The legend of the renowned 16th-century prophet is permanently
debunked by master debunker, prestidigitator, and author Randi
(Flim-Flam!, 1980). Gleeful is the word to describe Randi's
enthusiasm as he leads the reader on a merry chase through the
library stacks in a search for the origins and validity of the
Nostradamus legend. Establishing the seer's credentials as a bright
student and capable physician in 16th-century Provencal, Randi then
describes the growth of Michel de Notredame's fame - from his
publication of a series of popular almanacs to that of Centuries,
the predictive poetry that earned him a place in Queen Catherine's
protected circle of astrological advisors and has kept "Believers"
searching for hidden prophetic messages to this day. Avoiding the
issue of whether or not Nostradamus was a deliberate poseur, Randi
prefers to pounce on the prophet's admirers for embroidering on the
original verse, inventing new quatrains, and otherwise imposing
their own interpretations on highly ambiguous phrases in an effort
to force them to match up to actual, later events. Randi points out
that only if one believes hard enough can "Hister" - a region of
Provence mentioned in one quatrain - become "Hitler"; Mont Gaulsier
become the hot-air-balloon-inventor Montgolfiere; and the entire
Quatrain 2 - 51, which probably refers to Queen Mary's
contemporaneous burning of Protestants in England, instead predict
the 18th century's Great Fire of London. Randi's lists of
Believers' heavily altered anagrams and impossibly convoluted
mathematical equations make for particularly high comedy, as does
his advice on how you, too, can become a prophet in eight easy
steps. Randi's own conjurer, style razzle-dazzle aside, he
convinces - in this case at least - that Nostradamus' sleeve, not
his own, needs checking. (Kirkus Reviews)
This 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.
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