Leading circus skills author Charlie Dancey has spent over 20 years compiling this book of the world's coolest tricks, from unicycles to levitation, and vanishing coins to lion-taming.

Why were so many religious images and objects broken and damaged in the course of the Reformation? Margaret Aston's magisterial new book charts the conflicting imperatives of destruction and rebuilding throughout the English Reformation from the desecration of images, rails and screens to bells, organs and stained glass windows. She explores the motivations of those who smashed images of the crucifixion in stained glass windows and who pulled down crosses and defaced symbols of the Trinity. She shows that destruction was part of a methodology of religious revolution designed to change people as well as places and to forge in the long term new generations of new believers. Beyond blanked walls and whited windows were beliefs and minds impregnated by new modes of religious learning. Idol-breaking with its emphasis on the treacheries of images fundamentally transformed not only Anglican ways of worship but also of seeing, hearing and remembering.

BOOKLIST--4/1/87: "Juggling, says Dave Finnigan, is a 'physically & mentally relaxing form of recreation which can help you to discover & nurture your innate coordination.' Finnigan offers this engaging guide for anyone who is interested in improving manual dexterity, who longs to be the life of every party, or who has simply always wanted to ape the feats of nimble-fingered circus perfomers. With reassuring enthusiasm, the author takes readers through a passel of juggling routines in step-by-step fashion, from advanced three ball juggling, to feats involving balls, clubs & rings, & on to the ever-popular plate-spinning. Appended material proffers advice on teaching juggling, making money at the art, juggling & health, & more. A SUREFIRE ITEM FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES EVERYWHERE." To order call Jugglebug 1-800-523-1776.

Films with dream sequences, or a dreamlike quality, allow directors to create their own rules of logic and nature to meet a variety of artistic needs. For instance, an opening dream immediately establishes what a character is feeling; a later dream--or series of them--provides viewers with a glimpse of the climax, and a concluding dream ties up loose ends. (In real life, of course, dreams do not occur at such convenient times or serve such useful purposes.) This book explores why science is lost or distorted in the process of representing dreams on film and why audiences prefer this figurative truth of art over the literal truth of science. Part One discusses changes in form and considers the history of dream theory. Additionally, the physiology of sleeping and dreaming, dream structure, sleep deprivation, dreams under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and waking up, as depicted on film, are examined. Part Two investigates changes in content, and delves into the psychology of sleeping and dreaming, dream interpretation, altered states of consciousness, visions and prophecies, dreams as wish fulfillment, sex and death, nightmares, and reality versus illusion. The author uses theories by Freud, Jung, and current experts in her analyses of dream sequences and their use in film.

You don’t need a white tiger, expensive props, or hours of preparation to do magic. With a little practice, some clever misdirection (which lays at the heart of all magic tricks), and showmanship, you can surprise family, friends, and coworkers using a few everyday items! If you’re looking to saw a beautiful women in half or make buildings disappear, we’re sorry, but this book isn’t you. But if you want to act out little miracles that you can perform on the spur of the moment with items that are usually within reach, then Magic For Dummies can show you how. Magic For Dummies features more than 90 easy-to-perform deceptions, illusions, and sleights of hand for any event or occasion. You’ll discover how to perform entertaining card tricks, coin tricks, disappearing acts, as well as the always-popular mind reading trick. You’ll even see how easy it is to make money disappear as well as melt a saltshaker! Chock-full of show-stopping tricks, Magic For Dummies will: Get you started with easy-to-learn magic tricks Let you turn a restaurant into a your stage with tricks that include utensils, mugs, and even food Show you how to use a deck of cards to perform endless magic tricks Make you the life of the party with tricks such as “Call This Number,” “The Strength Test,” and “The Phantom Photo” Get you out of tough situations by giving you ten things to say when things go wrong Filled with photos, patter, and presentation tips for every trick in the book, Magic For Dummies offers a great opportunity to become familiar with some of the coolest magic tricks ever performed. With the help of author David Pogue and the stunning tricks contributed by thirty-five of America’s top professional magicians, you’ll be leaving your friends, family, and coworkers spellbound at your mastery of the mystical arts.

Famed puzzle expert explains math behind a multitude of mystifying tricks: card tricks, stage "mind reading," coin and match tricks, counting out games, geometric dissections, etc. More than 400 tricks. 135 illustrations.

Text and diagrams explain easy-to-do magic tricks which utilize common objects such as coins, rubber bands, and string.