5 comments about Art and Artifice: And Other Essays of Illusion.

1. I have just finished reading "Hiding the Elephant" by the same author and was disappointed to find a lot of the stories repeated. "Hiding the Elephant" is a superior book so I'd buy that and forget about this one.



2. The famous magician team Penn and Teller know that a good magic trick does not always depend on fooling the audience. Some of their tricks they do and show exactly how the trick works so the audience can follow along and appreciate not just the mechanics of the trick but also the stage artistry. It wouldn't be much fun if they did this for every trick, but in small doses, their demonstrations heighten the enjoyment of the audience by showing just how clever the workings of a specific trick can be. I think this is the right way to approach also _Art & Artifice and Other Essays on Illusion: Concerning the Inventors, Traditions, Evolution, & Rediscovery of Stage Magic_ (Carroll & Graf) by Jim Steinmeyer. The book is newly re-released after being out of print, and after Steinmeyer's success with other magic-themed books like _The Glorious Deception_ and _Hiding the Elephant_. Steinmeyer is himself a magician, and a designer of magical tricks used by others, so his writing on this subject is authoritative. There has been some backlash from magicians who feel that he is giving away secrets still being used on the stage, but though he does explain in print some specific effects and their histories, the explanations are nothing like seeing the trick itself. In fact, though I read some of the explanations a couple of times, and looked at the diagrams he has given, I realized how much I wanted to see the actual trick, and how much more I would enjoy seeing the effect not despite but because of knowing its mechanics.
   
   The five essays here describe the interwoven lives of some famous and some relatively unknown magicians in pursuit of illusion. The first tells the performance history of the American magician and theatrical illusionist Steele MacKaye, whose tragic failure of a huge auditorium at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair was due to his simple disregard for the practicalities of getting the job done. Then there is the history of "The Moth in the Spotlight", a classic illusion devised by David Devant in 1905, and recreated by Steinmeyer for the 1982 Broadway musical _Merlin_ with Doug Henning. The recreation not only required special hardware, but in every performance the actions of five people, two above stage and three below, had to be perfectly synchronized to make the Moth disappear. Steinmeyer says, "The secret was every bit as wonderful as the result on stage, and maybe even more wonderful." It would be fun to be able to compare. One chapter is the wonderful history of the classic trick "Sawing a Woman in Half", which I was surprised to find had been invented by one man, the British illusionist P. T. Selbit who introduced it in 1921. It was a sensation, immediately copied and sent worldwide by rival troupes. The final two chapters of this entertaining book are both titled "Mister Morritt's Donkey", with the first being "In Theory" and the second "In Practice". Charles Morritt created many memorable illusions, with the Disappearing Donkey under examination here. In examining Morritt's illusion, it is clear that "it's all done with mirrors" is much too dismissive an explanation. Using mirrors, Morritt got results "... nothing short of alchemy." After much research, Steinmeyer brought the illusion to life again, before the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History in 1995. Tracking down the secret and making it work read like a detective novel with plenty of clues and red herrings (and broken mirrors) along the way.
   
   _Art and Artifice_ is a lovely book that explains some tricks, but more importantly explains what it is magicians do, and why we love to be fooled by them. Anyone looking here for a quick explanation of "How did they do that?" will be disappointed; the explanations are here, but they are thoughtful and full of anecdotes of magic history and magicians with oversized personalities. "How did they do that?" proves to have fascinating answers that go well beyond the magician's bag of tricks.



3. Jim Steinmeyer is one of the best and most lucid of writers on conjuring and magic. This book of essays takes you backstage to learn what goes on in the minds of those who conceive and execute the unexplainable that is seen on stage. It's not so important for the secrets it reveals as it is in going one step further to show how the secrets are invented. It's like taking a walk backstage at a magic show with an incredibly well informed tour guide.



4. I don't recall how I found out about Jim Steinmeyer -- it was an off-hand mention on the web somewhere crediting him with inventing David Copperfield's vanish of the Statue of Liberty. So I did a bit of reading on him, and picked up a few of his books. This was the first one I read of his.
   
   There's 5 essays in the book. The first one was a little slow going, but I am happy I stuck with it because the last two essays are just great.
   
   Steinmeyer has a keen interest in the history of magic. He illustrates magic's relation to theatre and how it was initially woven into theatrical tableaus. I'm in the midst of reading "Hiding the Elephant" so I'm not sure if it was in this book or that one where he quoted someone as "I am not so much a magician as I am an actor who is playing a magician." That's just great.
   
   The last two essays concern Steinmeyer's quest to decipher the secret to a trick whose secret was never written down, and his attempt to recreate it. Really entertaining.



5. This is a reissue of a collection of five Steinmeyer essays about illusion originally published in 1998 which contains some overlap with his more recent books, Vanishing the Elephant and The Glorious Deception. This book is less polished and comprehensive, but is still quite interesting and well-documented, as those other two books are.
   
   The first of the five essays discusses Steel MacKaye, John Nevil Maskelyne, and David Devant, the latter two of which are familiar to readers of Steinmeyer's other books. The essay is about the use of illusion in a grand scale on the theater stage, where MacKaye had some of the grandest ideas. The bulk of the essay is about MacKaye's desire to build "The Spectatorium," a special theater seating 12,000 that included a miniature ocean on which 3/4 scale ships could sail to show the story of Columbus' discovery of the New World. This was intended to be built for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but it ran overbudget and behind schedule, and was never completed.
   
   The second essay is about David Devant's "The Mascot Moth," and Steinmeyer's recreation of the illusion for Doug Henning's "Merlin" show--also familiar to those who have read Steinmeyer's other works.
   
   The third essay is about the history and development of the "sawing a lady in half" illusion, and its relation to Grand Guignol. The fourth and fifth essays are about Steinmeyer's rediscovery and reproduction of Morritt's Disappearing Donkey illusion, a topic also familiar to readers of Vanishing an Elephant.
   
   This isn't an essential purchase for those who have read Steinmeyer's other books--it's not as satisfying a work as the other two masterful books I've mentioned. It is, however, something that does stand on its own and is well worth reading for those interested in the history of magic.

5 comments about Magic and Showmanship: A Handbook for Conjurers.

1. I have been a professional magician for the better part of 32 years. When I first started into magic full time, this was one of the books that I read and re-read thoroughly. It gave me real insight into how to create a consistent character and how to THINK about magic when I was doing magic.

   I fully believe that most people who have purchased this book have never read it. If they had, there would be more really excellent magicians in the world. But you can tell the ones who have read it and who understand it, because their magic is consistent, convincing and natural.

   If you want to do good magic, buy this book and read it. It will tell you how to think, speak and act when you are performing. And it will give you some material that is not too difficult, but has very great impact upon an audience. And don't worry about performing that material in front of someone else who has purchased this book. He probably hasn't read it anyway! If he has, he won't tell the secrets!

   Bill Palmer, MIMC
   Merlin the Magician of the Texas Renaissance Festival




2. To many magicians don't know how to behave on stage properly. This work gives them the tools and ideas they need to be able to learn how to carry themselves on stage like a professional. Not just a professional magician, but a professional actor.
   
   Very important skills for any magician to have and this should be on their reading list.
   
   Tim "Santiago" Converse
   Enter a World of Elegant Magic
   Santiago's Magic



3. I honestly expected more from this book. It's not a bad book, but i found it a little bit boring.



4. Magic & Showmanship was recommended by Henry Hay (Author of "The Amateur Magician's Handbook",). You need Hay's book in your magic libray as well as M & S, by H. Nelms. Mr. Nelms teaches tricks, but they are only there to highlight the real secret of performing magic. He teaches you how to act and think like a magician. Of great benefit is his instruction on using a "silent script". He also provides excellent advice on costuming, stage craft, involving the audience and even posture to make your performance memorable. The book is challenging, but worth the effort. If you really care about performing, buy this book.



