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Books > Arts & Architecture > Performing arts > Other public performances & spectacles > Conjuring & magic
From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, an exuberant biography
of the world's greatest escape artist "Will leave [readers]
entertained and astonished, and that's a kind of magic of its
own."-Jerry Z. Muller, Jewish Review of Books In 1916, the war in
Europe having prevented a tour abroad, Harry Houdini wrote a film
treatment for a rollicking motion picture. Though the movie was
never made, its title, "The Marvelous Adventures of Houdini: The
Justly Celebrated Elusive American," provides a succinct summary of
the Master Mystifier's life. Born Erik Weisz in Budapest in 1874,
Houdini grew up an impoverished Jewish immigrant in the Midwest and
became world-famous thanks to talent, industry, and ferocious
determination. He concealed as a matter of temperament and
professional ethics the secrets of his sensational success. Nobody
knows how Houdini performed some of his dazzling, death-defying
tricks, and nobody knows, finally, why he felt compelled to punish
and imprison himself over and over again. Tracking the restless
Houdini's wide-ranging exploits, acclaimed biographer Adam Begley
tells the story of a mystifying man's astonishing career. About
Jewish Lives: Jewish Lives is a prizewinning series of
interpretative biography designed to explore the many facets of
Jewish identity. Individual volumes illuminate the imprint of
Jewish figures upon literature, religion, philosophy, politics,
cultural and economic life, and the arts and sciences. Subjects are
paired with authors to elicit lively, deeply informed books that
explore the range and depth of the Jewish experience from antiquity
to the present. In 2014, the Jewish Book Council named Jewish Lives
the winner of its Jewish Book of the Year Award, the first series
ever to receive this award. More praise for Jewish Lives:
"Excellent."-New York Times "Exemplary."-Wall Street Journal
"Distinguished."-New Yorker "Superb."-The Guardian
'I immersed myself in magic. I read every book I could get my hands
on and practised and practised, day after day and night after
night. Magic became my world...some might say an obsession.' When
you're a kid life can seem tough; tougher for some than others. But
the darkest of times can also be the most enlightening. When his
late granddad showed him magic for the first time, Steven Frayne
knew there was more to life than hiding from bullies. He had a
destiny. A calling. In that moment Dynamo was born: the most
exciting magician of the 21st century. Since then, Dynamo has
shocked, thrilled and amazed men, women and children, from all
walks of life, all over the world. With his mind-blowing illusions,
he has catalysed a whole new era of magic. Now, in his very first
book, Dynamo invites you to join him on a breathtaking journey
across the globe. Be prepared to levitate Lindsay Lohan in
Singapore, transform snow into diamonds in the Austrian mountains,
and walk on water across the River Thames. Along the way, he
reveals how to make the impossible possible, what it takes to pull
off the greatest stunts man has seen, and why everyone needs magic
in their lives. This is no illusion. This is Dynamo revealed.
Standard work on classic stage illusions performed by Robert-Houdin, Bautier de Kolta, Maskelyne and others. Detailed descriptions of techniques of fire eaters, sword swallowers, jugglers, acrobats, etc. Also ancient magic, automatons, magic photography, much more. Over 400 exceptional illustrations. Introduction. Bibliography.
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