"Joshua Jay, one of the world's most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. In 52 short, compulsively readable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it's through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic. He considers the aesthetics of performance, discusses contemporary masters, including David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine, and details how magicians hone their craft. And answers questions like: Can a magic trick be too good? How do you saw a person in half? Is there real magic in the universe? The answers, like so much in magic and life, depend on you."--Amazon.com.

Traces the story of dancer-turned-magician's assistant Adelaide Herrmann, placing her achievements against a backdrop of period conventions about women in the arts and her determination to continue her work after the death of her husband.

"One of history's most acclaimed and successful magicians provides clear and concise explanations of more than 100 tricks and illusions. Herrmann the Great (Alexander Herrmann) performed these and many other feats in dozens of sold-out stage performances worldwide, where he was one of the highest paid performers of his time. This complete compendium of secrets, published in 1916, includes 90 sleight of hand tips, 24 coin tricks, 27 card magic tricks and much more, including instruction on mind reading and the basics of ventriloquism. Vintage line drawings throughout, along with tips on stage presence and performance"--