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Mask of Nostradamus
Nostradamus finally meets his match—internationally famous magician and debunker of New Age quackery—James Randi!
The Mask of Nostradamus is the first in-depth biography of this intriguing sixteenth-century astrologer and physician whose book of prophecies, The Centuries, is claimed by many to have foretold the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, the rise of Hitler, and other crucial historical events. In his superb study of Nostradamus' life and times, Randi shows the extent to which contemporary beliefs in magic and astrology adulterated sixteenth-century science, and how Nostradamus used his skills as a physician and poet to become a cherished counselor to the courts of Europe. Finally, Randi exposes some of the tricks used by Nostradamus to make his prophecies seem authentic, and the rationalizations of his predictions by his followers through the centuries.
Four hundred years after his death, Nostradamus continues to fascinate us. This is the first serious exploration of this complex figure whose fame still echoes in our own time.
The Mask of Nostradamus is the first in-depth biography of this intriguing sixteenth-century astrologer and physician whose book of prophecies, The Centuries, is claimed by many to have foretold the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, the rise of Hitler, and other crucial historical events. In his superb study of Nostradamus' life and times, Randi shows the extent to which contemporary beliefs in magic and astrology adulterated sixteenth-century science, and how Nostradamus used his skills as a physician and poet to become a cherished counselor to the courts of Europe. Finally, Randi exposes some of the tricks used by Nostradamus to make his prophecies seem authentic, and the rationalizations of his predictions by his followers through the centuries.
Four hundred years after his death, Nostradamus continues to fascinate us. This is the first serious exploration of this complex figure whose fame still echoes in our own time.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
6 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
James Randi
34 books319 followersJames Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American stage magician and a scientific skeptic who extensively challenged paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. He was the co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), originally known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). He also founded the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). He began his career as a magician under the stage name The Amazing Randi and later chose to devote most of his time to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively called "woo-woo".Randi retired from practicing magic at age 60, and from the JREF at 87.
Although often referred to as a "debunker", Randi said he disliked the term's connotations and preferred to describe himself as an "investigator". He wrote about paranormal phenomena, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, famously exposing fraudulent faith healer Peter Popoff, and was occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit! - wikipeadia
Although often referred to as a "debunker", Randi said he disliked the term's connotations and preferred to describe himself as an "investigator". He wrote about paranormal phenomena, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, famously exposing fraudulent faith healer Peter Popoff, and was occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit! - wikipeadia
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 22, 2018
I always enjoy James Randi's work debunking charlatans - it's a mixture of serious research, insight into con artists, and snide little zingers. I love a good history book full of gossip.
The Mask of Nostradamus dives deep into French history and current events, not only in Michel de Notredame's life and background, but also little snapshots of the eras his prophecies allegedly refer to. It is, admittedly, a little dry, so don't pick this book up unless you enjoy quibbles over 16th century typography and French geography and primary sources. Luckily, I do!
The Mask of Nostradamus dives deep into French history and current events, not only in Michel de Notredame's life and background, but also little snapshots of the eras his prophecies allegedly refer to. It is, admittedly, a little dry, so don't pick this book up unless you enjoy quibbles over 16th century typography and French geography and primary sources. Luckily, I do!
May 25, 2024
THE RENOWNED SKEPTIC LOOKS CRITICALLY AT NOSTRADAMUS
James Randi (1928-2020) was a stage magician, scientific skeptic, and author who was the co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) offered a prize of US$1,000,000 to anyone able to demonstrate a supernatural ability under scientific testing criteria agreed to by both sides.
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1990 book, “I have found that most great mysteries reduce, during solution, to a number of smaller, less powerful, riddles, and so it appears to be with the overall mystery which I now undertake to examine… Nostradamus. The man, his education, his milieu, the culture in which he was born and immersed, the fears and hope of his day---these and other aspects must be resolved so that we may at last partly, perhaps, lift away the mask of Nostradamus.” (Pg. 4)
He observes, “Nostradamians … are quick to supply the classic excuse for [Nostradamus’] vagueness, on behalf of their master. They think it explains away the problem… We must point out that Nostradamus, in the prose outline contained in his Epistle to King Henry II, which appears just before Century Eight of the ‘Centuries,’ provides one of the very few places where he actually gave many quite specific, detailed prophecies of events that can now be checked out accurately because they are supposed to have already taken place. There is no ambiguity whatsoever in these statements…” (Pg. 33)
He acknowledges, “Michel de Notredame had excellent reasons for fearing the wrath of the Inquisition. To prophesy coming events denied the power of God to change the future.” (Pg. 40) He adds later, “in his letters to the German Lutheran Lorenz Tubbe, this astrologer from a once-Jewish family was openly heretical, clearly proclaiming his strong Lutheran sympathies. He referred to Protestants as ‘Christians’ and called the Catholics, whose violence he detested, ‘Papists.’” (Pg. 53)
He notes, “Nostradamus’s almanac for 1559 contained … on the title page… a brief summary of the most important events he had predicted for that year… But note: though Nostradamus here mentions a King of the North (Aquilon) and a city obviously named after Henry II, he fails to mention …that Henry II will DIE IN THAT SAME YEAR, 1559… this is but one example of Nostradamus having failed to prophesy the single most important event of that year…” (Pg. 75)
He says of Captain Louis de Wohl, “a Hungarian-born astrologer,” that “[he] invented a few pro-British/anti-Nazi quatrains… He created a 124-page book titled ‘Nostradamus predicts the Course of the War,’ which was printed in huge quantities and dropped over occupied territories in 1943. Among many other fakeries, his book contained an ‘improved’ version of the Nostradamus quatrain 3-30… All that de Wohl did in his invented quatrain was to substitute ‘Hister’ (the supposed Nostradamus anagram of Hitler’s name) for the first word, ‘Celuy,’ meaning ‘He who…’ This could not have been a sadder attempt at fakery, since any reader could obtain a copy of any edition of the ‘Centuries’ and instantly spot the substitution. But as one finds even today, the Believers prefer to accept what is given to them, rather than looking to original sources.” (Pg. 122)
He comments that English Jesuit Father Herbert Thurston stated, “Undoubtedly the unrivalled success of Nostradamus’ oracles is due to the fact that… it is impossible ever to say that a particular prognostic has missed the mark…” Randi adds, “I must beg to differ somewhat with Father Thurston. MANY very glaring misses of Nostradamus have been recorded, and prognostications that he made clearly and that were in some cases actually dated are seen to be very wrong.” (Pg. 165)
He summarizes, “We have examined in depth some of the notions written about what some Nostradamians think is one of the most important and convincing of the quatrains of their master prophet. The highly fanciful, detailed and precise interpretations, naming specific dates, places, personalities and events, that … interpreters have given this quatrain, were arrived at only after diligently searching through history for something---anything---that would fit the very wrong, altered, misspelled and misconstrued poetry of Nostradamus. The fit is fashioned by very poor tailors. Such efforts make a mockery of research. The question must be asked: Is it not more reasonable to accept the simple, likely relationship of fact and poetry that I have described above than the torturously oblique and inventive process offered by Nostradamians?” (Pg. 189)
He notes, “The Nostradamians sorely need to find an important figure like Adolf Hitler in the prophecies; he just could not have been missed by their hero. Through Nostradamian Stewart Robb recognizes the real meaning of ‘Hister,’ he admits the fact then rationalizes it by saying: ‘Hister is an old, old name for the Danube… But the passage of centuries has brought it up to date… it also served as an anagram for Hitler… The change of one letter was permissible in anagram writing… What other word could serve better than ‘Hister’ to specify both the name, and the place of origin of [Hitler]?’ I have searched diligently to discover the source of this ‘change of one letter’ rule… ALL of the definitions and discussions of the word ‘anagrams’ that I have found omit any mention of this practice… The most astonishing fact about Mr. Robb’s discussion is that he admits ‘Hister’ refers to the lower Danube, but claims it is used here to represent Adolf Hitler… He is using ‘Hister’ BOTH ways!” (Pg. 213-214)
He concludes, “The legend of Nostradamus, faulty as it is, will survive us all. Not because of its worth, but because of its seductive attraction, the idea that the Prophet of Salon could see into the future will persist… There will always be these who will point to some quatrain that I have not treated in this book, and jeer that the prophetic powers of Nostradamus are proven in that instance. Let them consult the same sources that I have, and come to their own conclusions, which will probably not change in any case.” (Pg. 223)
This book will be “must reading” for anyone wanting skeptical analyses of Nostradamus.
