Hypnosis: A Brief History crosses disciplinary boundaries to explain current advances and controversies surrounding the use of hypnosis through an exploration of the history of its development.

• examines the social and cultural contexts of the theories, development, and practice of hypnosis
• crosses disciplinary boundaries to explain current advances and controversies in hypnosis
• explores shifting beliefs about the nature of hypnosis
• investigates references to the apparent power of hypnosis over memory and personal identity

Judith Pintar is ahistorical sociologist whose work focuses on trauma and mental illness. She is a research associate in the Department of Sociology and the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has written numerous book chapters and articles and is the author of two books.

Steven Jay Lynn is a leading clinical psychologist and hypnosis expert. He is a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, and the author of 14 books and more than 250 articles and chapters. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Discovery Channel, and Science News.