The Secret History of Magic, Jim Steinmeyer
The Secret History of Magic, Jim Steinmeyer
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The Secret History of Magic
The True Story of the Deceptive Art

Author: Jim Steinmeyer, Peter Lamont

Narrator: Rory Barnett

Unabridged: 10 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/17/2018


Synopsis

If 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.

About Jim Steinmeyer

Jim Steinmeyer is a world-renowned magic designer and author, who has created many of the mysteries featured by professional magicians, and special effects featured in popular Broadway shows. His books include The Last Greatest Magician in the World, Magic, and the Los Angeles Times bestseller, Hiding the Elephant.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Richard Kaufman on July 23, 2018

As a writer and scholar of magic, I am blown away by what Jim Steinmeyer and Peter Lamont have done in this book. Few new books illuminate what we think of as "settled" history in our field. This book blows up the settled history of magic, and our craft will be all the better for it. To evolve and l......more

Goodreads review by Fil on February 24, 2025

A fascinating look at the general history of magic. Very cool.......more

Goodreads review by Elmwoodblues on November 01, 2018

Love secrets? History? Magic? Then 'The Secret History of Magic' should indicate a slam dunk, right? Classic misdirection. If you are new to the origin stories of magic, this does not seem like the intro text. Interesting stuff like the first 'sawed in half' acts, the surprisingly recent 'rabbit......more

Goodreads review by Sean on August 07, 2018

Ok. Not as good as the NY Times led me to believe.......more

Goodreads review by Steve on October 17, 2018

atrocious writing, which is a surprise because Steinmeyer is a decent writer. Lots of verbiage saying nothing.......more