Magic is a fabulous form of entertainment, both on a professional basis and in the home. This comprehensive book contains more than 375 tricks, ranging from card, money and mind magic, optical illusions and close-up magic to puzzles, party tricks and stand-up and stage illusions. More than 2500 step-by-step photographs reveal all the skills you need, and close-up secret views show how the illusions are performed, with tips on preparation and patter enabling you to achieve a polished performance. Whether you are a keen novice or want to expand your repertoire, this inspiring book will enable you to confound and amaze friends and family.

The mysterious art of magic has been a source of wonderment since before the time of Christ. Shape shifting between the supernatural practices of 'real' magic and demonstrations of dazzling illusion, magic has been used to conjure the evil eye, burn villages to the ground, slice women in half, and save men from being crushed to death by five tonnes of cement. Robert Ralley's history takes us deep into this magical underworld to reveal the astounding stories of some of the world's greatest magicians. From the astrology of the three wise men to Harry Houdini's escapology, and David Blain's endurance tests, Ralley illustrates the changing perceptions of magic and the dangerous balance between illusion, fraud, and devilry that still exists today.

The publication of this work was, we might say, forced upon us by the demand, before even a page of manuscript was prepared for the press. The demand was caused by members of the Temple, who recognized the necessity of a printed text book, from which they could study the meanings of the cards and their indications under the seven planets. These brothers and sisters naturally wished to perfect themselves in emblem reading as rapidly as possible, and they could not so perfect themselves, without a full and complete set of tables that they could study and refer to at will. The next trouble that arose was the question of expense, as, aside from the printing, engraving, binding, electrotyping and matters of that kind, the author's time was, and is now so valuable that the item far overbalances those mentioned. It was finally decided that the most feasible plan, was to get out enough copies to supply more than our immediate membership and to sell them to outsiders under certain restrictions.

Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin (1805-71) is often called the father of modern conjuring. His name was later adopted by magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, whose highly sceptical expose of Victorian spiritualism is also published in this series. The best-known magician of his time, Robert-Houdin toured France, England and Germany, performed for Queen Victoria, and was sent to French Algeria by Napoleon III to demonstrate the perceived superiority of French magic to the local shamans. This book, originally published in 1868, is devoted primarily to coin and card tricks, but Robert-Houdin also describes many other magical tricks and includes a history of conjuring. In 1877 the book appeared in this English translation by Louis Hoffmann (1839-1919). Hoffmann (real name Angelo John Lewis, a barrister) had published his own guide to magic in 1876, and both books caused controversy for revealing the secrets of stage magicians in such unprecedented detail.

The team behind Computer Science for Fun (CS4FN), bring you Conjuring with Computation: A Manual of Magic and Computing for Beginners. Develop your skills to be a magician while also learning the basics of computer science by exploring its links to magic. Each chapter explains how to do a simple magic trick, step-by-step, then uses the trick to introduce linked fundamental ideas in computer science in a fun way.By reading the book you will learn to do self-working tricks, be able to hold magic shows, create you own versions of tricks and with creativity even invent your own. We cover:The book includes profiles of computer scientists, and magicians with links to technology, through history.Master conjuring and thinking computationally.

Over 100 tricks that can be done with any pack of cards-in their best professional versions. This rich collection has taught thousands of magicians how to perform dozens of eye-catching, yet really workable tricks. Over 200 illustrations. "Recommended."-Linking Ring.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK setting out the full instructions for a routine of amazing card tricks. All the tricks involve the production of the Aces in a variety of spectacular ways. The book is designed to guide the beginner in card magic through the basic handling of the cards to the successful production of the tricks.

Highly instructive book analyzes every phase of conjuring-from sleights, devices, misdirection an, controlling audience attention, to incorporating patter and the effective use of assistants. Includes 60 original routines, plus advice for their presentation. For novices and veteran conjurers alike.

72 spectacular and entertaining tricks: card locations, coincidence tricks, mental magic with cards, tricks with double endings, tricks with two decks, predictions, tricks with borrowed decks, trick poker deals. Easy-to-learn, clearly illustrated, these tricks produce spectacular effects with a minimum of practice.

Easy-to-master crowd-pleasing tricks, require a deck of cards and offer beginners experience in handling an audience. Instructions.

