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Max Dessoir gives the most comprehensive review of the personages and claims in the occult sciences. With a general discussion of magic, he treats as parapsychology dreams and hypnosis, telepathy and clairvoyance, and mental automatism; under paraphysics, the most famous mediums and their performances; under occult science, cabalistics, Christian science, the anthroposophic philosophy and movements, and finally under magic, idealism, the principles of the underlying conceptions and logic. Throughout he gives the reports of the outstanding performers and observers and the facts as well as the critical discussions. It is not a specially alluring picture of the studied and spontaneous archaism, and hardly of a type that would cheer the critically minded concerning thinking humanity. The believer is not treated in an offensive way, but is hardly likely to find encouragement when in a doubting mood. At the same time, the book is exceedingly informing concerning the many ways in