The rise and fall of a magic superstar.
Discover the incredible, untold saga of one of the 20th century's most prolific and enigmatic illusionists: Chang.
Born in Panama in 1889 as Juan José Pablo Jesorum, the magician known as Chang was a towering figure of 20th-century illusionism who captivated audiences on nearly every continent. From his early days as an assistant to the irascible "Great Raymond" to his peak as the star of the lavish "Trip to Hades" revue, Chang's career spanned six decades of triumph and eventual tragedy. He became a master of "Oriental" style magic, performing in opulent silk robes and crafting a persona so convincing that he was often hailed as the "Mysterious Magician of the East".
At the height of his fame in the 1930s and 40s, Chang was one of the most successful traveling illusionists in the world, touring through Australia, India, South Africa, and Europe with a massive company that included a ballet and a menagerie of live animals and earning more money than Thurston and Houdini - a staggering achivement that forces us to reconsider his true place in magic history.
Chang's repertoire was legendary, featuring grand illusions like the "Noah's Ark," the "Substitution Trunk," "Asrah," and "Shooting Through a Girl" alongside signature small-scale masterpieces such as his "Sands of the Desert" and the "Chinese Linking Rings," the latter of which was even praised by the legendary Dai Vernon. He was a pioneer of black-light effects and a genius of stagecraft, constantly evolving his show to intrigue and delight audiences in the world's most prestigious theaters.
Despite his global success and the vast fortunes he amassed, Chang's final years were a stark contrast to his golden era. After losing his wealth to poor investments in the early sound film industry and the shifting tastes of the public, he spent his last years performing in cabarets and nightclubs across the Americas, clinging to his "magical aura" even as his costumes became tattered. This biography serves to rescue Chang's legacy from oblivion, chronicling the incredible life of a man who rose from an orphaned railway worker in Panama to become a titan of magic.
"Chang was easily the best of his class to visit Sydney since Dante." - The Daily Telegraph, 1938.
Based on years of international research and newly discovered documents, Chang's biography is a great and absorbing read. It's a story of rags to riches and back to rags, but it's also a Masterclass in Showmanship. Learn how Chang - often called the "Poet of Magic" - used 25 changes of luxurious silk robes, black light innovations, and grand ballet sequences to create a two-hour spectacle that rivaled the likes of Thurston and Dante. Read detailed breakdowns of Chang's various shows, listing every trick and illusion he performed in each of them. Explore the ruthless business acumen and publicity genius of a man who used box-escape challenges to sell out theaters across the globe for decades. Discover the rivalries that lie under the surface in the world of professional magic.
Follow the gripping true story of a performer who amassed a fortune, built his own traveling tent theater, and eventually performed his final shows in his 80s, dressed in a faded robe held together by a safety pin, yet still possessing a "magical aura" that captivated audiences until the very end.
This is more than just a biography; it is a "biographical draft" of a titan who has been largely forgotten by magic history until now.
Whether you are a student of magic history or a performer looking for the secrets of legendary stage presence, the story of Chang: The Rise and Fall of a Magic Superstar is essential reading, illustrated with tons of photos, newspaper clippings, handbills, etc.
Step into the world of one of the greatest illusionists of the 20th Century.
1st edition 2026, PDF 96 pages.
word count: 34907 which is equivalent to 139 standard pages of text