James Randi (1928-2020) was a stage magician, scientific skeptic, and author who was the co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) offered a prize of US$1,000,000 to anyone able to demonstrate a supernatural ability under scientific testing criteria agreed to by both sides.
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1990 book, “I have found that most great mysteries reduce, during solution, to a number of smaller, less powerful, riddles, and so it appears to be with the overall mystery which I now undertake to examine… Nostradamus. The man, his education, his milieu, the culture in which he was born and immersed, the fears and hope of his day---these and other aspects must be resolved so that we may at last partly, perhaps, lift away the mask of Nostradamus.” (Pg. 4)
He observes, “Nostradamians … are quick to supply the classic excuse for [Nostradamus’] vagueness, on behalf of their master. They think it explains away the problem… We must point out that Nostradamus, in the prose outline contained in his Epistle to King Henry II, which appears just before Century Eight of the ‘Centuries,’ provides one of the very few places where he actually gave many quite specific, detailed prophecies of events that can now be checked out accurately because they are supposed to have already taken place. There is no ambiguity whatsoever in these statements…” (Pg. 33)
He acknowledges, “Michel de Notredame had excellent reasons for fearing the wrath of the Inquisition. To prophesy coming events denied the power of God to change the future.” (Pg. 40) He adds later, “in his letters to the German Lutheran Lorenz Tubbe, this astrologer from a once-Jewish family was openly heretical, clearly proclaiming his strong Lutheran sympathies. He referred to Protestants as ‘Christians’ and called the Catholics, whose violence he detested, ‘Papists.’” (Pg. 53)
He notes, “Nostradamus’s almanac for 1559 contained … on the title page… a brief summary of the most important events he had predicted for that year… But note: though Nostradamus here mentions a King of the North (Aquilon) and a city obviously named after Henry II, he fails to mention …that Henry II will DIE IN THAT SAME YEAR, 1559… this is but one example of Nostradamus having failed to prophesy the single most important event of that year…” (Pg. 75)
He says of Captain Louis de Wohl, “a Hungarian-born astrologer,” that “[he] invented a few pro-British/anti-Nazi quatrains… He created a 124-page book titled ‘Nostradamus predicts the Course of the War,’ which was printed in huge quantities and dropped over occupied territories in 1943. Among many other fakeries, his book contained an ‘improved’ version of the Nostradamus quatrain 3-30… All that de Wohl did in his invented quatrain was to substitute ‘Hister’ (the supposed Nostradamus anagram of Hitler’s name) for the first word, ‘Celuy,’ meaning ‘He who…’ This could not have been a sadder attempt at fakery, since any reader could obtain a copy of any edition of the ‘Centuries’ and instantly spot the substitution. But as one finds even today, the Believers prefer to accept what is given to them, rather than looking to original sources.” (Pg. 122)
He comments that English Jesuit Father Herbert Thurston stated, “Undoubtedly the unrivalled success of Nostradamus’ oracles is due to the fact that… it is impossible ever to say that a particular prognostic has missed the mark…” Randi adds, “I must beg to differ somewhat with Father Thurston. MANY very glaring misses of Nostradamus have been recorded, and prognostications that he made clearly and that were in some cases actually dated are seen to be very wrong.” (Pg. 165)
He summarizes, “We have examined in depth some of the notions written about what some Nostradamians think is one of the most important and convincing of the quatrains of their master prophet. The highly fanciful, detailed and precise interpretations, naming specific dates, places, personalities and events, that … interpreters have given this quatrain, were arrived at only after diligently searching through history for something---anything---that would fit the very wrong, altered, misspelled and misconstrued poetry of Nostradamus. The fit is fashioned by very poor tailors. Such efforts make a mockery of research. The question must be asked: Is it not more reasonable to accept the simple, likely relationship of fact and poetry that I have described above than the torturously oblique and inventive process offered by Nostradamians?” (Pg. 189)
He notes, “The Nostradamians sorely need to find an important figure like Adolf Hitler in the prophecies; he just could not have been missed by their hero. Through Nostradamian Stewart Robb recognizes the real meaning of ‘Hister,’ he admits the fact then rationalizes it by saying: ‘Hister is an old, old name for the Danube… But the passage of centuries has brought it up to date… it also served as an anagram for Hitler… The change of one letter was permissible in anagram writing… What other word could serve better than ‘Hister’ to specify both the name, and the place of origin of [Hitler]?’ I have searched diligently to discover the source of this ‘change of one letter’ rule… ALL of the definitions and discussions of the word ‘anagrams’ that I have found omit any mention of this practice… The most astonishing fact about Mr. Robb’s discussion is that he admits ‘Hister’ refers to the lower Danube, but claims it is used here to represent Adolf Hitler… He is using ‘Hister’ BOTH ways!” (Pg. 213-214)
He concludes, “The legend of Nostradamus, faulty as it is, will survive us all. Not because of its worth, but because of its seductive attraction, the idea that the Prophet of Salon could see into the future will persist… There will always be these who will point to some quatrain that I have not treated in this book, and jeer that the prophetic powers of Nostradamus are proven in that instance. Let them consult the same sources that I have, and come to their own conclusions, which will probably not change in any case.” (Pg. 223)
This book will be “must reading” for anyone wanting skeptical analyses of Nostradamus.
May 3, 2024
I have always liked James Randi. I've always wanted to know about NDM, his life, his "prophecies" etc. I got what I wanted. NDM's quatrains seemed like gibberish to me and, well, they are. JR doesn't stop with NDM, he also gives a nice snapshot of others throughout time who also claimed special abilities.
What I really enjoyed was the part about the times NDM lived in and why exactly he became so renowned. "Nostradamus thrived during a time of political and religious violence. I get a sense of sympathy from Randi when he describes the medieval environment that Nostradamus lived in. Magic ruled over science, and anyone who acquired its knowledge gained power, respect and immunity in society."
What I really enjoyed was the part about the times NDM lived in and why exactly he became so renowned. "Nostradamus thrived during a time of political and religious violence. I get a sense of sympathy from Randi when he describes the medieval environment that Nostradamus lived in. Magic ruled over science, and anyone who acquired its knowledge gained power, respect and immunity in society."
May 18, 2022
I can't help but feel that this book could have been halved, but also tripled in size. Randi is, in this book at least, very much the magician he is on stage with his prose and I can't help but think that he drags a lot of parts unnecessarily out instead of stating them outright. I get that it's probably meant to intrigue the layman reader, but it really didn't interest me. I would have preferred a longer, perhaps a little more scholarly book.
August 29, 2019
A through research and dissection on one of the biggest quacks of mankind. The book could have been 50 pages less.
February 24, 2011
The Mask of Nostradamus / 0-87975-830-9
I am a huge fan of James Randi's work in debunking various 'psychic' frauds who prey on innocent victims for fame and fortune, so it was a foregone conclusion that I would read "The Mask of Nostradamus". However, I will admit up front that the work has some slight flaws, in my opinion.
The largest criticism I can level is that if you've read any of Randi's other works, a great deal of this book will seem like repeat material. Randi's treatment of magic vs. science will be very familiar at this point and a repeat reader will likely not find this section useful. However, I do not suppose it is completely fair for me to criticize Randi for laying this important and useful foundation every time he begins another book on a new facet of mythology, so I should temper this criticism as simply a note of caution to the repeat Randi reader.
My other criticism of the book is that I wish the layout had been different. I would have preferred that the detailed examination of prophecy and failure come first, followed by a look at the time period and events which combined to allow the prophet to flourish in spite of his failures. Instead, the book is organized the other way around with the "Life and Times of Nostradamus" material preceding the actual in-depth analysis of the actual prophecies. This approach will tend to discourage all but the most dedicated reader, since the "life and times" of the subject isn't really the most interesting aspect of the story.
Despite the issues of organization and repeat material, this book is still worth the purchase to the regular Randi reader or Nostradamus enthusiast. Randi carefully lays the groundwork of the world that allowed Nostradamus to flourish and provides a great deal of source material from the time period, including a comical exchange between the prophet and one of his clients who begs repeatedly over the course of several letters for the prophet to perhaps try to make his prophetic handwriting legible for he cannot read many of the prophecies at all! Randi also examines many of the prophet's predictions, pointing out the vague lack of details and the failed predictions that had time limits attached to them - limits that have passed without the prophecy's fulfillment. If looking for information on the debunking of the Nostradamus trend, this book will definitely deliver, if you are devoted enough to slog through the introductory chapters.