5. This book should be one of the books that are read and referred to in every magicians library.
   The showmanship chapters of this book are sure to increase the quality of any stage and personal performance.
   I highly recommend this book to those who seek a profession in this area.
   Lawrence O'Leary

5 comments about Scarne on Card Tricks.

1. John Scarne is today perhaps best remembered as a leading authority on gambling scams and card cheats. However, in his prime, he was one of the best magicians in America. In the late 40s, as stated in the Introduction, Scarne decided to gather for magicians a set of card tricks involving no sleight-of-hand. The result is "Scarne on Card Tricks". The 155 effects in the book range from quick tricks and puzzlers to more elaborate card demonstrations. All of the effects are attributed to either the originator of the effect or to a magician who used the effect frequently. The book clearly bears Scarne's unique genius not only in the selection and variety of effects, but in Scarne's improvements of the original effects. There is no doubt that anyone can put together a most entertaining routine with the material in this book. Two words of caution. First, the copyright of the book is 1950 and so some of the patter is clearly dated and needs to be revised for contemporary audiences. (Patter is the words or story that accompany the effect.) Second, because the effects are easy to do when practiced, there is a tendency to perform the effects before fully thought out. For every hour learning the basic effect itself, two hours should be spent on how to present it in an entertaining and interesting manner. The book itself, however, remains one of the very best in card magic. Scarne's work clearly stands the test of time. Frankly, the book is a steal at the published price. I bought two copies because I knew I'd wear one book out. I did. The book is that useful.



2. This is the definitive collection of non sleight-of-hand (you don't have to be quick with your hands) card tricks. I bought my first paperback copy in 1974 when I was still a schoolboy. Some of the tricks are easy but astounding, such that I've memorised two of them and have amazed my friends over the years until now. Since then, there hasn't been any other card trick manual that can beat this one, to the best of my knowledge.



3. Many magicians own the Classic book "Scarne on Card Tricks." But it is said if you want to keep a trick a secret, put it in print! Most of what's in Scarne on Card Tricks is no doubt a complete mystery to most laymen--and many magicians! Its a great book for the card beginner.

   On the other hand, there's a lot of boring and tedious count-down stuff in there as well.

   The book is BIG--over 300 pages of carefully detailed effects. It can be a little overwhelming to someone the first time he picks it up. How do you separate the wheat from the chaff?

   Best, in my view, are the tricks that can be done TOTALLY impromptu, with very little or no stacking, when a deck is shoved into your hands and somebody says "Do a trick!".

   Here are some of the effects that I have judged to be best, based on the above criteria:

   The Upside down Deck by Francis Carlyle
   Hit the Deck
   Scarne's Follow the Leader
   Cardini's Color Discernment
   Card on the Ceiling
   Card through the Handkerchief

   Of course, You Do as I Do is also a classic, though it is fairly well known among magicians.

   In short, a little work digging out the best tricks will make you a true card magician in most people's eyes, with enough practice and performing experience.




4. The book arrived fast & in great shape. My nephew loves it! He loves it so much that he had to have the Scarne book on magic.



5. I can only rate the service of the delivery and the accuracy of the description of the book. I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

5 comments about Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear.

1. This is a fun and easy read. Probably nothing new for serious fans of the history of magic but it is a good summary of the lives of some very special people in an interesting sub-culture.
   
   For those buying the book to discover magical secrets, they will learn little other than the truth of the cliche that magic is all smoke and mirrors.



2. Fortunately I am as this is no laymen's book. I quite enjoyed it and found it full of the fragmented tidbits of information I am so fond of. A little technical at times - I was far more interested in some of the stories then in precise line drawings or sketches, though Steinmeyer is skilled at taking complex principles and breaking them down into simple line drawings. I wish it had been a bit more chatty but am glad i read it.



3. The author, Steinmeyer, amazes and delights along with the top magicians who appear in this book. I never had any interest in magic until my grandson, then 11, became interested. He's now a member of the Society of Young Magicians. Now, having some insight into the creativity behind illusions, and the stage presense required to create them, I appreciate and enjoy the illusions much more. This book is a delightful read. It's well organized and beautifully written. Woven through all are the personalities of some of the best magicians who worked in England and the US in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. Steinmeyer follows the development of certain kinds of illusions from early ideas, to later and more spectacular versions. The illustrations are helpful, and there's a nice photo section.
   
   Seeing how incredibly precise and creative these entertainers were makes this a fascinating book. I highly recommend it. Even if you've never had much interest in magical illusions, this is simply a good read.



4. This is probably my favorite nonfiction book ever. Not being a magician or otherwise a part of the magic community, I'd never thought about the history of stage magic. Steinmeyer lays it all out, the people who made magic what it is today and how their careers and rivalries interlinked, with a tone that's readable and engaging. I couldn't put it down and after reading it I have much more appreciation for the art of illusion.



5. I loved Steinmeyer's The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo, the Marvelous Chinese Conjurer and so was looking forward to reading this book. It did not disappoint. Steinmeyer brings alive the excitement of magic from the turn of the century, the early innovations and the amazing characters who performed these tricks and illusions and brought them to life. Mixed in with the stories, the history, the secrets, and the magic is Steinmeyer's view that the way the tricks were performed was more important than the secrets behind them, and yet figuring out the secrets and the way they evolved has a thrill all its own. A wonderful read from cover to cover that brings new light to an amazing piece of history and magic.

5 comments about Self-Working Card Tricks (Cards, Coins, and Other Magic).

1. The book is well written. Explanations are really good but, the tricks are for BEGINNER! Some of them are so evident that I wouldn't even do them in front of my 6 years old nephew. But still, you have some (maybe 2 or 3) good tricks. So for the price, it's still good if you want to get into card tricks.



2. THIS IS THE MAGIC CARD TRICK BOOK TO GET!!! I have had this book for a couple weeks now, and I LOVE the tricks! All the tricks are easy to do, you just have to follow the directions in the trick you are doing and it works out great! There are tons of different types of tricks, including a few tricks to do on two people at one time which I love. If you are a beginner this is DEFIANTLY the book I recommend for you.
   
   On the other hand, if you are looking to build up your skill with sly cuts, shuffles, ect. This is not the book for you. But, If you want to learn fun, easy, card tricks this is the book to get!!
   
   I have been doing the card tricks I have gotten out of this book along with tricks from "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MAGIC ( which is a great book, has great instructions, photos and coin, rope, card, string magic ) and the tricks are great. I do tricks to my whole family, my cousins, my aunt, my friends, everybody and everybody loves them and are amazed!!
   
   THIS IS DEFIANTLY THE BOOK TO GET!!! 10 OUT OF 10!!



3. Karl Fulves has been putting out these kinds of books for what seems like an eternity. They are good books for kids and even a skilled performer can pull some good material from these books.
   [...]



4. Got this book for my 11 years old son and figured out that descriptions for the tricks a little to complicated and not illustrated enough. The Klutz would be a better recommendation.



5. This was a last minute gift for my son for Christmas..not only did the book get to me in time for Christmas but my son loved it and has a new trick to show me almost everyday!! Great buy!

5 comments about Klutz Book of Magic (Klutz).

1. This book was very helpful. It contains a total of 31 tricks, 10 or 11 of which are actually worth it. This book however does come with one of the best gaggets you need as a magician, this gagget will help you dissapear hankercheifs and etc. when you show themm to an audience. A good book for the begining magician.



2. This is for an 8 yr. old. His birthday is not until Nov. This is a special surprise for him. He loves watching magic tricks. Now he can do his own! Thank you,the book is easy to read and good tricks for him to do!



3. I just became interested in doing magic and this book was absolutely fabulous. Some really great basics and some cool stuff that is unique and very appropriate for beginning magicians. The explanations were clear and I love that it came with the props I needed. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves magic. I have friends who have been doing magic for years and still find this book fun.



4. The Klutz Book of Magic (Klutz)
   
   Klutz makes great products an this is no exception. My son has gotten hours of enjoyment so far A+



5. klutz books are great- they are the easiest way that I have found to learn cool things fast! I bought this for my brother in law and my niece- she wanted a "talent" and I thought it would be a good "bonding" exercise. They tell me they like it. I also got them another klutz book which they tell me they like. I have the harmonica book for myself!

5 comments about Practical Mental Magic.

1. This is a great book on magic, but it is absolutely not for beginners. I can't do any of this stuff. My good friend is a magician and he loves it.



2. One of the great classic texts, but don't get the idea that you're going to be doing the effects in the book five minutes after you pick this gem up. More important for the principles they use and show, and some effects and not logically or easily done in the drawing rooms of today!



3. I was disappointed in this book after having read so many glowing reviews. I was surprised to discover that it was written in 1944. The archaic language is a bit distracting, the hand-drawn illustrations look very dated, and there is too much use of words where clear diagrams would have been better. A picture is worth a thousand words, and you can double that amount of words if the prose is written in such an old style. I wasn't even able to understand what the writer was trying to say in a lot of cases. I don't recommend this book for beginners.



4. If you are looking for a book full of quick mental magic gags, this isn't very good. All the tricks in this book require either A) Advanced skills in slight of hand (palming, quick switches, etc) or B) A gimmicked apparatus. It isn't as easy as amazing your buddies at a party with some mind reading tricks. These are for more advanced magicians. It was also written in 1944.
   
   That being said, it is a very interesting look into how some of this stuff is (or was) accomplished. I have seen several of these tricks used before and wondered how they were pulled off, now I know.
   
   If you are a magician with basic skills in slight of hand, palming, and switching, then you will probably find some cool additions to your performance here.
   
   If you are looking for some basic stuff to baffle your friends with, this is not the right book for you.



5. I had read recommendations saying that these tricks were easy to do -- and perhaps they are, if you're a wonder at sleight of hand and enjoy lots of preparing and folding and concealing and slipping things into secret panels and misdirecting and spouting old-timey magic act patter.
   
   Most of the gimmicks are stagey and involve special props, so it's not just something you could do spontaneously. The steps are too involved and tedious for me. The font, verbiage and illustrations are very 1950s. ...Just checked the original copyright: 1944 -- and it looks like nothing's been updated since then. For example, the very first chapter is titled "Effects with Billets and Pellets"... what and what?! Whatever it is, it involves a lot of paper-folding and switching. Just not what I thought at all -- I was hoping for really straightforward cool, easy tricks.

5 comments about The Expert at the Card Table: The Classic Treatise on Card Manipulation.

1. The book helped me in understanding the basic moves and other subtleties in card manip... Knowing the purpose of each of the moves is worth it.



2. The tips and strategies in this book were extremely helpful. Now whenever I play with my friends or illegal poker rooms, I always win! Just don't try any of these strategies at the Bellagio.



3. Some book are just required. As a professional magician this book is absolutely a must have in my collection. The material is sometimes difficult to understand, but if you are truly serious about it, then you will get through it and the rewards for your performance skills are practically endless.
   [...]



4. I am fairly new to card magic / artifice / subterfuge and this book was great. I find his way of explaining hand positions superior to that of Hugard and Braue's material. I also enjoy the way he writes far more... The introduction alone is worth the price. The techniques are great because one doesn't have to rely on diversion, most of the sleights can be pulled off with the spectator's eyes directly on the pack.



5. I bought this book as a gift for my brother, expecting him to learn a few showy tricks to impress me with. However, he told me later that basically the whole book was about cheating. He wasn't really interested by that, and the book is still sitting on a shelf at my house. I wish I'd been better informed about what kind of tricks were in the book.

5 comments about Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic.

1. AMAZING BOOK. If you are a David Blaine fan it is a must have. I will keep this review short. He goes into the history of magic, explaining the lifes of many famous magicians. He tells his own story from his childhood to his stunt Frozan in Time. He also explains how he first started in magic to where he is now. He explains a couple of card tricks, which is nice. He explains Buried Alive, Frozen in Time, and Vertigo. All I have to say is the book is amazing, and after I read this book the magic really got into me and I have started practicing and learning magic.



2. Excellent book, highly recommended. A mix of magic history, biography and tricks. Won't be dissapointed.



3. Very cool book, a good buy at a great price
   David Blaine is very interesting



4. super interesting book, nice jurney in David Blaine mind,and his magik, he is defenatly special



5. This book was ok. I felt it was really written for young fans who might want to follow his footsteps. There is a bit of history here, as if to show Blaine is respectful of the past masters and not cocky. Not completely dull, I remember he does give a least one simple trick as a bone, but not extremly compelling - perhaps that is part of the point, the craft is not all glamour and is laden with repetitive training & hard work. Try to get it at the public library unless you are a fanatic about this guy.

5 comments about The Royal Road to Card Magic.

1. This book is great for learning different card handling and shuffling techniques, however it can be a little tuff to follow sometimes. If you dont already have a basic understanding of how to handle cards you might want to start with a video first. It's usually a bit easier to learn when you can actually see whats going on. A side from all that, this is a really good book.



2. This is the best book to start in card magic. Small, easy to follow, full of information. After you read this book, you will be able to understand the description of most tricks to learn, and also, you will surprise yourself figuring out tricks just to look at someone performing it. If you want to be a professional magician (not my case at all) you'll have to read a lot more, but, this book will be always a good reference.
   
   I recommend after finishing reading RRTCM, move to Expert Card Technique written by the same authors.



3. This is a truly wonderful book. I can't think of a better one for Card magic. It explains the different sleights, and has excellent routines to use them. It does assume one has a basic understanding of Card magic, so I suppose someone starting out who has no background could find it frustrating. It's not the best book for a rank beginner, but for someone who has some knowledge of the basics, I think it's terrific.



4. This book is designed to teach the reader how to perform a wide variety of basic sleight-of-hand card tricks. The sleights themselves are classics; I think that knowing basic sleight of hand is fundamental for performing really impressive card magic, and this book contains all of the groundwork you will need. The book includes information on the overhand shuffle, the riffle shuffle, the glimpse, the palm, the double lift, the pass, and much more.
   
   The explanations of the sleights are quite detailed. This allows the reader to pick up fine points and refine the techniques.
   
   That said, I think this book has some important deficiencies. (1) Many of the moves are not illustrated at all. It's very difficult to learn some sleight of hand moves with just a verbal description. More pictures would be tremendously helpful. (2) While the book contains many great tricks, especially towards the end, it also includes a number of dull ones. I personally hate any card trick that involves spelling (i.e., you count cards out as you spell some word, and the last card counted out is the chosen one), and this book includes plenty of those. Still, if you select tricks carefully from the book, you will end up with some astonishing routines.
   
   One warning, though: sleight-of-hand magic requires a LOT of practice. If you're interested in picking up a new magic trick in five minutes, this is not the book for you! If, however, you would like to learn really deceptive card tricks - tricks that the average spectator will really be stunned by - and you are willing to devote time to daily practice, then this book is a fine option.



5. The basic treatise on card magic. Though somewhat outdated, this is still the fundamental course on card sleights. Pretty good tricks in here too. Sound learning principles: learn sleight, learn tricks using the sleight, only then move on to next sleight. As this is inexpensive every magician ought to have this in his library, if only as a reference work.