Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions is a 1982 book by magician and skeptic James Randi

James Randi

James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...

 about paranormal

Paranormal

Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...

, occult

Occult

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

, and pseudoscience

Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...

 claims. The foreword is by science fiction author Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...

.

Randi explores topics which he says that scientists and the media are too willing to promote without skepticism

Skepticism

Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...

 and proper expertise. A New York Times review said it is "a healthy and often hilarious book."

Currently the book is available in English, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, Italian, and Chinese.

Editions

• iPad / iPhone edition, 2011
• Norwegian edition 1994 (Juks og Bedrag!)
• Spanish edition by Tikal, Madrid, 1994 (Fraudes paranormales)
• Polish edition 1994
• Cassette tape (extracts) edition 1995 by Prometheus
• Italian edition 1999 (Fandonie)
• Chinese edition, 2001
• Punjabi edition, 2003

See also

• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
• Flim-flam
  Confidence trick
  A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
  
  
• James Randi Educational Foundation
  James Randi Educational Foundation
  The James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
  
  

External links

• Description from Prometheus Books
  Prometheus Books
  Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is currently the chairman of all three organizations. Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, including many...
  
  
• Review