| Truth About Uri Geller | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | James Randi |
| Publisher | Prometheus Books |
| Publication date | June 1982 |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 241 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-87975-199-1 |
| OCLC Number | 9164994 |
| Dewey Decimal | 133.8/092/4 19 |
| LC Classification | BF1283.G4 R35 1982 |
The Truth About Uri Geller, formerly known as The Magic of Uri Geller, is a 1982 book by magician and skeptic James Randi about alleged psychic Uri Geller. In this comprehensive biography Randi challenges Uri Geller's assertion that he performs paranormal feats. Randi explores Geller's background as a stage magician, and explains how Geller's spoon bending can be easily reproduced by any magician using sleight of hand.
In 1991 Geller filed a USD$15 million lawsuit against Randi and Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) over slander concerning Randi when he said Geller had "tricked even reputable scientists" with tricks that "are the kind that used to be on the back of cereal boxes when I was a kid".[1] The court found against Geller, who eventually settled the case at a cost of $120,000.[1] In April 1992 Geller sued the Prometheus Books in Miami, Florida for $4 million alleging libel made in two other books.[2] This was thrown out in 1994 and the judge ordered Geller to pay $20,272.89 in legal fees.[2]
In February 1992, Geller sued Randi, Prometheus and local book distributors in London, England for libel concerning The Magic of Uri Geller.[3] The lawsuit centered on the sentence: "He began his career as a stage magician in Israel where he was once arrested for claiming his feats were performed with psychic power."[3] Randi commented in 1993, "My position is that I made an unintended factual error in misinterpreting the words 'brought to court' and 'guilty' as 'arrested,' and that this was done without malice or reckless disregard for the truth."[3] Geller lost this case as well and had to pay Randi's legal fees.[3] After Geller's three lawsuits, Randi "never paid even one dollar or even one cent to anyone who ever sued me, and certainly not to Geller".[4]