Famous People of the Paranormal: Psychics, Clairvoyants and Charlatans    by Chris Wangler Order:  USA  Can Ghost House, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Of the famous and infamous folk Chris Wangler writes about in Famous People of the Paranormal, he says 'they are remarkable not because they reflect cultural trends, but because they convinced people around them of their unusual gifts, either through public spectacle or publications…their ability to inspire belief, even loyalty, in our heavily skeptical and sarcastic world, is easily as fascinating as any powers they professed to have'. The book is divided into 6 sections: Chapter 1 discusses Legends like Polish born Wolf Messing, whose psychic talents caught the attention of Stalin; and Cagliostro, the founder of the Masonic temples. Chapter 2 looks at the Unusually Inspired theories put forth by thinkers like Erich Von Daniken, whose bestseller Chariots of the Gods claimed that extraterrestrials visited Earth regularly and left behind plenty of clues in Mayan ruins. Covered in Chapter 3 are Insightful Skeptics like James Randi and Reginald Scot whose mission is life is debunking paranormal phenomena. Chapter 4 discusses Paranormal Pioneers like Charles Fort who was an avid collector of all things extraordinary. For every real paranormal phenomenon, there are Charlatans Galore, as outlined in Chapter 5. Finally, in Chapter 6, Wangler looks into the lives of Cult Figures like Aleister Crowley, mad monk Rasputin and the famous witch, Sybil Leek. Famous People of the Paranormal is a well-written and fair account of some of the most memorable people - both past and present - who were able to tap into the public fascination with the unknown. Read some of their stories and then decide who and what you believe: the logical scientific explanation or the possibility of 'impossible things'. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews