As the world's only publication devoted to sideshow, James Taylor's Shocked and Amazed! On & Off the Midway is chock-full of carnival and circus midway madness and mayhem. Hear the truth behind this uniquely American art form from the lips of the human marvels themselves! Shocked and Amazed! invites you to explore and satisfy your curiosity for the strange, the weird, the bizarre, the odd and the unusual.Witness never-before-seen photographs from the personal collections of sideshow superstars from yesteryear! Marvel at the sideshow stories presented personally for your pleasure by sideshow performers! Thrill to these titillating tales of laughter and woe on the sawdust trail from the likes of: Frank Lentini, who could kick a football the length of the midway with his third leg; Melvin Burkhart, the Human Blockhead who could pound six-inch spikes into his head; Harold Huge, the sideshow fat man who needs "Six Gals to Hug Him, and a Boxcar to Lug Him"; Percilla the Monkey Girl and her husband, Emmitt the Alligator Skin Man; Bill Durks, the Man with Three Eyes and many, many more. (7 x 10, 288 pages, b&w photos)

A fully illustrated guide, for beginners and advance jugglers.

Cards are internationally recognized symbols, and the scope for creating illusions with a deck of cards is huge. They can be made to appear, disappear, change suit, multiply, defy gravity, and a lot more besides. This book begins with an introduction to magic, emphasizing the importance of keeping the secret and how to practise performing. There are step-by-step instructions showing how to perform a wide range of card tricks, including basic techniques, how to shuffle, control and force cards, self-working card tricks, card tricks requiring skill, special gimmicks and advanced flourishes. The book is ideal for both the hobbyist and the more serious performer.