, and the addictive thrill of power. That tension—between the absurdity of staged trance and its profound implications—is where this book shines. He’s not just recounting tricks. He’s exposing something darker, messier. He calls out fellow performers, skeptical academics, and even his own reflection. His descriptions of failed shows, abreacting subjects, and the emotional fallout feel like confessions you’re not supposed to hear. Yet through all of this, there’s a kind of sad humor that stitches the chaos together, and I couldn’t look away.
The personal stories hit hardest. Palmer’s yearning to be a poet in a world that demanded cheap laughs is deeply affecting. The chapters about dancers like Jenny Private or the guarded, tragic Veronica Vixen linger long after reading. They’re not caricatures, they’re wounded souls orbiting a hypnotist who isn’t sure if he’s helping or hurting. His lyrical passages aren’t just window dressing, they’re a counterweight to the grotesque, a way to show that beneath all the lunacy lies a thoughtful, haunted mind. At times, the book felt like a fever dream. The historical digressions into Mesmer and bizarre 19th-century hypnotic stunts added a delicious sense of horror. It’s funny. It’s bleak. It’s uncomfortably real.
If you’ve ever been fascinated by cults, control, live performance, or the ways people bend under the right suggestion, this book will grab you and not let go. It’s a memoir, yes, but also a warning, a weird history, and a meditation on what it means to be human in a world constantly trying to shape us. I’d recommend it to artists, skeptics, performers, and anyone who’s ever laughed at someone doing something embarrassing onstage and later wondered what that laughter meant. Palmer’s world is not pretty. But it is honest. And unforgettable.
Reading Hypnotic Control left me equal parts entertained and disturbed. Palmer’s writing is sharp, self-aware, and brutally honest. He doesn’t romanticize the act of turning people into barking dogs or washing machines; he owns the sleaze, the shame, and the addictive thrill of power. That tension—between the absurdity of staged trance and its profound implications—is where this book shines. He’s not just recounting tricks. He’s exposing something darker, messier. He calls out fellow performers, skeptical academics, and even his own reflection. His descriptions of failed shows, abreacting subjects, and the emotional fallout feel like confessions you’re not supposed to hear. Yet through all of this, there’s a kind of sad humor that stitches the chaos together, and I couldn’t look away.
The personal stories hit hardest. Palmer’s yearning to be a poet in a world that demanded cheap laughs is deeply affecting. The chapters about dancers like Jenny Private or the guarded, tragic Veronica Vixen linger long after reading. They’re not caricatures, they’re wounded souls orbiting a hypnotist who isn’t sure if he’s helping or hurting. His lyrical passages aren’t just window dressing, they’re a counterweight to the grotesque, a way to show that beneath all the lunacy lies a thoughtful, haunted mind. At times, the book felt like a fever dream. The historical digressions into Mesmer and bizarre 19th-century hypnotic stunts added a delicious sense of horror. It’s funny. It’s bleak. It’s uncomfortably real.
If you’ve ever been fascinated by cults, control, live performance, or the ways people bend under the right suggestion, this book will grab you and not let go. It’s a memoir, yes, but also a warning, a weird history, and a meditation on what it means to be human in a world constantly trying to shape us. I’d recommend it to artists, skeptics, performers, and anyone who’s ever laughed at someone doing something embarrassing onstage and later wondered what that laughter meant. Palmer’s world is not pretty. But it is honest. And unforgettable.
June 8, 2025
The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
EDITORIAL REVIEW
22nd May 2025
TITLE: Hypnotic Control, Reflections on the Nature of Staged Influence
AUTHOR: John-Ivan Palmer
Star Rating: 5
‘A fascinating and accessibly written insight into the world of hypnotism. A Wishing Shelf HIGHLY RECOMMENDED book!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
What an utterly fascinating book this is. I must say, I’ve never read a book on hypnotism before, so ‘A+’ for originality. And it is original in almost every way. The author, John-Ivan Palmer, seems to know his subject inside and out - it probably helps that he’s the only son of a traveling magician – and he confidently offers readers an insight into the hidden world of the hypnotist – from stage hypnotism (It’s to the stage what the Styrofoam cup is to stemware) to working in schools (turning students into Martians and meowing cats).
There were a number of elements to this book I particularly enjoyed. Firstly, there’s a ‘diary’ feel to it; as such, it feels very honest and open, the author not frightened on touching on difficult subjects. For example, Jeff Weise, who entered a classroom, and murdered seven more people. Then he put the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger. End of show. Secondly, I enjoyed the writing style. It’s accessible, with solid pacing, and a good flow to it. I also didn’t spot any errors of any kind. And thirdly, I liked the humour. This is not a laugh-a-page sort of book; and I was never wiping tears from my checks, but there is humour, albeit understated, and it works well.
So, who’s the book for? Hmm, difficult. It is rather niche. Saying that, I think anybody who works in hypnotism or simply has a passing interest in it, will find this book a compelling read. Also, as a ‘memoir’ it’ll go down well with most readers, the author having led a most interesting life. I, personally, found John-Ivan Palmer story – and his insights on so many subjects including Trump and his way of controlling his followers – fascinating. And I think most other readers will too.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
EDITORIAL REVIEW
22nd May 2025
TITLE: Hypnotic Control, Reflections on the Nature of Staged Influence
AUTHOR: John-Ivan Palmer
Star Rating: 5
‘A fascinating and accessibly written insight into the world of hypnotism. A Wishing Shelf HIGHLY RECOMMENDED book!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
What an utterly fascinating book this is. I must say, I’ve never read a book on hypnotism before, so ‘A+’ for originality. And it is original in almost every way. The author, John-Ivan Palmer, seems to know his subject inside and out - it probably helps that he’s the only son of a traveling magician – and he confidently offers readers an insight into the hidden world of the hypnotist – from stage hypnotism (It’s to the stage what the Styrofoam cup is to stemware) to working in schools (turning students into Martians and meowing cats).
There were a number of elements to this book I particularly enjoyed. Firstly, there’s a ‘diary’ feel to it; as such, it feels very honest and open, the author not frightened on touching on difficult subjects. For example, Jeff Weise, who entered a classroom, and murdered seven more people. Then he put the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger. End of show. Secondly, I enjoyed the writing style. It’s accessible, with solid pacing, and a good flow to it. I also didn’t spot any errors of any kind. And thirdly, I liked the humour. This is not a laugh-a-page sort of book; and I was never wiping tears from my checks, but there is humour, albeit understated, and it works well.
So, who’s the book for? Hmm, difficult. It is rather niche. Saying that, I think anybody who works in hypnotism or simply has a passing interest in it, will find this book a compelling read. Also, as a ‘memoir’ it’ll go down well with most readers, the author having led a most interesting life. I, personally, found John-Ivan Palmer story – and his insights on so many subjects including Trump and his way of controlling his followers – fascinating. And I think most other readers will too.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews