The Magic Book

For millennia, people have been fascinated by magic, and for just as long, sorcery has taught them to fear and laugh, to tremble and marvel. The magicians, once persecuted as heretics and sorcerers, have always embodied the connection to a parallel world where practically nothing was impossible—whether they summoned spirits, read minds, or turned the laws of nature upside down with sleight of hand. When science fiction, virtual reality, computer games, and the internet were still far in the future, there was no more powerful fantasy world than that of magic. Kings pulled their hair out, baronesses fainted, and the common audience was reduced to "Ah!" and "Oh!" as the true fathers of special effects showcased their arts.

Through more than 750 rare posters, photographs, advertisements, engravings, and paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Bruegel, and other artists, the book on magic traces the history of the art of magic from 1400 to the 1950s. Spectacular illustrations and expert essays illuminate the evolution of the magical craft from the street performers of the Middle Ages to the grand masters of theatrical presentation who contributed to the early film's first special effects, from the golden age of magic in the 19th century to the vaudeville performers of the 20th century and groundbreaking daredevils like Houdini. You will laugh, you will cry, you will pull a white rabbit out of a hat!.