The Secret History of Magic by Peter Lamont
Pull back the curtain on the real history of magic - and discover why magic really mattersIf you read a standard history of magic, you learn that it begins in ancient Egypt, with the resurrection of a goose in front of the Pharaoh. You discover how magicians were tortured and killed during the age of witchcraft. You are told how conjuring tricks were used to quell rebellious colonial natives. The history of magic is full of such stories, which turn out not to be true. Behind the smoke and mirrors, however, lies the real story of magic.
It is a history of people from humble roots, who made and lost fortunes, and who deceived kings and queens. In order to survive, they concealed many secrets, yet they revealed some and they stole others. They engaged in deception, exposure, and betrayal, in a quest to make the impossible happen. They managed to survive in a world in which a series of technological wonders appeared, which previous generations would have considered magical. Even today, when we now take the most sophisticated technology for granted, we can still be astonished by tricks that were performed hundreds of years ago.
The Secret History of Magic reveals how this was done. It is about why magic matters in a world that no longer seems to have a place for it, but which desperately needs a sense of wonder.
Jim Steinmeyer is the author of a number of books about magic history and practice, including the New York Times bestseller Hiding the Elephant (2004) and The Glorious Deception (2006), which were both published in 2004. He's designed illusions for Broadway successes Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, and Into the Woods, as well as deceptions for magicians Doug Henning, David Copperfield, and Siegfried and Roy.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780143130635 |
| ISBN 10 | 0143130633 |
| Title | The Secret History of Magic |
| Author | Peter Lamont |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Penguin Putnam Inc |
| Year published | 2018-07-17 |
| Number of pages | 368 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |