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The Nazi Séance: The Strange Story of the Jewish Psychic in Hitler's Circle by Arthur J. Magida
stacialithub's review
2.0
Though the topic (Jewish mystic/advisor & friend to the Nazis, Erik Jan Hanussen) could have been interesting, it was rendered fairly dull in this book. That's a shame since the subject was supposed to have charisma & hypnotic abilities -- the book had neither. I suppose this is meant to be a biography, but the writing is a jumbled mess. The author jumps around, contradicts himself, inserts his opinion in various places, & goes off on tangents that don't really have a lot to do with the topic. The book is very unevenly & poorly written, as well as seeming under-researched. A disappointment, imo. Read the Wikipedia entry if you're curious about Hanussen -- it's more succinct & to the point.
bloodravenlib's review
5.0
This is definitely one of the most interesting and unique reading experiences for me this year. The moment I saw the title of this book, I felt it would be an interesting one to read, and it did not disappoint. If you enjoy history, especially reading about lesser known topics or more obscure things, this may be a book for you. If you enjoy reading about performers, mentalists, clairvoyants, etc., this may be a good book for you as well as it does have some discussion of that trade as well, including quotes and comments from Teller (of Penn & Teller). And if you happen to be a World War II or Nazi Germany history buff, you may to grab this one. In other words, there is something to interest various folks.
The strength of the book is in the narrative. Magida writes this book as if it was a novel. And even if you know the fate of Erik Jan Hanussen, the psychic in question, you still want to read through it. There are moments when you feel sympathy for the guy and moments when you say, "what was he thinking? Is he really that blind?" Those moments in reading help show that Hanussen was a complex individual. True: he was swindler; he was very selfish (looking after numero uno, so to speak), and he was quite the charmer able to live off his wits. But the guy was also quite the performer struggling to move in a world that was collapsing around him. It is quite the tragic story. It is well written, and the pace just moves along.
In addition, the book is very well researched as evident from the extensive notes at the end of the book. Also, there are some revelations (well, maybe to some). For example, where the Nazis stood when it came to the occult. It is commonly asserted that the Nazis were big on it, yet this book argues that it varied: some Nazis were indifferent, others embraced it. Also fascinating to see was how the Nazis used the clairvoyant for more than just his abilities. Hanussen often lent them money and bailed them out of debts, something he thought he could use as leverage. That and the fact that he pretty much became a Nazi mouthpiece, at least until they turned against him, and by then, it was the end. This detail may make a lot of readers wonder: why did he not leave Germany when he could? How could he not see what the Nazis would do? So on.
Overall, this is an excellent book that I do recommend.
The strength of the book is in the narrative. Magida writes this book as if it was a novel. And even if you know the fate of Erik Jan Hanussen, the psychic in question, you still want to read through it. There are moments when you feel sympathy for the guy and moments when you say, "what was he thinking? Is he really that blind?" Those moments in reading help show that Hanussen was a complex individual. True: he was swindler; he was very selfish (looking after numero uno, so to speak), and he was quite the charmer able to live off his wits. But the guy was also quite the performer struggling to move in a world that was collapsing around him. It is quite the tragic story. It is well written, and the pace just moves along.
In addition, the book is very well researched as evident from the extensive notes at the end of the book. Also, there are some revelations (well, maybe to some). For example, where the Nazis stood when it came to the occult. It is commonly asserted that the Nazis were big on it, yet this book argues that it varied: some Nazis were indifferent, others embraced it. Also fascinating to see was how the Nazis used the clairvoyant for more than just his abilities. Hanussen often lent them money and bailed them out of debts, something he thought he could use as leverage. That and the fact that he pretty much became a Nazi mouthpiece, at least until they turned against him, and by then, it was the end. This detail may make a lot of readers wonder: why did he not leave Germany when he could? How could he not see what the Nazis would do? So on.
Overall, this is an excellent book that I do recommend.
ladyonequestion's review
4.0
The title is a little misleading, but nonetheless this is a really interesting account of pre-war Germany with a cast of colourful characters.
discocrow's review
2.0
The book has a wonderful title, doesn't it? It titillates and intrigues, and coupled with the image on the cover it pretty much guarantees that anyone who sees it will want to pick it up. Nazis, the Occult, the very thought of a Jew being Hitler's psychic consultant for any amount of time? It's wondrous, and perhaps even more surprising, entirely true.
So why the two stars then, even if the rating is a rather high two star rating?
Unfortunately, it's for how much just isn't there.
[a: Arthur J. Magida|15654|Arthur J. Magida|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] did an impressive amount of research, but unfortunately when it comes to his chosen topic there just isn't a lot that remains. Interviews he conducted with people who had met Hanussen, or had seen him perform, are sadly short and not very much referenced. There appear to be few surviving letters from the man, and thus the image that we are stuck with of him is second or third hand more often than not. Even the interview with his daughter is tinged with a bit of confusion. Hanussen himself has become something of the illusion he desired himself to be. We know bits and pieces, but most of what we are relying on are stories and legends, changed and made sense of. We have to go on what remains in the end.
The most intriguing section was towards the end in reference to Hannusen's prediction of the Reichstag fire, but nonetheless I am left a bit baffled by the book. Did Magida, like Hannusen's own daughter, end up believing he had something of the clairvoyant in him for true? So much is lost in mystery, and this book left me desiring rather a lot more than what it contained. The author chose a wonderful subject to be sure, I just wish there had been far more information and primary sources in these pages.
So why the two stars then, even if the rating is a rather high two star rating?
Unfortunately, it's for how much just isn't there.
[a: Arthur J. Magida|15654|Arthur J. Magida|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] did an impressive amount of research, but unfortunately when it comes to his chosen topic there just isn't a lot that remains. Interviews he conducted with people who had met Hanussen, or had seen him perform, are sadly short and not very much referenced. There appear to be few surviving letters from the man, and thus the image that we are stuck with of him is second or third hand more often than not. Even the interview with his daughter is tinged with a bit of confusion. Hanussen himself has become something of the illusion he desired himself to be. We know bits and pieces, but most of what we are relying on are stories and legends, changed and made sense of. We have to go on what remains in the end.
The most intriguing section was towards the end in reference to Hannusen's prediction of the Reichstag fire, but nonetheless I am left a bit baffled by the book. Did Magida, like Hannusen's own daughter, end up believing he had something of the clairvoyant in him for true? So much is lost in mystery, and this book left me desiring rather a lot more than what it contained. The author chose a wonderful subject to be sure, I just wish there had been far more information and primary sources in these pages.
fables630's review
3.0
An interesting look at a little known figure connected to Nazi Party members. My one major gripe is that in the grand scheme of things Hanussen wasn't really a part of Hitler's circle. Yes, he did know and was owed favors by prominent members of the party but he didn't play a significant role in Hitler's actions. An interesting side bit of pre WW2 history but nothing more.
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