Maskelyne S Book Of Magic Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of Maskelyne S Book Of Magic book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.
A charming glimpse of stage magic in the early twentieth century, this engaging manual's time-honored tricks range from sleight of hand with coins, cards, and rope to thought-reading and juggling. Written by a famous magician, its tried-and-true feats and performance tips are illustrated by sixty figures and thirteen vintage photographs. A British stage magician of the 1930s and '40s, Jasper Maskelyne was a third-generation performer in a well-known family of illusionists. During World War II, Maskelyne assembled a squad known as the “Magic Gang” to misdirect Axis bombers and camouflage the activities of the Allied forces with illusions of tanks, battleships, and armies. This new edition of his captivating classic features an introduction by magic historian and author Edwin A. Dawes that recounts Maskelyne's larger-than-life career and exploits.
Books like this contain what may be called the raw material of the art, the processes which the magician can employ at will in building up his larger experiments in magic, each of which should be a complete play in itself. Then, when the student has found out how tricks can be done, he would do well to turn his attention to Our Magic, by Mr. Maskelyne and his associate, Mr. David Devant. And from this logical treatise he can learn how experiments in magic ought to be composed. It is from this admirable discussion of the basic principles of modern magic that more than one of the points made in this paper have been borrowed. Mr. Devant calls attention to the fact that new tricks are common, new manipulative devices, new examples of dexterity and new applications of science, whereas new plots, new ideas for effective presentation, are rare. He describes a series of experiments of his own, some of which utilize again but in a novel manner devices long familiar, while others are new both in idea and in many of the subsidiary methods of execution. One of the most hackneyed and yet one of the most effective illusions in the repertory of the conjurer is that known as the Rising Cards. The performer brings forward a pack of cards, several of which are drawn by members of the audience and returned to the pack, whereupon at the command of the magician they rise out of the pack one after the other in the order in which they were drawn. In the oldest form in which this illusion is described in the books on the art, the pack is placed in a case supported by a rod standing on a base, and the secret of the trick lies on this rod and its base. The rod is really a hollow tube and the base is really an empty box. The tube is filled with sand, on the top of which rests a leaden weight, to which is attached a thread so arranged over and under certain cards as to cause the chosen cards to rise when it descends down the tube; and in putting the cards into the case the conjurer released a valve at the bottom of the tube, so that the sand might escape into the box, whereby the weight was lowered, the thread then doing its allotted work, and the cards ascending into view, no matter how far distant the performer might then be standing. It seems likely that the invention of this primitive apparatus may have been due to the fact that some eighteenth century conjurer happened to observe the sand running out of an hour-glass and set about to find some means whereby this escape of sand could be utilized in his art. The hollow rod, the escaping sand, and the descending weight have long since been discarded; but the illusion of the Rising Cards survives and is now performed in an unending variety of ways. The pack may be held in the hand of the performer, without the use of any case, or it may be placed in a glass goblet, or it may be tied together with a ribbon and thus suspended from cords that swing to and from almost over the heads of the spectators; and however they may be isolated the chosen cards rise obediently when they are bidden. The original effect subsists, even though the devices differ.... The Bookman: A Review of Books and Life, Volume 40
Based on an extraordinary true story and soon to be a major film produced by and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, The War Magician is the remarkable tale of the man who used the powers of illusion to fight the Nazis—and created the most remarkable feat of legerdemain since the Trojan Horse. How an Illusionist Changed the Course of World War II When England went to war against Hitler in 1939, it mobilized its entire military and industrial resources. But there was no place in that vast army for legendary stage magician Jasper Maskelyne, whose family was renowned for creating modern theatrical illusions. Maskelyne was determined to fight the Nazis using his only weapon: he intended to apply the techniques of popular magic to the battlefield. Initially ignored and ridiculed by the staid military leadership, he eventually cajoled his way into the Camouflage Section and was sent to the western desert, where he created a new type of warfare. With his small group of artists, the Magic Gang, Maskelyne designed and developed ingenious weapons, then tricked the Desert Fox, General Rommel, and his fabled Afrika Korps into believing there were tanks and battleships where there were none, concealed the Suez Canal, and even successfully “moved” Alexandria harbor. But it required all his skills to pull off perhaps the largest and most complex magic trick in history. As General Bernard Montgomery told Maskelyne on the eve of the Battle of El Alamein, “The entire war will turn on what happens here. What I am about to ask you to do is impossible. It can’t be done, but it must be done. I hope you’ve brought your magic wand with you.” This is the fact-based story of the illusion that won the war in the desert.
Excerpt from White Magic: The Story of Maskelynes What is magic? - The Black Arts and the White - A farming family goes to the Devil! - Did Nevil Maskelyne practise witchcraft? - The Maskelyne tradition - "J.N." becomes a watchmaker - Friendship with Cooke - Attending spiritualistic seances - Advent of the Davenports. There are a number of answers to the question "What is magic?." Doubtless some of my readers who have played faro or highball poker with strangers can give one definition. Victims of the three-card trick or the manipulated dice have their own ideas. People who, in these enlightened times, still openly believe in ghosts, spirit manifestations, and wart-charming, can explain yet another form of magic, though they cannot explain it away. For myself, I believe in only one sort of mystification, and that is White Magic. I grant a respectful reservation towards the Black Arts, not because I can practise them myself, but as the result of some rather eerie experiences which I shall detail later. In the main, however, this book, being a history of the Magic House of Maskelyne, deals with the gentle art of illusion only, and the adventures that have befallen three generations of us who have made a living by deluding the public. Other wizards - the share-pushers and gold-brick sellers of our times - have perhaps been even more financially successful, and had more exciting lives. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
The Secret History of Magic by Peter Lamont,Jim Steinmeyer Pdf
Pull back the curtain on the real history of magic – and discover why magic really matters 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.