~ Ana Mardoll
I am a huge fan of James Randi's work in debunking various 'psychic' frauds who prey on innocent victims for fame and fortune, so it was a foregone conclusion that I would read "The Mask of Nostradamus". However, I will admit up front that the work has some slight flaws, in my opinion.
The largest criticism I can level is that if you've read any of Randi's other works, a great deal of this book will seem like repeat material. Randi's treatment of magic vs. science will be very familiar at this point and a repeat reader will likely not find this section useful. However, I do not suppose it is completely fair for me to criticize Randi for laying this important and useful foundation every time he begins another book on a new facet of mythology, so I should temper this criticism as simply a note of caution to the repeat Randi reader.
My other criticism of the book is that I wish the layout had been different. I would have preferred that the detailed examination of prophecy and failure come first, followed by a look at the time period and events which combined to allow the prophet to flourish in spite of his failures. Instead, the book is organized the other way around with the "Life and Times of Nostradamus" material preceding the actual in-depth analysis of the actual prophecies. This approach will tend to discourage all but the most dedicated reader, since the "life and times" of the subject isn't really the most interesting aspect of the story.
Despite the issues of organization and repeat material, this book is still worth the purchase to the regular Randi reader or Nostradamus enthusiast. Randi carefully lays the groundwork of the world that allowed Nostradamus to flourish and provides a great deal of source material from the time period, including a comical exchange between the prophet and one of his clients who begs repeatedly over the course of several letters for the prophet to perhaps try to make his prophetic handwriting legible for he cannot read many of the prophecies at all! Randi also examines many of the prophet's predictions, pointing out the vague lack of details and the failed predictions that had time limits attached to them - limits that have passed without the prophecy's fulfillment. If looking for information on the debunking of the Nostradamus trend, this book will definitely deliver, if you are devoted enough to slog through the introductory chapters.
~ Ana Mardoll
February 3, 2015
Nostradamus’ enduring legacy is more astonishing than his prophecies. Randi unmasks the man and systematically debunks them. “Centuries” was a serial publication written by Nostradamus, and was nothing more than a series of convoluted poetry that has been re- interpreted to extract prophetic and subjective meanings. Randi refers to the believers as “Nostradamians”. They have, since his death, linked these verses to major world events and called them prophesies.
Nostradamus thrived during a time of political and religious violence. I get a sense of sympathy from Randi when he describes the medieval environment that Nostradamus lived in. Magic ruled over science, and anyone who acquired its knowledge gained power, respect and immunity in society. After reading this book, I questioned whether Nostradamus was an outright fraud. Did he make up his prophecies just to appease the political powers of the time? Was ambition his reason? Or altruism? Did he sincerely believe that he had powers of premonition, and used them not only to gain security but to help others? Randi mentions that Nostradamus was also a poet, and this skill may have been more helpful in producing the “quatrains” than his other fields of knowledge.
The people Randi really targets are the Nostradamians. Instead of letting “Centuries” die with history, they resurrected them whenever there was any remote similarity to a major world event. They are still at it today, and some verses have been fraudulently modified to suit the events. The prophecies have no fixed date, so they will never expire. I think what concerns Randi is that the Nostradamians make convincing statements without question. They have cognitive dissonance, and no truth can sway their beliefs.
Nostradamus thrived during a time of political and religious violence. I get a sense of sympathy from Randi when he describes the medieval environment that Nostradamus lived in. Magic ruled over science, and anyone who acquired its knowledge gained power, respect and immunity in society. After reading this book, I questioned whether Nostradamus was an outright fraud. Did he make up his prophecies just to appease the political powers of the time? Was ambition his reason? Or altruism? Did he sincerely believe that he had powers of premonition, and used them not only to gain security but to help others? Randi mentions that Nostradamus was also a poet, and this skill may have been more helpful in producing the “quatrains” than his other fields of knowledge.
The people Randi really targets are the Nostradamians. Instead of letting “Centuries” die with history, they resurrected them whenever there was any remote similarity to a major world event. They are still at it today, and some verses have been fraudulently modified to suit the events. The prophecies have no fixed date, so they will never expire. I think what concerns Randi is that the Nostradamians make convincing statements without question. They have cognitive dissonance, and no truth can sway their beliefs.
