Neurypnology, by James Braid - 236 pages

Not the sexiest of titles, but a true classic in the history of hypnotism.

In 1841, Dr. Braid became interested in hypnosis after watching a demonstration by a "Mesmerist" (the stage hypnotists of the days). He started investigating into the matter, and presented the findings of his experiments in this book. He was naturally bashed by all sides: the Mesmerists were furious for seeing their cherished secrets divulgated, and for his undermining of their "occult" powers; on the other hand, the medical community were still incredulous and believed that the hypnotic experiments were achieved through trickery. 

In Part 1, the author explains in details several induction methods, including the effect where a subject is unable to open his eyes. Ever wondered about how this is done? In Part 2, you are allowed to peek into his private files, containing 60 startling medical cases duly described and annotated.

A fascinating journey into the world of a 19th-century hypnotist.

Practical Mental Influence, by William W. Atkinson - 74 pages

The more metaphysical volume of this Collection... William Walker Atkinson was a very influential figure of the New Thought Movement, a set of religious doctrines that originated in the US during the late 19th century and that professed the primacy of the mind over the physical world, placing great emphasis in positive thinking, affirmations and meditation. He wrote more than one hundred books on the subject (often under pseudonyms) - notably The Secret of Mental Magic, Suggestion and Auto-Suggestion and of course Practical Mental Influence.

Main topics include visualization, concentration, hypnotic influence, thought force, personal magnetism and will-power. The book also features many bizarre ideas on "psychic" activity and Black Magic ("Thoughts act like Boomerangs, in their tendency to return to their sender; guard against employing the power for evil purposes, for the fate of the Black Magician is a sad one...")

The Science of Hypnotism, by Alexander Cannon - 78 pages

This manual was written by a British Medical Doctor in the late 1930's, and gives a clear picture of how Hypnotism was perceived at the time. It contains a number of induction methods and theoretical notions on the hypnotism of animals, the suggestions of colors etc.

It can be read with interest, despite its rather authoritarian tone and a fair amount of babbles such as the "thought-reading machine", Aryan Hindus of Atlantis, a White Lodge that could have found its place in David Lynch's Twin Peaks, and other arcane issues typical of how occultism got mixed up with hypnosis in the past.

Still, it is an important reading not only as part of a historical view of the subject: Dr. Cannon was one of the first to point out that we live by suggestion. We dress according to the clothes suggested by advertisements; we involuntarily act upon the suggestion of others. Hence his famous statements "A word is greater than a sword", and "Every word has magic power".

Mental Chemistry, by Charles F. Haanel - 200 pages

"For every problem, there is a solution. For every person, a meaning. For every success, a formula".

A precursor of modern self-help and motivational books, in the tradition of Haanel's best-seller The Master Key System. Mental chemistry, in the words of the Author, is the science which treats of the changes which material conditions undergo through the operations of the mind - just as the transformations in applied chemistry result of the orderly combination of materials. In this book, you will discover the "secrets" of how your thoughts and perceptions shape the world around you, and how you can use your mental faculties to control these processes as much as possible.

Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion, by Emile Coue' - 43 pages

Emile Coue' exerted a profound influence on the medical community for what concerns the nature of hypnosis and the suggestibility of the unconscious mind. At the beginning of the century, he established a clinic in France for treating patients suffering from both mental and physical disorders, and described his techniques of autosuggestion in this classic manuscript. 

Today, we might argue with Coue's method of brainwashing children during their sleep, or with his magic formula "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better"...  There is, however, a lot of good sense in his methods for implanting suggestions in the subconscious. The exercises he outlines to increase the suggestibility of subjects are still used by many professional stage hypnotists, because they continue to be the most effective available. 

The Power Of Thought, by Henry T. Hamblin - 66 pages

After the sudden and unexpected death of his ten-year-old son, Henry Thomas Hamblin began to write The Power of Thought, which was to sell over 200,000 copies. Hamblin believed that as long as people blamed the circumstances they were stuck in, and played the 'victim role', they would not be able to overcome their difficulties; but if they lived in harmony with their environment, they would lead a healthy and peaceful existence.

In the words of the Author: "You are the architect of your own life: it is yours to make or to mar. By the power of thoughts you are building; are you building alright? The power of thought, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, is a spiritual power - the greatest power that man has at his disposal. What a man thinks, he becomes. Man is the author of his own troubles, which are created in his mind both consciously and subconsciously; by thought man either cures or curses himself." 

The Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce - 276 pages

Completely off-topic (this isn't a satanic booktest!), but we couldn't resist the pun: Under-words, underworld... Devils dictionary... Ah, better now...

Besides, this dictionary is a hilarious demonstration of lucid, merciless cynicism, which balances the positive thinking, political correctness and meditative approach of our other books. If you are offended by ANYTHING, simply delete it!