Revised 2016. This book reveals many less well known aspects of Erickson, including his colour blindness (and it’s relevance). Erickson himself claimed to be only able to distinguish one colour, purple. Hence the colour of the cover of the original edition of this book, reproduced as in its first full publication with only minor re-formatting and adjustments, as is the text. But the book contains no “purple prose”, only clearly written, straightforward discussion of Erickson’s work, and “plain speaking” quotes from Erickson himself. Warning, some of Erickson’s less well known statements, cited in this book, are not, in the present day expression, “Safe for Work”!

Erickson is, of course, a towering figure in the history of hypnotism and long after his death, a pervading influence upon popular discussion of the topic. Many base their ideas, work, enterprise in “hypnosis” on Erickson’s example. Not least the industry of “NLP”. But this book explains why Erickson was, on the one hand, a brilliant original and yet at the same time a figure of contention.

How much of Erickson’s work actually sustains scrutiny? How many of his claims are supported by actual evidence? What was the scientific status of his “experiments”? What were Erickson’s personality traits and their relevance to his work, not least his ethics? What were Erickson’s “true colours”?

Previous to this title, only one other author had dared to scrutinise Erickson’s behaviour, Jeffrey Masson in one chapter of his “Against Therapy”. In 2005 at the time of its original publication, “Beyond Erickson” was the first exacting critique of “The Emperor of Hypnosis”. this re-publication includes a new prefatory essay on the interpretation of neuroscience in relation to "hypnosis". The author combines scientific training (having been a graduate MBPsS with a BSc. degree in Psychology and trained in social analysis) with his extensive experience as a hypnotist from over two decades of professional operation as such.