Instructions for performing seventy-five feats of magic with simple equipment and practice.

Would you believe that you could ask a full-grown man to hold a penny for you and then tell him to drop it and finds he can’t, hard as he may try? In what is undoubtedly the most original magic book of our time, John Fisher shows the reader how, with minimal practice, he can use the marvels of the human body to entertain and mystify friends and family, small and large audiences. This book is first of all a delight to read because of the instant education it provides us with about the unknown powers we have in our hands, our eyes, our noses, and our incredible nervous system. In each case, Mr. Fisher shows the easy-to-grasp principle first and then how to put the principle to work in actual tricks. Most magic books require a great deal of study and dexterity. This one enables you to entertain people even before you have finished the book. Moreover, you never have to worry about being prepared, because you always have with you all the miraculous things you need—your hands, your eyes, and the rest of your body.

Acclaimed television producer and author John Fisher has assembled an unparalleled cast in the pages of Heroes of Magic. Combining firsthand experience and behind-the-scenes stories with deep historical understanding, each profile captures the essence of its subject. Weaving together life stories, anecdotes, and historical accomplishments, these pages contain rich and personal profiles of lives often shrouded in secrecy.Here, both struggles and triumphs are all on exhibit. From the kindhearted conjuring of David Devant to the thought-thievery of Maurice Fogel; from the laugh-provoking trickery of Tommy Cooper and Jay Marshall to the adroit sleight-of-hand of Ricky Jay and Cardini; from the grand illusions of Richiardi and Robert Harbin to the elegant sorcery of Fred Kaps and Rene Lavand, these magicians attained a status of something much more than mere entertainers.Each one created miracles that persist, and personas that inspire the imagination, one generation after another. Through the pages of Heroes of Magic, and the insider's view they provide, now you can understand what made that possible.448 oversize pages in deluxe cloth bound hardcover with dust-jacket, illustrated with hundreds of photographs.With an introduction by Joel Hodgson, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and an afterword by noted theatrical illusion designer Paul Kieve.

Traces the history of magic shows, offers profiles of top magicians, and looks at the career of British magician, Paul Daniels

Written by the master magician himself, this fascinating work reveals the secrets behind how Houdini escaped numerous death-defying stunts and exposed a variety of fake spiritualists. He also gives instructions for 44 eye-catching stage tricks, as well as other fascinating material. 155 illustrations.

Billy McComb was one of the most influential platform magicians in the 20th Century. This is a collection of his magic, culled from lecture notes and small manuscripts. These are the final incarnations in the evolution of Billy McComb's magic!

There's enough trout magic to rub off on every reader--man, woman, or child.

Beloved by both Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, Lu Anne Henderson has never told her story. Lu Anne was a beautiful 15-year-old girl in Denver in 1945 when she met Neal, a fast-talking hurricane of male sexuality. The two married, and soon they were hanging out with a group of young would-be writers, including Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. But Neal and Jack initially didn’t like each other. Lu Anne ended up loving them both, and she taught them how to love each other — giving Kerouac material for one of the seminal novels of the 20th century, On the Road. One and Only traces the immense struggles of Lu Anne’s life, from the split-up of her family during the Great Depression to the ravages of abusive men and a late-life heroin addiction. It shows how her life intertwined with Jack’s and Neal’s to the very end.

Stories to delight, enchant, and surprise you. Bestselling author and master storyteller Neil Gaiman here presents a breathtaking collection of tales that may chill or amuse readers—but always embrace the unexpected: A teenage boy who has trouble talking to girls finds himself at a rather unusual party. A sinister jack-in-the-box haunts the lives of the children who owned it. A boy raised in a graveyard makes a discovery and confronts the much more troubling world of the living. A stray cat fights a nightly battle to protect his adopted family from a terrible evil. These eleven stories illuminate the real and the fantastic, and will be welcomed with great joy by Neil Gaiman's many fans as well as by readers coming to his work for the first time.