Biographies & History: page 5
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Isn't It Wonderful?Charles Bertram A history of magic interwoven with Charles Bertram's recollections. From the introduction: The profession of conjuring, if not the most ancient, is certainly one of the oldest professions in the world, and, before commencing my account of the efforts made by a humble professor of the art, I trust that the reader may be interested by a short sketch of its history. Without this, it is possible that he might receive a book relating to the conjurer's art with a shrug of the shoulders. But conjuring, if it has now drifted down to the level of mere entertainment, has played its part in the history... | $5 to wish list | |
My Magic LifeDavid Devant This is David Devant's autobiography. On top of his personal recollections he included three chapters on how to perform magic, and six chapters on the history of magic.
| $15 to wish list | |
Houdini Souvenir ProgramHarry Houdini During the 1925-26 season this program was sold at Houdini's shows in the lobby of theaters.
| $7 to wish list | |
Lives of a ShowmanMark Lewis "Mark is one of the truly interesting characters in the world of showbusiness. He has a brilliant yet wicked sense of humour, and is often misunderstood by his peers. As someone who has known him for much of his life, I consider him to be a man of incredible talent as both a performer and grafter [demonstrator]. He is extremely resourceful, and is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to magic and other branches of entertainment. His life is truly one of mystery and intrigue, and he is a wonderful raconteur as will be seen in the pages of this masterpiece. I would consider Mark to be a true showman, and... | ★★★★★ $20 to wish list | |
To the Sea in ShipsAl Mann Biography of Captain Gilbert S. Aleman's, a.k.a. Al Mann, early part of his life. You may know Al Mann only as magician and mentalist. He was also a master mariner, a captain in the merchant marines, who spent years on the sea. This is an autobiographical account of his life before he became a mentalist. There is some mention of gambling, John Scarne, and how Al Mann got into magic, which may be of particular interest to magicians.
| ★★★★★ $10 to wish list | |
Topper Martyn Interview: all 4 partsTopper Martyn Martin Breese recorded this interview on September 16th 1977, but never released it. He passed on the reels to me with the instruction to release them whenever I wish. Topper Martyn was an extraordinary showman, magician, juggler and musician. Learn about his life and the lessons he learned. | $22 to wish listMP3 | |
Professor Hoffmann and his Conjuring Serials of 1872-1888Thomas A. Sawyer This is the first digital-edition of Thomas A. Sawyer's Professor Hoffmann and His Conjuring Serials of 1872-1888. The first printing was a softcover printed book, published in late 2016. That printing consisted of less than 60 copies, so the book is not in wide circulation, and in fact even its existence is not well known. What is there about the contents of the book that could make it well worthwhile? Chapter 1 is called "Angelo Lewis in Perspective." That chapter is an overview of Professor Hoffmann. It alludes to several of Hoffmann's books, inside and outside of magic, that can be considered classics. ... | $36 to wish list | |
Angelo J. Lewis of the Chancery BarThomas A. Sawyer This is the first digital-edition of Thomas A. Sawyer's Angelo J. Lewis of the Chancery Bar. The first printing was a softcover printed book, published in 2016. That printing consisted of fewer than 100 copies, so the book is not in wide circulation. It is well known that Professor Hoffmann was a barrister, but details relating to his law practice are not generally known. This ebook delves into that topic and related topics. As Sawyer says in his Preface to the book: "Angelo Lewis's specific activities as a barrister have received almost no recognition at all in magic histories. Typically writers do mention... | $18 to wish list | |
Herrmann the MagicianHardin Jasper Burlingame From the preface: Having devoted a number of years to the inventing, manufacturing and sale of many of the most popular magical apparatus made in this country, I now present to the reader, biographies of the two great conjurers known to the world under the names of Carl and Alexander Herrmann, both equally famous in their specialties. The main portion of the book is devoted to clear, compact and illustrated descriptions of the best tricks performed by the two Herrmanns, whom I unite under the appellation of Herrmann the Magician, and by other celebrated per formers, such as Cazeneuve, Kellar, Vanek,... | ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Victorian-Age Conjuring BooksThomas A. Sawyer A guide for collectors and bibliographers. This is the first digital-edition of the third edition of Thomas A. Sawyer's Victorian-Age Conjuring Books: A Guide. The first printing of the third edition was a softcover printed book, published in late 2017. That printing consisted of less than 60 copies. This edition is significantly longer (in terms of the number of words) than the second edition (which itself was longer than the first edition). In preparing the third edition, Sawyer thoroughly overhauled the second edition (which appeared over 25 years ago), making additions and deletions.... | $28 to wish list | |
Rethinking S.W. ErdnaseThomas A. Sawyer This is the first digital-edition of Thomas A. Sawyer's Rethinking S.W. Erdnase, which was first published in a small hardcover-edition (of about 105 copies) in late 2015. The book has an in-depth discussion of different approaches that might be considered in attempting to figure out who S.W. Erdnase was. Many people probably tend to "shoot from the hip," and to use intuition and common sense. Those are not necessarily the best tools available. Rethinking S.W. Erdnase includes a fair amount of information regarding Frederic J. Drake & Co., including images relating to the 1912 Drake catalog... | $35 to wish list | |
Johnny Hart: International Star of MagicStephen Short This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the life and times of one of the UK's major performance artistes, whose illustrious career started in the 1960's and spanned over 40 years. Not only does this ebook provide a carefully researched and fascinating look at Johnny himself, it also shines a light on the general showbiz scene of the same period, as Johnny rubbed shoulders with many of the greats from the entertainment and TV world. The ebook runs to over 200 pages and is profusely illustrated with playbills and photographs that really help to conjure up a clear vision of showbiz in... | $25 to wish list | |
Around the world with a magician and a jugglerHardin Jasper Burlingame Wonderful biographical information about magician Baron Hartwig Seeman, and juggler William D'Alvini. Also includes a chapter on the German magician Bellachini and a fascinating chapter on the psychology of conjuring.
| $7 to wish list | |
Inside MagicGeorge L. Boston & Robert Parrish In this ebook, George Boston, old time magician, takes his readers behind the scenes of the magic shows. Associate and confidant of the great men of magic, he recalls the greatest "tricks" in his memory and in many cases tells "how it was done." The great names of magic - Thurston, Blackstone, Houdini, Kellar, Carter and Nicola - appear in these pages. The book is liberally illustrated with many photographs, and is written in the highly readable style that has made Robert Parrish's For Magicians Only and New Ways to Mystify such popular favorites.
| ★★★★★ $12 to wish list | |
The Great CarmoVal Andrews The Colossus of Mystery.
1st edition 2001, 80 pages; 1st digital edition 2019, 53 pages. | ★★★★★ $8 to wish list | |
The Old and The New MagicHenry Ridgely Evans From the introduction: The very word magic has an alluring sound, and its practice as an art will probably never lose its attractiveness for people's minds. But we must remember that there is a difference between the old magic and the new, and that both are separated by a deep chasm, which is a kind of color line, for though the latter develops from the former in a gradual and natural course of evolution, they are radically different in principle, and the new magic is irredeemably opposed to the assumptions upon which the old magic rests. Magic originally meant priestcraft. It is probable... | $12 to wish list | |
Discover Your MagicWolfgang Riebe This is basically Wolfgang's life story, a great motivational blueprint to achieve your dreams. How to gain the competitive edge in your life and business. Become aware of everything around you. Clarify and achieve all your goals. Learn to adapt to change. Create a positive image with every one around you. Wolfgang has inspired and motivated more than a million people around the world. This is a comprehensive study on how to gain mastery over your own life, whether in the corporate, or personal field. Every aspect is clearly presented, without losing the true sense or heart of the matter.... | $6 to wish list | |
Houdini: The Adventurous Life of a Versatile ArtistHarry Houdini A promotional book with photos and newspaper reports retelling various stunts and performances of Harry Houdini.
| ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Danger in the CardsMichael MacDougall A fascinating casebook of true stories from the self-styled "Card Detective" that reveals the inner workings of backroom poker cheats, dice scams, bunco artists, horse race swindles, rigged games of the carnival and midway and much, much more. Written in a breezy style, "Mickey" MacDougall takes the reader along for an entertaining and informative ride as he consults with casino bosses and card room owners to stamp out cheaters and grifters. Swindlers take many forms and purvey their trade anywhere people gather: aboard trains and cruise ships, at the racetrack, in back alleys, military... | $10 to wish list | |
A Journey Through A History of MagicDavid J. O'Connor A Journey Through a History of Magic traces the lives and times of famous magicians throughout history through to many popular present day performers. With pictures and photos that introduce you to many almost forgotten performers who have gained fame. Featuring a few of the performers who have shaped the art and craft of magic through the ages.
| ★★★★★ $10 to wish list | |
Sensational Tales of Mystery MenWill Goldston Stories and anecdotes of the Who's Who of magic in the early 20th century. Several are about Houdini.
| ★★★★★ $6 to wish list | |
Victorian Seance and the Birth of MentalismPaul Voodini Paul Voodini presents Victorian Seance and the Birth of Mentalism, recounting the rise of Spiritualism in the 1800s, the antics, tricks, and techniques of the fraudulent mediums, and how this led directly to the birth of that branch of the magical arts known as 'mentalism.' This detailed manuscript outlines and explains such techniques and methods as mesmerism and hypnosis, table-tipping, slates, automatic writing, book tests, 'reading' techniques and Q&A, spirit manifestations, the Ouija board, and much, much more. The text also touches on escapology, quick change, and other magical techniques. ... | $40 to wish list | |
Magicians in Action 1980 - 2015 (all three volumes)Christian Scherer A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations. The photos were taken by the author from 1980 to 2015 during performances of the magicians in Europe. The texts were contributed by the artists. Foreword by Eberhard Riese. "A Special Book. An extraordinary book. A history of magic of a different kind." - Eberhard Riese | $80 to wish list | |
Magicians in Action 1980 - 2015: P-ZChristian Scherer A unique documentary containing photos accompanied by autobiographical and anecdotal texts, featuring 250 magicians from 28 nations. This third volume includes names from P-Z:
| ★★★★★ $30 to wish list |