Author: Edwin Alfred Dawes
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
The Great Illusionists
Author: Edwin Alfred Dawes
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
The Great Illusionists
Author: Derek Tait
Publisher: Grub Street Publishers
ISBN: 1473890780
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 249
Book Description
Houdini and beyond: a historic magical mystery tour of the great showmen who inspired the likes of David Blaine, Penn & Teller, and Siegfried & Roy. Today, Harry Houdini stands as the most famous illusionist and escape artist in history. But from the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century, magicians and escapologists who inspired—and were inspired by—Houdini packed vaudeville houses and local theaters across the globe. The Great Illusionists reveals the careers, lives, and sometimes shocking on-stage deaths of the greatest showmen to ever wow the world. In addition to the astounding accomplishments of Houdini, marvel at the feats of Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, the “Father of Modern Conjuring”; the Davenport Brothers, music hall mediums and devotees of the Spiritualist movement; the “Dean of American Magicians” Harry Kellar; master illusionists, the Great Raymond, David Devant, the Great Lafayette, and Chung Ling Soo; the novelty performances of The Human Fly and Datas, “The Living Encyclopedia”; and many more. From vanishing acts and public seances to harrowing bullet-tricks and psychic wizardry, The Great Illusionists brings to life a unique history of entertainment.
Publisher: Grub Street Publishers
ISBN: 1473890780
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 249
Book Description
Houdini and beyond: a historic magical mystery tour of the great showmen who inspired the likes of David Blaine, Penn & Teller, and Siegfried & Roy. Today, Harry Houdini stands as the most famous illusionist and escape artist in history. But from the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century, magicians and escapologists who inspired—and were inspired by—Houdini packed vaudeville houses and local theaters across the globe. The Great Illusionists reveals the careers, lives, and sometimes shocking on-stage deaths of the greatest showmen to ever wow the world. In addition to the astounding accomplishments of Houdini, marvel at the feats of Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, the “Father of Modern Conjuring”; the Davenport Brothers, music hall mediums and devotees of the Spiritualist movement; the “Dean of American Magicians” Harry Kellar; master illusionists, the Great Raymond, David Devant, the Great Lafayette, and Chung Ling Soo; the novelty performances of The Human Fly and Datas, “The Living Encyclopedia”; and many more. From vanishing acts and public seances to harrowing bullet-tricks and psychic wizardry, The Great Illusionists brings to life a unique history of entertainment.
The Illusionists
Author: Rosie Thomas
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1468309919
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
“Beneath this buoyant tale of down-market entertainers in Victorian London rumbles a heavyweight novel . . . Intricate and thrilling” (The New York Times). A young, beautiful woman of limited means, Eliza is modern before her time. Not for her the stifling—if respectable—conventionality of marriage, children, domestic drudgery. She longs for more. Through her work as an artist’s model, she meets the magnetic and irascible Devil—a born showman whose dream is to run his own theater company. Devil’s right-hand man is the improbably named Carlo Boldoni, an ill-tempered dwarf with an enormous talent for all things magic and illusion. Carlo and Devil clash at every opportunity and it constantly falls upon Eliza to broker an uneasy peace between them. And then there is Jasper Button. Mild-mannered and a family man at heart, it is his gift as an artist that makes him the unlikely final member of the motley crew. Thrown together by a twist of fate, their lives are inextricably linked: The fortune of one depends on the fortune of the other. And as Eliza gets sucked into the seductive and dangerous world her strange companions inhabit, she risks not only her heart, but also her life, which is soon thrown into peril. “Love, seduction, magic and illusion collide . . . A spellbinding journey through an extremely shadowy world.” —Daily Express “A brilliant Gothic mix of glitter and grime.” —Daily Mail “Thomas’s sprawling follow-up to The Kashmir Shawl . . . A story of a theater company, a thriller, and, most successfully, a portrait of a woman trying to create an equal partnership with a man.” —Publishers Weekly
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1468309919
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
“Beneath this buoyant tale of down-market entertainers in Victorian London rumbles a heavyweight novel . . . Intricate and thrilling” (The New York Times). A young, beautiful woman of limited means, Eliza is modern before her time. Not for her the stifling—if respectable—conventionality of marriage, children, domestic drudgery. She longs for more. Through her work as an artist’s model, she meets the magnetic and irascible Devil—a born showman whose dream is to run his own theater company. Devil’s right-hand man is the improbably named Carlo Boldoni, an ill-tempered dwarf with an enormous talent for all things magic and illusion. Carlo and Devil clash at every opportunity and it constantly falls upon Eliza to broker an uneasy peace between them. And then there is Jasper Button. Mild-mannered and a family man at heart, it is his gift as an artist that makes him the unlikely final member of the motley crew. Thrown together by a twist of fate, their lives are inextricably linked: The fortune of one depends on the fortune of the other. And as Eliza gets sucked into the seductive and dangerous world her strange companions inhabit, she risks not only her heart, but also her life, which is soon thrown into peril. “Love, seduction, magic and illusion collide . . . A spellbinding journey through an extremely shadowy world.” —Daily Express “A brilliant Gothic mix of glitter and grime.” —Daily Mail “Thomas’s sprawling follow-up to The Kashmir Shawl . . . A story of a theater company, a thriller, and, most successfully, a portrait of a woman trying to create an equal partnership with a man.” —Publishers Weekly
The Last Greatest Magician in the World
Author: Jim Steinmeyer
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101486341
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 375
Book Description
Here is the seminal biography of the magician's magician, Howard Thurston, a man who surpassed Houdini in the eyes of showmen and fans and set the standard fro how stage magic is performed today. Everyone knows Houdini-but who was Thurston? In this rich, vivid biography of the "greatest magician in the world," celebrated historian of stage magic Jim Steinmeyer captures the career and controversies of the wonder-worker extraordinaire, Howard Thurston. The public's fickleness over magicians has left Thurston all but forgotten today. Yet Steinmeyer shows how his story is one of the most remarkable in show business. During his life, from 1869 to 1936, Thurston successfully navigated the most dramatic changes in entertainment-from street performances to sideshows to wagon tours through America's still-wild West to stage magic amid the glitter of grand theaters. Thurston became one of America's most renowned vaudeville stars, boldly performing an act with just a handful of playing cards, and then had the foresight to leave vaudeville, expanding his show into an extravaganza with more than forty tons of apparatusand costumes. His touring production was an American institution for nearly thirty years, and Thurston earned a brand name equal to Ziegfeld or Ringling Brothers. Steinmeyer explores the stage and psychological rivalry between Thurston and Houdini during the first decades of the twentieth century- a contest that Thurston won. He won with a bigger show, a more successful reputation, and the title of America's greatest magician. In The Last Greatest Magician in the World, Thurston's magic show is revealed as the one that animates our collective memories.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101486341
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 375
Book Description
Here is the seminal biography of the magician's magician, Howard Thurston, a man who surpassed Houdini in the eyes of showmen and fans and set the standard fro how stage magic is performed today. Everyone knows Houdini-but who was Thurston? In this rich, vivid biography of the "greatest magician in the world," celebrated historian of stage magic Jim Steinmeyer captures the career and controversies of the wonder-worker extraordinaire, Howard Thurston. The public's fickleness over magicians has left Thurston all but forgotten today. Yet Steinmeyer shows how his story is one of the most remarkable in show business. During his life, from 1869 to 1936, Thurston successfully navigated the most dramatic changes in entertainment-from street performances to sideshows to wagon tours through America's still-wild West to stage magic amid the glitter of grand theaters. Thurston became one of America's most renowned vaudeville stars, boldly performing an act with just a handful of playing cards, and then had the foresight to leave vaudeville, expanding his show into an extravaganza with more than forty tons of apparatusand costumes. His touring production was an American institution for nearly thirty years, and Thurston earned a brand name equal to Ziegfeld or Ringling Brothers. Steinmeyer explores the stage and psychological rivalry between Thurston and Houdini during the first decades of the twentieth century- a contest that Thurston won. He won with a bigger show, a more successful reputation, and the title of America's greatest magician. In The Last Greatest Magician in the World, Thurston's magic show is revealed as the one that animates our collective memories.
David Copperfield's History of Magic
Author: David Copperfield
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1982112913
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
In this personal journey through a unique performing art, David Copperfield profiles some of the world's most groundbreaking magicians. From the sixteenth-century magistrate who wrote an early book on conjuring, to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her bare hands, David Copperfield's History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of some of the greatest magicians in history. The result is a sweeping tale that reveals how these astonishing performers were outsiders who used magic to escape class, challenge conventions, transform popular culture, explore the innermost workings of the human mind, and inspire scientific discovery. Their incredible stories are complemented by more than 100 never-before-seen photographs of artifacts from Copperfield's exclusive Museum of Magic, including a sixteenth-century manual on sleight-of-hand; Houdini's straitjackets, handcuffs, and water torture chamber; Dante's famous sawing-in-half apparatus; Alexander's high-tech turban that allowed him to read people's minds; and even some coins that may have magically passed through the hands of Abraham Lincoln. By the end of the book, you'll be sure to share Copperfield's passion for the power of magic. --
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1982112913
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
In this personal journey through a unique performing art, David Copperfield profiles some of the world's most groundbreaking magicians. From the sixteenth-century magistrate who wrote an early book on conjuring, to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her bare hands, David Copperfield's History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of some of the greatest magicians in history. The result is a sweeping tale that reveals how these astonishing performers were outsiders who used magic to escape class, challenge conventions, transform popular culture, explore the innermost workings of the human mind, and inspire scientific discovery. Their incredible stories are complemented by more than 100 never-before-seen photographs of artifacts from Copperfield's exclusive Museum of Magic, including a sixteenth-century manual on sleight-of-hand; Houdini's straitjackets, handcuffs, and water torture chamber; Dante's famous sawing-in-half apparatus; Alexander's high-tech turban that allowed him to read people's minds; and even some coins that may have magically passed through the hands of Abraham Lincoln. By the end of the book, you'll be sure to share Copperfield's passion for the power of magic. --
Marvelous Magicians
Author: Lydia Corry
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 050065221X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
A vibrantly illustrated and engaging introduction to the illusionists, both famous and lesser-known, who shaped modern magic. A great magician never reveals their secrets, but Marvelous Magicians reveals the names of eight groundbreaking illusionists, both famous and lesser-known, who shaped modern magic. Through a magical blend of biography, history, and illustration, this book spotlights an array of magicians, including one of the first female magicians, Adelaide Herrmann; African American illusionist Richard Potter, “The Handcuff King” Harry Houdini, and Houdin, Houdini’s namesake and inspiration. With two spectacular fold-out pages revealing the secret workings of the Automaton Chess Player and Howard Thurston’s dramatic transformation of an empty box into a world of wonders, this book examines the early history of magic, the eight magic effects on which all tricks are based, the necessary components of a magician’s toolbox, and the underrated role of the magician’s assistant. The book’s grand finale features advice on becoming a magician, an introduction to contemporary magicians from around the world, and an exploration of the hidden societies who have kept the secrets of illusions closely guarded for decades. Vibrantly illustrated and written in a theatrical style, Marvelous Magicians is the perfect book for aspiring magicians who want to know more about its history and the innovators who de ned it.
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 050065221X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
A vibrantly illustrated and engaging introduction to the illusionists, both famous and lesser-known, who shaped modern magic. A great magician never reveals their secrets, but Marvelous Magicians reveals the names of eight groundbreaking illusionists, both famous and lesser-known, who shaped modern magic. Through a magical blend of biography, history, and illustration, this book spotlights an array of magicians, including one of the first female magicians, Adelaide Herrmann; African American illusionist Richard Potter, “The Handcuff King” Harry Houdini, and Houdin, Houdini’s namesake and inspiration. With two spectacular fold-out pages revealing the secret workings of the Automaton Chess Player and Howard Thurston’s dramatic transformation of an empty box into a world of wonders, this book examines the early history of magic, the eight magic effects on which all tricks are based, the necessary components of a magician’s toolbox, and the underrated role of the magician’s assistant. The book’s grand finale features advice on becoming a magician, an introduction to contemporary magicians from around the world, and an exploration of the hidden societies who have kept the secrets of illusions closely guarded for decades. Vibrantly illustrated and written in a theatrical style, Marvelous Magicians is the perfect book for aspiring magicians who want to know more about its history and the innovators who de ned it.
The Illusionist's Apprentice
Author: Kristy Cambron
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 071804231X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
Set during one of the richest, most vibrant eras in American history, this Jazz Age novel tracks Houdini's assistant in a world of misdirection, suspense, and forgotten pasts to remind us that not all illusions happen on the stage. Wren Lockhart, apprentice to master illusionist Harry Houdini, uses life on a vaudeville stage to escape the pain of her past. She continues her career of illusion after her mentor's death, intent on burying her true identity. But when a rival performer's act goes tragically wrong, the newly formed FBI calls on Wren to speak the truth--and reveal her real name to the world. She transfers her skills for misdirection from the stage to the back halls of vaudeville, as she finds herself the unlikely partner in the FBI's investigation. All the while Houdini's words echo in her mind: Whatever occurs, the crowd must believe it's what you meant to happen. She knows that if anyone digs too deep, secrets long kept hidden may find their way to the surface--and shatter her carefully controlled world. Historical fiction with a dash of suspense Stand-alone novel Book length: 99,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 071804231X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
Set during one of the richest, most vibrant eras in American history, this Jazz Age novel tracks Houdini's assistant in a world of misdirection, suspense, and forgotten pasts to remind us that not all illusions happen on the stage. Wren Lockhart, apprentice to master illusionist Harry Houdini, uses life on a vaudeville stage to escape the pain of her past. She continues her career of illusion after her mentor's death, intent on burying her true identity. But when a rival performer's act goes tragically wrong, the newly formed FBI calls on Wren to speak the truth--and reveal her real name to the world. She transfers her skills for misdirection from the stage to the back halls of vaudeville, as she finds herself the unlikely partner in the FBI's investigation. All the while Houdini's words echo in her mind: Whatever occurs, the crowd must believe it's what you meant to happen. She knows that if anyone digs too deep, secrets long kept hidden may find their way to the surface--and shatter her carefully controlled world. Historical fiction with a dash of suspense Stand-alone novel Book length: 99,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Satoshi Kon
Author: Andrew Osmond
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
A comprehensive introduction to the work of the acclaimed anime artist, director of Tokyo Godfathers and the hit release Paprika.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
A comprehensive introduction to the work of the acclaimed anime artist, director of Tokyo Godfathers and the hit release Paprika.
