June 02, 2011 | Rec. Reading
1,642 views
 
CIA Secrets Book

The CIA’s Secrets

The Cold War made for strange partners — including the CIA and a well-known magician named John Mulholland. In 1953, Mulholland was hired by the C.I.A. to adapt his craft for its agents.

The documents he produced, long thought destroyed, were discovered in 2007 by two C.I.A. historians, who have recently published "The Official C.I.A. Manual of Trickery and Deception."

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May 17, 2011 | Rec. Reading
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Magic-Book

The Art of Magic Book

Another great book to read.

 

Magic has enchanted humankind for millennia, evoking terror, laughter, shock, and amazement. Once persecuted as heretics and sorcerers, magicians have always been conduits to a parallel universe of limitless possibility whether invoking spirits, reading minds, or inverting the laws of nature by sleight of hand.
 
Long before science fiction, virtual realities, video games and the internet, the craft of magic was the most powerful fantasy world man had ever known. As the pioneers of special effects throughout history, magicians have never ceased to mystify us by making the impossible possible. 
 

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May 05, 2011 | Rec. Reading
1,567 views
 
Phantoms

Phantoms of the Card Table

My friend Gazzo, who contributed a story to my book wrote a wonderful book himself, "The Phantom of the Card Table." I read it three times and loved it.

Walter Irving Scott may have been the greatest card shark ever. In 1930, Scott bamboozled a room full of New York's finest card manipulators by dealing himself winning poker hands from a shuffled deck, one of his many tricks. He liked to say that he "cheated the cheats."

His skill with cards was extraordinary and he soon became known as "The Phantom of the Card Table." That's why Gazzo, a magician from England, decided to track Scott down some 60 years later. The two became friends and Scott openly discussed his work with a view to its finally being published. "I don't care what you say," said Scott, "as long as you tell the truth."

This is the truth about Walter Irving Scott and other phantoms of the card table who spent years practicing a craft they rarely talk about — cheating at cards. A special chapter revealing master card tricks is also included.

BUY on Amazon.com

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1,263 views
 
Book-art

Magic’s Most Amazing Stories -The Book

 
A Collection of Incredible Stories From World Famous Magicians

Nominated by ForeWord Review for book of the year for 2010 in the humor category. This book has no effects, no tricks to learn and no moves to master. 

Filled with inspiring, hilarious, gripping, remarkable and shocking stories for all!

 Over 75 contributors, over 100 stories, beautifully illustrated, completely in full-color and over 250 pages of incredible stories, crazy facts, great anecdotes and fantastic tales about famous magicians of the past and present. 



Magicians of the past and current magicians including: Houdini, Doug Henning, Dai Vernon, Tony Slydini, Tommy Cooper, Jimmy Grippo, Harry Blackstone, just to name a few.

Reports from the road, at the airport, technical problems, hecklers, lost props, fire, animal mishaps and anything else you can think of IS ALL HERE! Get an inside look to what happens to the pros while they travel and work in this exciting profession. 

Compiled by Multiple Award-Winning Magician Ivan Amodei



BUY IT HERE

 

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May 05, 2011 | Houdini, Rec. Reading
1,370 views
 
Houdini-&-Nate

Danger in the Dark: A Houdini & Nate Mystery

What a great book. Perfect for the kids who love magic.  "When an unscrupulous man plots against his mother, a young boy gets help from the famous magician, Harry Houdini."

Pick up your copy at Amazon.com.

 

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