Two things to announce. First, I've got a deal to write another book. But it's not another book about hoaxes, so it will be a bit of a new direction for me. It'll be a book about unusual scientific experiments. The kind of experiments that make people say, "Did they really do that?" Experiments such as Stanley Milgram's electric-shock experiments, Ewen Cameron's brainwashing experiments, Louis Jolyon West's "elephant on acid" experiment, as well as some more light-hearted ones.
I've known about the deal for a while, but I only received a final contract this week, so I didn't want to jinx it by publicly announcing it prematurely. However, because I'll need to focus on writing the book, I won't be able to blog as regularly. Which leads to the second announcement.
I've asked Flora, whom many of you know and love already as "Boo", to help me out and blog here with me, and thankfully she's said yes. So the blog should actually improve, instead of fading away, as I work on the book. And yeah, I'll probably still be posting every day, but I won't feel as guilty this way if I miss a day or two.
Because Flora already has such a huge presence on this site (as the organizer and host of the first ever Museum of Hoaxes international get-together back in May, as a tireless moderator keeping the comments free of spam, as one of the most active posters in the forum, and because she's a great writer and much funnier than I am, and a great artist as well) she seemed like the obvious person to ask. She should be able to start posting as soon as I'm able to teach her all the quirks of the blogging software.
Update: I forgot to add that Flora lives in Scotland, so you need to imagine everything she writes being said in a Scottish accent.
Comments
Good luck with the book...I can't wait to see what Boo brings us while you're busy. ::crosses fingers:: Please not a dead pigeon...please not a dead pigeon....
Though Alex apparently needs to check his facts.Boo is only "one of the most active posters in the forum"? 😉
Is there really a Boo?
Was there really a convention?
Boo, I know you've been stressing, you'll be fine love. Just don't start any fires, I don't think the extinguisher works in here...
Alex's book topic will be a winner and I'm sure he's got lots of good material to entertain us with. Alex, when do you want me to upload the details of the mind-altering experiments used on Lifewave Energy Patch believers?
I will comment that many people think all basic science research is unneccessary so the book might only be a case of "Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion" for Luddites, nevertheless it will be interesting from a number of other viewpoints as was your earlier tome.
Milgram is a favourite of mine as an experimenter, because he challenged accepted understandings and theories of human behaviour; I hope you find space for the letter-drop experiment as well. And perhaps, in a psychology section the Ash Experiment could be included? A personal bugbear of mine, as it was used on me to try and stop me being the person I am.
And Alex, try to limit the number of volumes. 😉 With all the mad scientists, the shipping costs can get high.
Lots of posts aboyut haggis.
Kilts!
Yeah, the Asch experiments definitely deserve a place, and I'm planning on having an entire chapter devoted to odd social psychology experiments.
My partner's children tell how their mother implanted a fake memory in their minds by talking to them about the "toot sweets" (confectionery shaped like trains) they had eaten once, until they could remember what they looked like, tasted like, etc; though there were never any such sweets. They're in their late teens now, and think it's quite amusing that she tricked them that way.
But what they don't know, and my partner does, is that their mother never actually went through the process of implanting the fake memory; she just told them that she had. That is, their memory of having a fake memory implanted is itself a fake memory.
Weird.
In all seriousness, congratulations. Nice going. I'm really looking forward to this book; stuff like the subject matter is very interesting to me. I like to cite the Milgram experiment when I'm talking to friends about human behavior. I assume you're going to include Zimbardo's Prison Experiment too, right? That's really one for the ages!
Boo is an awesome choice for your backup and I am sure things will go well for both of you while you are writing. No worries Boo... you are more than capable of handling the task *hugs*
This website is one of the most interesting I have ever visited on my journeys through the world wide (weird) web and quite frankly I am grateful for the competent support and interesting content brought by the people who are involved with the function of this site (I.E. admins/mods/) as well as the frequent "regulars" who add insightful (or just drop dead funny) comments about those subject.
And what happened to those kids when they actually DID bring out those hard tube candies that worked like whistles? Bet that really did their heads in . . .
PS NIce to see another Kiwi in here too 😊
Congrats on the book offer, Alex. I'm looking forawrd to it.
Eh, will there be English subtitles?
is looking forward to reading it. Sylvia
And even though I'm not registered with the forum (which I really should since I've been reading it for years), I've read enough to know that Boo will do a good job keeping up the site, so congratulations on that Boo.