In the first in a compelling new series from Elly Griffiths, a band of magicians who served together in WWII track a killer who's performing deadly tricks
Exclusive Magical Secrets was originally published by The Magician Ltd as a limited edition of 1000 in 1912. It was bound with a lock on the cover and became known as "The Locked Book of Magical Secrets." The author, Will Goldston, was born in 1878 in Liverpool and first went on stage under the name Carl Devo. He later became the manager/buyer of Gamage's Theatrical and Entertainment Department. Goldston was an early member of the Magic Circle but resigned and formed his own society - The Magicians' Club of London with Harry Houdini as President, a post he held until his death. He set up in business as William Goldston Ltd in Aladdin House near Leicester Square in London where he sold "magic tricks." The business was later bought by Davenports, the famous London magic shop. He edited a number of publications: Magician Annual (1907-1912), Magician Monthly (1904-1913), Magazine of Magic (1914-1930) and Golston's Magical Quarterly (1934-1940). If he had been alive today it is likely that Will Goldston would have been one of the most famous people in the world of magic. As it is his legacy stands, not only in his writings but also in the inspiration he gave to future generations of magicians. Like many other books of this era some of the tricks described use substances and methods that would be considered dangerous today and are most likely unobtainable. However, as magicians are always re-inventing old tricks in many cases there are simple substitutes. You are warned, however, not to take any risks. As with other offerings in The Golden Age of Magic series this volume is not a straightforward reproduction of the original text. There are a number of reasons for this. The main one, as with almost all early books, is that the typefaces used frequently make reading a chore rather than a pleasure. There is also the fact that the original printings were poorly edited, resulting in spelling errors and sometimes mistakes which completely alter the meaning of the text. Wherever possible we have endeavored to reproduce illustrations from the original to the highest possible standard and, in many cases, have been able to improve them. However, you should be aware that some illustrations in the original books were, themselves, copied from documents that were then many years old and some reproductions may not be to present day standards. However, we have taken the liberty of producing the book to make it both accurate and accessible. We would hope that, were the author alive today, he would very much approve of this edition.
This multifaceted book is the latest collaboration between Glenn Kaino and Derek DelGaudio, who work together as the conceptual performance art duo A.Bandit to make magical art. A.Bandit is an experimental performance art group started by conceptual artist Glenn Kaino and magician Derek DelGaudio. Together they have exhibited and performed their work in venues that span a diverse range of cultural activities. The book introduces their pioneering work in the fields of art and magic, along with interviews and stories from noteworthy practitioners from both fields. It will be a generous access point into the normally secret practice from which A.Bandit operates. The book itself will contain several secret elements and magical features that will distinguish it as a type of performance in and of itself.
"Modern Magic" is a treatise in book form, detailing the apparatus, methods and tricks used by the magicians and conjurors. It was the first book in the English language to really explain how to perform magical feats. The treatise contains advice on the appearance, the dress and the staging of a magician. It then goes on to describe many tricks with playing cards, coins, watches, rings, handkerchiefs, dominoes, dice, cups, balls and hats, and concludes with a long chapter of miscellaneous tricks, including magic with strings, gloves, eggs, rice and some utility devices. The penultimate chapter describes large stage illusions, and the final chapter contains advice on routining a magic show, as well as more advice on staging.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke Pdf
In the Hugo-award winning, epic New York Times Bestseller and basis for the BBC miniseries, two men change England's history when they bring magic back into the world. In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England - until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers and becomes an overnight celebrity. Another practicing magician then emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's pupil, and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wild, most perilous forms of magic, and he soon risks sacrificing his partnership with Norrell and everything else he holds dear. Susanna Clarke's brilliant first novel is an utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who, first as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history.
Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography by Albert A. Hopkins Pdf
DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography" by Albert A. Hopkins. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
Ultra Hush-hush by Stephen Shapiro,David Craig,Tina Forrester Pdf
Spies! Special Missions! Codes and Ciphers! History comes to life with 19 stories of ingenuity and intrigue from World War II. Discover the secrets behind some of the real-life deceptions that turned the tide of World War II. Meet double-crossing secret agents like Arthur Owens (code-named Snow), who spied for both the Nazis and the British! Witness airborne assaults by daredevils such as Otto “Scarface” Skorzeny, “the most dangerous man in Europe.” Smash through “unbreakable” barriers like the A-3 Scrambler, the American encryption system used to communicate with British allies! Each spellbinding true story is packed with information sidebars, archival photographs, and full-color maps, allowing the reader to go behind the scenes of World War II and learn the secrets that outwitted the enemy.
