David Copperfield's History of Magic

by David Copperfield, Richard Wiseman, David Britland Narrated by Feodor Chin, David Copperfield

Overview

An illustrated, illuminating insight into the world of illusion from the world's greatest and most successful magician, capturing its audacious and inventive practitioners, and showcasing the art form's most famous artifacts housed at David Copperfield's secret museum.

In this personal journey through a unique performing art, David Copperfield profiles some of the world's most groundbreaking magicians. From the sixteenth-century magistrate who wrote an early book on conjuring, to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her bare hands, David Copperfield's History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of some of the greatest magicians in history.

The result is a sweeping tale that reveals how these astonishing performers were outsiders who used magic to escape class, challenge convention, transform popular culture, explore the innermost workings of the human mind, and inspire scientific discovery.

By the end of the book, you'll be sure to share Copperfield's passion for the power of magic.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"For fans of magic, either its history or its present, the book is absolutely compelling, an unputdownable must-read." — Booklist (starred review)

Library Journal

10/15/2021

Magician Copperfield, born David Seth Kotkin, first became a performer when he was given a ventriloquist puppet at the age of eight; since then his popularity and skill have skyrocketed. After acquiring the library of magician John Mulholland (1898–1970), which contained more than 20,000 books and journals about magic, Copperfield became a historian as well. Here, Copperfield, Richard Wiseman (Paranormality), and David Britland (Phantoms of the Card Table) detail illusions and magicians throughout history, from English magician Reginald Scot (whose 1584 The Discoverie of Witchcraft spoke out against superstition and witch hunts, and was arguably the first book to describe magic tricks), to Copperfield's own Death Saw illusion, though he doesn't disclose the finer details of his act. High-quality color photographs of magicians such as Ching Ling Foo and Max Malini and items housed in the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts enhance the work. Thorough and conversational in tone, the work sheds light on the history of magic, but readers should be warned that Copperfield himself is this book's primary concern; his opinions and posed photographs of him (by his design director, Liwag) are inescapable. VERDICT An immersive tour of magic through the ages that will appeal most to readers with a fondness for Copperfield.—Bree Jennrich, Webster Univ., Webster Groves, MO

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177004440
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	10/26/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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