Travel back through time to meet FDR's magician. for a magical road trip with his direct ancestor, a real-life magician and politician. His book is one part magic history, one part American history and one part family history. Here we meet presidents, candidates, conjurers and Civil War soldiers. His account of the first convention of the international Brotherhood of Magicians provides an accurate glimpse of people who loved magic and made it their livelihood. There is much to learn from this book, but perhaps the most important message is to cherish our history and celebrate our own unique family stories. David Copperfield magician, was a major figure in Ohio politics during the first half of the twentieth century, serving as the powerful head of the Ohio Democratic Party and as a senior official in the U.S. Treasury under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Durbin's story is that of a political maverick who knew how to manipulate behind-the-scenes activities, especially in Ohio's political arena. He was instrumental in William Kennings Bryan's near-defeat of William McKinley in Ohio, and two decades later he helped Woodrow Wilson reach the White House. nation's premier magicians who performed on stage as The Past Master of the Black Art, the was the first elected president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, a professional organization that has grown since its first convention in Kenton, Ohio in 1926 to number more than 15,000 members today. biography narrated by James D. Robenalt, Durbin's great-grandson, who places himself with Durbin in a long car ride back to Ohio from Washington, D.C., in February 1937. Rings an engrossing read.

Did Uncle Harry just murder a fellow magician? On stage in front of a full audience? It’s up to Eli to prove that, in the world of magic, you can’t always believe your eyes! "You will just LOVE these books."—VANISH Magazine ★★★★★ Eli's trip to London with his uncle Harry quickly turns homicidal when the older magician finds himself accused of murder. It’s clear someone is knocking off Harry's elderly peers in bizarrely effective ways. But who? The odd gets odder when the prime suspect appears to be a bitter performer with a grudge...who committed suicide over thirty years before. "Highly recommended."—Orson Bean, Actor, Magician, Author of Safe at Home GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! Praise for Eli Marks Mystery Series: "You will just LOVE these books.”—VANISH Magazine “This is an instant classic, in a league with Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Arthur Conan Doyle.”—Rosebud Book Reviews “It’s full of magic, mystery, danger and misdirection, as a good magic trick should be. I love this cozy mystery series, a thoroughly delightful read.”—Sweet Mystery Books “Before I had even finished the first chapter I had fallen in love with Eli. He is intelligent, sensitive, witty and, suddenly, the main suspect in a series of murders…well written, fast-paced and exciting.”—The Frugal Mennonite “This story is very well written and fun to read. I would definitely read another Eli Marks Mystery!”_A Simple Taste for Reading “Hands-down the funniest thing I have read in a long time, expertly paced and hilariously detailed.”—Seattle Book Mama

"Finally, a book that brings the art of magic into the 21st century!"—Rick Merrill, 2006 World Champion of Magic "Every 10 or 20 years a book comes along that introduces a whole new generation to the art and craft of magic. This is it!"—Stan Allen, Editor-in-Chief of Magic Magazine The Book: A book of powerful secrets. How to master the art of direction. Perfect the Sid Lorraine force, essential to card tricks. Harness PATEO to read minds. Learn skills like the false transfer, palm switch, big-action-covers-the-small-action, and more. Above all, how to create an emotional hook so that, in the fleeting moment when an effect occurs, magic truly happens, revealing the world to be a place of boundless wonder. Dazzle your friends. Impress a date like never before. Confound your kids, or better yet, confound your parents. Magic shows you how to master over 100 effects that are simple to learn and guaranteed to astonish. The DVD: Included with Magic is an entertaining 132-minute DVD featuring 35 effects performed and taught in great detail, with particular emphasis on rhythm and action and the nuances of timing and direction. The author: Joshua Jay was crowned champion at the World Magic Seminar in 1998, when he was still a teenager. He's performed and lectured in over 50 countries, is a headliner at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and writes a monthly column in MAGIC, the leading magazine for magicians. His website is www.joshuajay.com.

The winner of the 1995 World Fantasy Award

In this classic manual, a successful stage magician reveals the secrets of a host of mystifying tricks including "The Lemon and Note Trick," "The Miser's Dream," and "The Watch in the Loaf of Bread"-plus swallowing a watch, transforming a cigarette into a silk handkerchief, producing bouquets of real flowers from a borrowed hat and distributing them to the spectators, pulling a live rabbit (or guinea pig) out of a hat, and much more. Clear, comprehensive and enhanced with 240 detailed diagrams and illustrations, this indispensable resource belongs in the library of every would-be magician or magic lover. 240 black-and-white illus. Introduction. Index.

One thing magicians like to hear even more than oohs and ahhs is laugher. They know laughter means a happy, satisfied audience, which means more bookings and higher fees. If youd like to add new laughs to your act but have despaired of finding suitable material take heart. Here is the resource countless magicians have been waiting for: Carroll Lisbys Presto! Laughter: More Than 2,800 New Laugh-Lines for Your Favorite Magic Tricks. Not a batch of old, recycled jokes, Presto! Laughter is instead a goldmine of magic-themed laugh-lines that you can drop in at appropriate times during a performance.