September 19, 2016
This book wasn't revolutionary or groundbreaking, but if you like Penn&Teller — Randi is a mild version of them. Not profound as Bertrand Russell or Carl Sagan, not Dawkins feisty, but quite enjoyable nonetheless. Wish you a pleasant reading.
June 15, 2016
I like James Randi and was interested in his take on Nostradamus, but found this book excessively long and detailed. I knew little about Nostradamus before reading it, but would have been happy with "Nostradamus was an astrologer". No more debunking is required than that.
It was interesting to see the description of the nonsensical methods used by Nostradamus and the true believers ever sense. To summarize, decide what you want to predict, then rewrite things using whatever method is needed so it agrees with your prediction. This can include bizarre translations of other languages, changing words into anagrams and even changing, adding, or removing letters from the resulting anagrams, invention of symbolism, and on and on. If you can rewrite things arbitrarily, then anything predicts everything. Amazing, isn't it.
I also enjoyed his six classifications of Nostradamus' quatrains. It reduces the complexity and makes much clearer the methods used by Nostradamus and his subsequent followers.
It was interesting to see the description of the nonsensical methods used by Nostradamus and the true believers ever sense. To summarize, decide what you want to predict, then rewrite things using whatever method is needed so it agrees with your prediction. This can include bizarre translations of other languages, changing words into anagrams and even changing, adding, or removing letters from the resulting anagrams, invention of symbolism, and on and on. If you can rewrite things arbitrarily, then anything predicts everything. Amazing, isn't it.
I also enjoyed his six classifications of Nostradamus' quatrains. It reduces the complexity and makes much clearer the methods used by Nostradamus and his subsequent followers.
September 25, 2009
Not quite what I was expecting but an interesting read nonetheless. Randi makes no bones about his skepticism of all things that cannot be explained by logic and science and I am with him on that. This book is part an examination of the so called prophecies of Nostradamus, past biography, part skeptical observation on seers generally and part historical account.
It tells the reader a lot about the man and the time, as well as examining the vagueness of the prophecies and a comprehensive analysis of 10 of his most famous. It's all bunk of course, but that won't stop people reading anything they like into his sayings.
It tells the reader a lot about the man and the time, as well as examining the vagueness of the prophecies and a comprehensive analysis of 10 of his most famous. It's all bunk of course, but that won't stop people reading anything they like into his sayings.
September 8, 2015
Probably the best and most informative scholarly work on the subject of the Seer of Salon thus far written. Randi's writing shows a sense of humor characteristic of his style as he describes details of Nostradamus' family, life and history, and deconstructs erroneous but popular notions of the lore surrounding him and his work. If you want to be informed about Nostradamus, this is the book to read.
April 20, 2015
Molto molto interessante, esaustivo e scientificamente attendibile nello smontare la presunta preveggenza delle quartine di Nostradamus!
Esattamente il libro che volevo leggere riguardo a questo enigmatico personaggio che ha saputo vendersi benissimo, ma che nulla dimostra abbia davvero avuto dei poteri divinatori!!!
Ammetto di averlo sottolineato tanto, ma è un libro bc, quindi dovrò liberarlo e ricomprarne una copia per me! :-)
Esattamente il libro che volevo leggere riguardo a questo enigmatico personaggio che ha saputo vendersi benissimo, ma che nulla dimostra abbia davvero avuto dei poteri divinatori!!!
Ammetto di averlo sottolineato tanto, ma è un libro bc, quindi dovrò liberarlo e ricomprarne una copia per me! :-)
September 17, 2009
I don't know many people who take Nostradamus seriously, and I certainly never had. I guess at the time this was written Nostradamus was a little more in vogue. It’s a good book considering the subject isn’t all that interesting today. I just read it because I like James Randi.
November 1, 2009
A scientific review of Nostradamus, although portraying him near to a quack. Hard to evaluate if he was really trying to falsify his claim to fame or really trying to keep himself away from the then Inquisitions.
June 12, 2011
Intensive research by Randi helps us get a better picture of who Nostradamus was as well as the cultural context in which his prophecies were written.
August 28, 2011
Randi reveals Nostradamus for what he was: a charlatan with very good PR skills.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews