The World of Magic: 13 Classic Books on Tricks and Illusions
Thirteen Classic Guides to Conjuring, Sleight of Hand, and Stage IllusionBy Albert A. Hopkins, Henry Ridgely Evans, A. Anderson, H. Boaz, Professor Hoffmann, L. H. Branson, Arthur Ainslie, Herbert De Caston, George Arnold, Frank Cahill, William K. David, Henry Perkins, Chung Ling Soo
Length78h 1m
About this audiobook
The World of Magic gathers thirteen classic manuals and reflections on conjuring, illusion, and stagecraft into a capacious archive of theatrical knowledge. Ranging from practical instructions for sleight of hand and apparatus to discussions of mentalism, grand illusion, and the psychology of deception, the volume reveals magic as both popular entertainment and a sophisticated art of perception. Its standout materials illuminate the intricate mechanics behind seemingly impossible effects while preserving the wit, suspense, and performative imagination that make them endure. The contributors—among them Albert A. Hopkins, Henry Ridgely Evans, Professor Hoffmann, Arthur Ainslie, and Chung Ling Soo—represent a broad international world of magicians, commentators, inventors, and chroniclers. Their combined work belongs to the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century flourishing of modern stage magic, when technological innovation, vaudeville culture, and public fascination with spiritualism and scientific wonder converged. Diverse in method and tone, these voices document how magical practice circulated through print, performance, and professional tradition. This collection is especially valuable for readers of performance history, popular culture, and recreational science, as well as aspiring conjurers. It offers an unusual opportunity to compare technical instruction with cultural commentary and to trace a dialogue between intimate close-up arts and spectacular theatrical illusion. Readers will find both a rich educational resource and an engaging record of magic's enduring power to organize curiosity, skepticism, and delight.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.5 (12)
Includes Amazon
GenreOther, Fantasy
Length78 hrs 1 min
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMar 4, 2025
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Practical Magician and Ventriloquist's Guide
2The Practical Magician and Ventriloquist's Guide
3CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY.
4CHAPTER II. OF PALMISTRY AND PASSES.
5CHAPTER III. TRICKS WITH AND WITHOUT COLLUSION.
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6CHAPTER IV. PRACTICE.
7CHAPTER V. TRICKS BY MAGNETISM, CHEMISTRY, GALVANISM, OR ELECTRICITY.
8CHAPTER VI. ON THE CONTINUITY OF TRICKS.
9CHAPTER VII. FRIENDLY SUGGESTIONS.
10VENTRILOQUISM MADE EASY.
11The Juggler's Oracle; or, The Whole Art of Legerdemain Laid Open
12The Juggler's Oracle; or, The Whole Art of Legerdemain Laid Open
13THE JUGGLER’S ORACLE.
14LEGERDEMAIN, OR SLEIGHT-OF-HAND,
15TRICKS WITH CARDS.
16CUPS AND BALLS.
17CONVEYANCE OF MONEY, &c.
18TRICKS WITH BOXES, &c.
19EXPERIMENTS WITH FIRE.
20TRICKS WITH STRINGS, KNOTS, &c.
21OPTICAL ILLUSIONS.
22CHEMICAL CHANGES.
23MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS AND EXPERIMENTS.
24How to Do Mechanical Tricks
25HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRICKS.
26The Pile of Draughtsmen.
27The Decanter, Card, and Coin.
28A Clever Blow.
29The Obedient Coin.
30To Cut a String With Your Hands.
31The Rebound.
32A Fiery Catapult.
33To Make an Exact Balance.
34The Recomposition of Light.
35The Mysterious Apple.
36Economical Letter-Scales.
37Tracing a Spiral.
38The Inclined Plane.
39To Cut a Bottle With a String.
40Equilibrium of a Knife in Mid-Air.
41A Trick With Four Matches.
42The Distance of an Inaccessible Point.
43Practical Tracing of a Meridian Line.
44To Measure the Height of a Mountain.
45To Take Up Four Knives with One.
46The Tack in the Ceiling.
47The Jumping Pea.
48To Acquire a True Eye.
49The Air-Tight Stopper.
50The Fusee Rocket.
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