Mind Games

by Michael Powell

This fascinating book reveals the secrets of the most powerful organ in the body--the mind. From deceiving a lie detector test, winning a challenging game of chess, mastering pain, walking on fire, and foretelling the future, Mind Games provides step-by-step instructions for performing 50 mental feats ranging from the merely impressive to the scarcely believable. Only you can judge what is truly possible as you harness your own enormous power and tap into your brain's full potential to perform tasks you never imagined you could. Mind Games is a complete practical guide to exploring and building your own mental powers.

Introduction --
Your brain exploded --
Feed your brain --
Drinking water --
How to beat a lie detector test --
Do impossible sums in your head --
Memorize a deck of cards --
How to tell if someone is lying --
How to bring on an out-of-the-body experience --
Eye to eye --
How to develop extrasensory perception --
Think yourself healthy --
Permission to succeed --
How to win a game of chess in two moves --
Read body language --
Cognitive interviewing --
How to develop mental toughness --
Play the percentages --
Ponzi schemes exposed --
Anger management --
How to get lucky --
Optical illusions --
The power of synchronicity --
Speed reading --
Resetting your body clock --
The principles of fire walking --
Plunging fingers in molten lead --
Cutlery bending --
How to negotiate --
Think like a millionaire --
How hypnosis works --
Creative risk taking --
Brain gym --
Increase your sex appeal --
How to read an aura --
Balancing your chakras --
Remembering names --
Memorize the telephone directory --
Mind control techniques --
Listening skills --
Think like a genius --
The Mozart effect --
How to win at Jeopardy --
Brainstorming using random association --
Super strength --
How to be assertive --
Study skills --
How to have lucid dreams --
Acupressure --
Power browsing --
Stress-reducing tips

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Science, Self Help, Reference, Business, How To

143 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 2 out of 5]

An amusing book filled with random pieces related to the brain (e.g. parts of the brain, brain health, study tips, etc.) Some of them are kind of useful and fun to read about it, but the book would sometimes take a sharp turn to the absurd and unscientific, such as the section on mind-bending spoons or how to gain ESP. Fortunately, I found these parts some of the funniest and so was no less amused. Not really something to sit and read, more a book you might pick up and flip through and read one of the very short sections if you were bored.

[Garrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good one-day read. Some interesting topics raised, but definitely a reason why I found it on the Barnes and Noble bargain table.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Когда впервые увидела "Как подружиться с головой", я была уверена, что там какие-то головоломки и задачки. Оказалось всё намного лучше -- каждый разворот посвящен какому отдельному чеклисту или результату исследования о работе нашего мозга.

Формат книги просто супер удобный: через оглавление можно найти тему/проблему, которая больше всего интересует и приступать к "тренировке".

Конечно, многое было достаточно очевидных вещей (о влиянии сна, алкоголя, жирной пищи) на работу мозга, но при этом очень много интересного и нового!

- Вы знаете, в чем польза жвачки?
- А какие 20 продуктов благотворно (и как именно) влияют на наш мозг?
- Как научить себя мыслить как богатый человек и для чего это нужно?
- Почему нельзя просто взять и отказаться от вредной привычки? Что нужно, чтобы это было проще сделать?
- "Мы задействуем всего 10% способностей своего мозга" - миф или правда?

и т.д, и т.п.

Чеклисты и вся информация подкреплена ссылками на статьи, книги и исследования, так что ясно, куда идти, если про что-то захотелось почитать подробнее.

Книга отлично подойдёт в качестве подарка (она очень яркая и красочная внутри) человеку, заинтересованному в психологии и саморазвитии, не любящему "воду" в такой литературе. Тут всё чётко и по делу.

[Ayanna Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. I like most things that teach me things about the human brain and how thoughts and memories etc. are processed. This started as a light and enjoyable read. Then they did try to slide in some not-so-scientific things very abruptly, so minus a star or two for that. It was like hey here’s how electricity works, and then here’s how the tooth fairy sneaks money under your pillow all in the same tone. I’m all about free money appearing out of thin air, but I try to separate those benefits and “beliefs” from the benefits of bruising your teeth when raising children. There didn’t seem to be a distinction here. Otherwise, a somewhat interesting and quick read.

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weird mishmash of disparate ideas and techniques, from kooky stuff like improving your "psychic powers" to understanding why optical illusions occur, to learning speed reading, to understanding how to manage your anger better. I skipped over a lot of the New Agey stuff about auras and chakras and stuff (which I spend plenty of time studying back when I was involved in paganism) and really enjoyed the stuff that comes down to "emotional intelligence."

Some of the insights about where anger and passive-agressiveness come from were actually pretty brilliant. The author summarized in a couple of pages what can take an entire book or years of therapy to understand. The two biggest insights were that:

1. You can only start to handle your anger if you realize you're angry. That seems like a "Duh!" kind of statement, but many of us have been trained to stuff our anger because nice people don't get angry. But when you stuff your anger instead of dealing with it, it comes out later in petty irritation or passive-aggressive behavior.

2. Secondly, the author says that anger often comes from feelings of poor self-esteem. You don't think enough of yourself or trust others to take you seriously if you express yourself calmly, so you lash out in anger instead.

[Brandi D'Angelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good book to put in a guest bedroom or bathroom because it's a collection of small stories to engage your brain. It's not necessarily brain games; it's more about different ways you can use your brain to learn or accomplish things. Some examples include how to get rich, how to bend a fork, listening skills, how to read auras, and speed reading.

[Stacia Leigh]

The section on mind control techniques interested me the most: "Confusing Doctrine: The doctrine is so complicated and convoluted that the subject is urged to suspend logical understanding in favor of blind acceptance of its dogma."

[Neverbreake · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 50 tips or methods to improve your mind and also for your life.. Read it!

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an entertaining read to pick up when you have an odd 5 minutes to spare. It's written for entertainment, not education. The most useful information included is how to multiple double-digit numbers in your head.

Plot: A
Writing: C
Vocabulary: C
Level: Easy
Rating: PG13 (hypnotism, fire-walking, touching molten lead, ESP)

[davidson mulkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is mearly okay. It's the sort of book you shoulsd keep in the bathroom. none of the different entries is longer than 3 pages. There are 50 entries/ chapters and I dog-eared the entries I found most interesting and possibly useful. There are only 13 dog-eared pages. Nuff said.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been studying for the GREs so I thought I'd read a no brainer.

It was short, had lots of pictures, and gives a paragraph description of some interesting things people do and can do with their minds.

[Michael Roop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat book. It's educational and fun all at once. There are bunch of little tips and tricks in here to help you do things, like setting your body clock or how to fire walk, and everything inbetween.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stuff is cool, some stuff is lame.

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

entertaining and even a little enlightening

[Varrsity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of useful knowledge in this book. And It was on the bargain side of the store so that makes it even better.

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little book. Interesting games and exercises. I could see how some of them would work, although I'm probably not going to host a spoon-bending party any time soon.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of it seemed a bit nonsensical but it was a pleasant enough read.

[Strings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool little tricks and tips. Fun Bathroom read.