Review of Mental prodigies

Abstract

Reviews the book, "Mental prodigies," by F. Barlow (see record 1953-03327-000 ). This book is described on its title page as "An enquiry into the faculties of arithmetical, chess and musical prodigies, famous memorizers, precocious children and the like, with numerous examples of 'lightning' calculators and mental magic." Actually most of it is devoted to lightning calculators and to examples of the mathematical tricks, stunts and problem solving used in performances of "mental magic." The book is entertainingly written. The authenticated feats of calculation and memory which the author has recounted are fascinating and astonishing. The chapters on mental magic will intrigue many readers by the revelations given about such things as naming the day of'the week on which a dated event occurred or will occur; short-cut methods for a great variety of computations, including among others squaring, cubing, root extraction, translating months or years into seconds and miles into inches or barleycorns; and directions for carrying out such parlor stunts as "think of a number," "draw any card," "a loan and a present," "change for a shilling," and numerous others. By showing that many feats which appear so difficult can be mastered by almost anyone with a moderately high IQ and a fair memory, these chapters can be expected to increase the number of amateur mathemagicians whose performances will probably amuse, mystify, and bore us in about equal proportions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)