Illusions
Author: Madeline J. Reynolds
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
ISBN: 1640635645
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 400
Book Description
Dear Thomas, I know you're angry. It's true, I was sent to expose your mentor as a fraud illusionist, and instead I have put your secret in jeopardy. I fear I have even put your life in jeopardy. For that I can only beg your forgiveness. I've fallen for you. You know I have. And I never wanted to create a rift between us, but if it means protecting you from those who wish you dead—I'll do it. I'll do anything to keep you safe, whatever the sacrifice. Please forgive me for all I've done and what I'm about to do next. I promise, it's one magic trick no one will ever see coming. Love, Saverio
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
ISBN: 1640635645
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 400
Book Description
Dear Thomas, I know you're angry. It's true, I was sent to expose your mentor as a fraud illusionist, and instead I have put your secret in jeopardy. I fear I have even put your life in jeopardy. For that I can only beg your forgiveness. I've fallen for you. You know I have. And I never wanted to create a rift between us, but if it means protecting you from those who wish you dead—I'll do it. I'll do anything to keep you safe, whatever the sacrifice. Please forgive me for all I've done and what I'm about to do next. I promise, it's one magic trick no one will ever see coming. Love, Saverio
The Illusionist Brain
Author: Jordi Camí
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691264325
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
How magicians exploit the natural functioning of our brains to astonish and amaze us How do magicians make us see the impossible? The Illusionist Brain takes you on an unforgettable journey through the inner workings of the human mind, revealing how magicians achieve their spectacular and seemingly impossible effects by interfering with your cognitive processes. Along the way, this lively and informative book provides a guided tour of modern neuroscience, using magic as a lens for understanding the unconscious and automatic functioning of our brains. We construct reality from the information stored in our memories and received through our senses, and our brains are remarkably adept at tricking us into believing that our experience is continuous. In fact, our minds create our perception of reality by elaborating meanings and continuities from incomplete information, and while this strategy carries clear benefits for survival, it comes with blind spots that magicians know how to exploit. Jordi Camí and Luis Martínez explore the many different ways illusionists manipulate our attention—making us look but not see—and take advantage of our individual predispositions and fragile memories. The Illusionist Brain draws on the latest findings in neuroscience to explain how magic deceives us, surprises us, and amazes us, and demonstrates how illusionists skillfully “hack” our brains to alter how we perceive things and influence what we imagine.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691264325
Category : Games & Activities
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
How magicians exploit the natural functioning of our brains to astonish and amaze us How do magicians make us see the impossible? The Illusionist Brain takes you on an unforgettable journey through the inner workings of the human mind, revealing how magicians achieve their spectacular and seemingly impossible effects by interfering with your cognitive processes. Along the way, this lively and informative book provides a guided tour of modern neuroscience, using magic as a lens for understanding the unconscious and automatic functioning of our brains. We construct reality from the information stored in our memories and received through our senses, and our brains are remarkably adept at tricking us into believing that our experience is continuous. In fact, our minds create our perception of reality by elaborating meanings and continuities from incomplete information, and while this strategy carries clear benefits for survival, it comes with blind spots that magicians know how to exploit. Jordi Camí and Luis Martínez explore the many different ways illusionists manipulate our attention—making us look but not see—and take advantage of our individual predispositions and fragile memories. The Illusionist Brain draws on the latest findings in neuroscience to explain how magic deceives us, surprises us, and amazes us, and demonstrates how illusionists skillfully “hack” our brains to alter how we perceive things and influence what we imagine.