Uri Geller - My Story. An Autobiography

This edition, published in 1976 by The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, is issued by arrangement with Robson Books Limited THE COMPANION BOOK CLUB

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This book is dedicated to those who have worked, contributed, and loved for the past two-and-a-half years, and especially to my mother and father who devoted all their efforts and energies to bringing me up into something so unbelievable and so unknown Lyrics from The Day (pp. 58-59), Mood (pp. 61-63), and I Cannot Answer You (pp. 245-6), are all copyright 1974 by Kadima Productions, Inc., and are reproduced by permission of Kadima Productions, Inc.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people have helped me as I was writing my book and otherwise. I thank you: Robert and Kirsten Abel, Charles Anderson, Mark and Dianne Anderson, Bob Banker, Robert and Stephanie Barrat, Dr Edward Bastin, Dr David Bohm, Jim Bolen, Bryce Bond, Dr Dean Brown, Sara Bursak, Eldon Byrd, Jean Byrd, Elizabeth Cater, Zmira Chen, Solveig Clark and her family, Bart Cox, James and Brenda Crenshaw, Iris Davidesco, David Dimbleby, Arnold Dolin, Sir Val Duncan, Peter and Anita Edler, Moshe Farkash, Dr Wilbur Franklin, Lu Fenton, John G. Fuller, Margaret Geller, Tibor and Eva Geller, Ingrid Goldberg, Vicki Golden, Felice Gordon, Merv Griffin, Dr John Hasted, Ron and Nancy Hawke, Peter Hielscher, Jim and Desiree Mazel Hurtak, Brian Inglis, Byron and Maria Janis, Stefan Janis, Joker, Joselito and Joseline Jacinto, Nancy Kahan, Yasha Katz, Betty Kenworthy, Kasey Kirby, Ephraim Kishon, Rae Knight, Ed Koster, Benjamin and Anita Levi, Goddard and Brigitta Lieberson, Larry and Gloria Lighter, Michael Magzis, Ron and Carmen Markham, Jean Mayo, Kevin McCormick, Capt. Edgar Mitchell and Anita, Richard Moore, Gianna Morello, Del Newman, Maxine Nightingale, Dr Glenn Olds and Eva, Brendan ORegan, Charles Panati, Gidon and Lea Peleg, Dr Ralph Pelligra, Hagai and Ruth Pinsker, Dr Andrija Puharich, Dr Harold and Adrienne Puthoff, David and Sue Richardson, Piri Rosner, Amnon and Roni Rubinstein, Lo Sachs, Dr Louis and Edna Shenkman, Dr Michael and Ralla Shenkman, Don Scheuch, Werner Schmid and Brothers, Ioav Shacham, Shipi Shtrang, Arie, Hava and Hanna Shtrang, Soshi and Iaakov Shtrang, Bob and Judy Skutch, Ray and Mary Kathryn Stanford, Robert Stigwood, George Swanson, John and Anna Swanson, Mother Swanson, Russell and Joan Targ, Prof. John Taylor, Telos and Venus, John and Sue Tishman, Melanie Toyofuku, Werner Triepke, Tzuki, Charles Van Doren, Trina and Frida Vatter and their family, Lyall Watson, Dr Paul and Maudine Wheeler, Bill Whitehead, Bob Williamson, Dolly and Kelly Williamson, Priscilla Williamson, C. V. and Joanne Wood, Jun I Chi Yaoi, Jimmy Young, Ila Zibell.

To all detractors and sceptics, I give love.

U ri G eller

February, 1975

when I went into the tiny BBC radio studio to be interviewed on the Jimmy Young Show that November morning in 1973, I wasnt prepared for what was going to happen. I was ready for something, but nothing as big and as mind-blowing as what followed. I liked Jimmy Young. He was a beautiful person, I knew right away, very warm and friendly. I usually can tell immediately whether Im going to like a person. Jimmy made me feel right at home, which was good because I was a little nervous, as I usually am when I go before an audience.

The Jimmy Young Show has a large radio audience. It reaches all over England, up into Scotland, and to Ireland, and Im sure hes very popular with his listeners. The audience reaction that followed proved that.

Jimmy began with the usual questions. He asked when I had first found out that I was able to bend keys, nails or other metal objects just by touching them lightly and when I had learned I could start up a watch or clock that hadnt run for years. I said I had noticed these things way back in my first years in school, much to the surprise of my classmates, teachers, parentsand myself. In fact, I am still surprised, and have a sense of wonder when these things happen.

Then he asked me if I would demonstrate for him. Of course I had agreed to try before I went on the show. Jimmy took a thick Yale key from his pocket and put it down in front of me. I did what I usually do, laying my hand over the key and wishing it to bend. Jimmy was watching carefully, and by this time the engineers in the control room were peeping through their window. Everybody was expectant and excited. I continued to be a little nervous myself, because sometimes these demonstrations do not work, which is very embarrassing for me. I am confident that they will work most of the time, but there is still that chance that they wont.

Just as I started to put my hand over the key, I remembered the events of a radio broadcast in Texas a few months before, which even I had trouble believing. I had taped a show there, and it went on the air several days after I had left. On that show, I had done the usual demonstration of bending keys and nails, while the commentator described what was happening. What happens is very simple but also very startling. The key begins to bend slowly as I either rub it lightly with my fingers or hold my hand over it. Then it continues bending after I take my hand away. Sometimes it bends only slightly and stops. Other times, it continues up to a 45-degree angle, or even to a right angle. Sometimes it will seem to melt, without heat, and half the key will drop off. Im never sure myself what a key will do.

After the taped interview had been played on the air in Texas, I had received a signed affidavit from three employees of the Texas Attorney Generals Office. An attorney there had suggested to three women employees that they listen to the broadcast and, just for fun, that they put some metal objects on the table in the records room there, and concentrate on them. To the surprise of everyone, as their affidavit reported, a spoon handle bent to about 45 degrees, a door key completely broke in half, and a large paper clip vanished. I know how unbelievable this sounds, but their affidavit is real, and there apparently was no motive for them to make the story up. They would hardly gain anything from it. What puzzled me most was that this was a delayed broadcast, and I had already left Texas when it went on the air.

As I sat in the BBC studio in London four months later and concentrated on the key Jimmy Young had given me to bend, this story came back to me. It must have been that memory that prompted me to suggest that people listening in their homes might concentrate on their keysor spoons or forks and see what happened. The words just seemed to slip out. And then I added: If there are any broken watches in your house, please concentrate on them and try to make them work. Just take them in your hand and concentrate on them.

Just about this time I took my hand away from Jimmy Youngs key. It was starting to bend, and it continued to do so. As we watched, he was so startled that he almost shouted: Its bending right in front of me. I cant believe it! The key was bending, as I had seen happen so many times before. His words, intense and excited, were being broadcast live all through England, Scotland, and Ireland. We continued talking, and I continued demonstrating.