These two great books of conjuring tricks: includes illusions, puzzles and stunts with 300 step-by-step projects for you to try, in over 2300 photographs. This title includes two fun and accessible step-by-step guides to more than 300 brilliant illusions, tricks, puzzles and stunts, including close-up magic and party tricks. Each fantastic trick is fully illustrated and expertly described, enabling you to amaze your audience with feats such as making someone levitate, walking through a postcard and defying gravity It includes a fascinating history of magic from its origins in ancient Egypt through the 19th and 20th centuries to today, featuring magicians such as David Copperfield and David Blaine. It provides more than 2300 specially-commissioned photographs that guide you through each illusion, trick and stunt, with information on preparation, patter and the performance itself. It is engagingly written by an expert, professional magician and member of 'The Inner Magic Circle'. Nothing delights and amazes more than brilliantly performed magic tricks and this comprehensive new box set contains everything the budding magician needs to put on a dazzling show. From the history of magic to card tricks, stage illusions and much more, these two expertly written books will help you to wow your friends and family. Step-by-step instructions show you how to perform each trick, and close-up secret views show exactly how each is done, along with tips on preparation and the patter you need to accompany it. With these books you can appear to have superhuman strength and x-ray vision, cut a volunteer in two, make everyday objects vanish and reappear, and restore torn-up paper napkins. It provides a special section on putting on a show provides invaluable advice on planning your performance, from selecting a venue to choosing running orders and sample programmes. This exciting and inspiring book collection will provide hours of entertainment for performer and audience alike!

Clear diagrams and step-by-step instructions for performing 18 simple feats of prestidigitation: Strength Test, Untangled, Elastic Lock, Mystic Spinner, Rollaway, Heavyset, The Great Escape and many more, using such ordinary objects as coins, rubber bands and string.

Make an eggshell turn a somersault, spin a coin so that it lands on "heads," teach a bear to climb a string, and perform other acts of scientific wizardry Martin Gardner, the master of mathematical puzzles, shares more than 80 of his finest magic tricks, teaching children and adults the scientific properties behind water, air, fire, heat, motion, gravity, inertia, friction, electricity, magnetism, sound, and light.
Fun and fascinating, the simple maneuvers require only basic everyday props, and those requiring matches, knives, boiling water, and other tricky items are marked with a symbol that lets kids know they'll need assistance from an adult. Helpful drawings illustrate each stunt.

The world's greatest and most celebrated magicians, conjurers and illusionists can make us believe the unbelievable, the impossible possible. But, of course, just like everybody else these conjurors had to start at a beginning. They too had to learn simple (but effective) card tricks, easy (but imaginative) coin tricks and basic (but still mind boggling) sleight-of-hand tricks before advancing to more innovative and radical skills and techniques. Amazing Magic Tricks is a cool compendium of diverse tricks to inspire all aspiring magicians to pick up a wand and impress their friends and family! Full of trivia as well as simple illusions to practice, perfect and perform at home, Amazing Magic Tricks will guide you on your way to becoming a master magician quicker than you can say 'Ta-Dah!'.

Move over, David Copperfield. The coolest magic tricks have been gathered together in one book, best-selling author David Pogue's Magic For Dummies, which is guaranteed to leave your friends, family and coworkers spellbound at your mastery of the mystical arts.

Perform great magic at the drop of a hat with these tips and tricks -- literally -- from Pogue and 35 of America's top professional magicians. With a little practice (and some clever misdirection, which lays at the heart of all magic tricks), you'll bewitch everyone around you with card tricks, coin tricks, disappearing acts, and even mind-reading! Magic For Dummies features more than 90 deceptions, illusions, and sleights of hand for all occasions, along with photos, patter, and presentation tips for every trick in the book. You'll be pulling rabbits out of your hat for years to come with these great magic tricks...easy enough to learn, and enchanting enough to keep folks baffled and bewildered.

In 1749, a newspaper advertisement appeared declaring that a man would climb inside a bottle on the stage of a London theatre. Although the crowds turned up in their hundreds to witness the trick, the performer didn't. Over the following decades, elaborate jokes and fanciful tales would continue to bamboozle people across England. In The Century of Deception, magician and historian Ian Keable tells the engrossing stories of these eighteenth-century hoaxes and those who were duped by them. The English public were hoodwinked time and time again, swallowing whole tales of rapping ghosts, a woman who gave birth to rabbits, a levitating Frenchman in a Chinese Temple and outrageous astrological predictions. Not only were the hoaxes widely influential, drawing in celebrities such as Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Swift, they also inflamed concerns about 'English credulity'. 'Fake news', 'going viral' and 'social media' may be modern terms, but as this entertaining, eye-opening book shows, these concepts have been with us for centuries.