David Copperfield's History of Magic
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-11-01 11:20:59
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：David Copperfield
- ISBN：1797131443
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
An illustrated， illuminating insight into the world of illusion from the world’s greatest and most successful magician， capturing its audacious and inventive practitioners， and showcasing the art form’s most famous artifacts housed at David Copperfield’s secret museum。
In this personal journey through a unique performing art， David Copperfield profiles some of the world’s most groundbreaking magicians。 From the sixteenth-century magistrate who wrote an early book on conjuring， to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini， to the woman who levitated， vanished， and caught bullets in her bare hands， David Copperfield’s History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of some of the greatest magicians in history。
The result is a sweeping tale that reveals how these astonishing performers were outsiders who used magic to escape class， challenge convention， transform popular culture， explore the innermost workings of the human mind， and inspire scientific discovery。
By the end of the book， you’ll be sure to share Copperfield’s passion for the power of magic。
In this personal journey through a unique performing art， David Copperfield profiles some of the world’s most groundbreaking magicians。 From the sixteenth-century magistrate who wrote an early book on conjuring， to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini， to the woman who levitated， vanished， and caught bullets in her bare hands， David Copperfield’s History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of some of the greatest magicians in history。
The result is a sweeping tale that reveals how these astonishing performers were outsiders who used magic to escape class， challenge convention， transform popular culture， explore the innermost workings of the human mind， and inspire scientific discovery。
By the end of the book， you’ll be sure to share Copperfield’s passion for the power of magic。
Reviews
Carol Custer
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I've always been fascinated by magicians and David Copperfield is one of the best。 This is an easy-to-read book that details the history of magic and famous magicians。 Alas， no secrets revealed - but that's ok - it's magic after all！！Copperfield's museum sounds amazing and since it isn't open to the public， this virtual walk through it is as close as most of us will ever get。 I've always been fascinated by magicians and David Copperfield is one of the best。 This is an easy-to-read book that details the history of magic and famous magicians。 Alas， no secrets revealed - but that's ok - it's magic after all！！Copperfield's museum sounds amazing and since it isn't open to the public， this virtual walk through it is as close as most of us will ever get。 。。。more
Linda
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It would be fun to be a magician except that they occasionally get killed， something Copperfield mentions about a magician or two。 If you're doing the catching-bullets-in-a-dish trick， you do not want to give sloppy directions to the person holding the gun。 For the most part， tricks go well and there's magic in the process of creating them。Written in an easy-to-follow， friendly way， David Copperfield's History of Magic feels like Copperfield is walking you through his museum while he tells stori It would be fun to be a magician except that they occasionally get killed， something Copperfield mentions about a magician or two。 If you're doing the catching-bullets-in-a-dish trick， you do not want to give sloppy directions to the person holding the gun。 For the most part， tricks go well and there's magic in the process of creating them。Written in an easy-to-follow， friendly way， David Copperfield's History of Magic feels like Copperfield is walking you through his museum while he tells stories about the history of magic。Interesting info on the magician innovators and stars throughout the decades， including the engineering and technology they created to work their magic。 Lots of colorful photos of old costumes， posters， books on magic， and magician's props including a guillotine， circular saw， and Houdini's death-defying water box。 Copperfield includes two famous female magicians--always glad when historians remember the ladies。Copperfield doesn't give any secrets away， but he does tell about the classic books that the magicians wrote to teach magic and slight-of-hand tricks。 If a reader really really wanted to learn magic and card tricks， Copperfield sends them in the right direction。 The book includes extensive notes on research。Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of this nonfiction book。 。。。more
Martin Maenza
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I first heard about this book when the authors gave a talk at this year’s virtual ALA convention。 Having grown up with Copperfield’s specials on TV and always having an interest in magic， this seemed like a natural read for me。 And indeed it was。The book takes the reader through the history of 19th and 20th century magicians with the backgrounds supplemented by photos of items which belonged to each that are now part of Copperfield’s museum and library of magic。 The collection looks very cool an I first heard about this book when the authors gave a talk at this year’s virtual ALA convention。 Having grown up with Copperfield’s specials on TV and always having an interest in magic， this seemed like a natural read for me。 And indeed it was。The book takes the reader through the history of 19th and 20th century magicians with the backgrounds supplemented by photos of items which belonged to each that are now part of Copperfield’s museum and library of magic。 The collection looks very cool and， hopefully， something the public masses might be able to experience someday。 。。。more
Diane
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I was lucky enough to see David Copperfield's Las Vegas magic extravaganza about twenty years ago， it was such a fantastic show。 So when I saw this new book I knew I'd want to listen to it。 Somehow I thought this was a memoir and in a small part it is but， the book is so much more。David Copperfield， a New Jersey native， was a shy kid who at the age of ten asked his mother for a ventriloquist dummy -- so began his fascination with magic and illusion。 He was the youngest person ever to be accepted I was lucky enough to see David Copperfield's Las Vegas magic extravaganza about twenty years ago， it was such a fantastic show。 So when I saw this new book I knew I'd want to listen to it。 Somehow I thought this was a memoir and in a small part it is but， the book is so much more。David Copperfield， a New Jersey native， was a shy kid who at the age of ten asked his mother for a ventriloquist dummy -- so began his fascination with magic and illusion。 He was the youngest person ever to be accepted into the Society of Magicians。 In this well researched book Copperfield along with fellow magicians Richard Wiseman and David Britland share the stories of some 28 magicians and illusionists， some dating back to the 16th century。 The book is full of background on the early tricksters， magicians and illusionists and what they became famous for。 It was fascinating to learn how each of the magicians and illusionists seemed to inspire others to become passionate of their craft。Anyone who has had an interest or curiosity about magic should check this book out。 I loved it。 The audio was read by David Copperfield and Fedor Chin who were both excellent and highly recommended。 However， now I want to get a copy of the print version as I understand there are some 100+ photographs and objects from Copperfield's Museum of Magic。Rating - 5/5 starsAudio download was provided to me by Simon & Schuster Audio in exchange for my unbiased review。 。。。more
Dan
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