MagicWeek.co.uk has featured a number of general Magic Books and DVDs under 'News' over the years... they can be ordered via MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk

 

Kill Him, Mary! Magician Zane writes: "Having written children's books about performing magic, I wanted to get my teeth into an adult-only action thriller novel (magic does get a mention). The title is called, 'Kill Him, Mary!' by R. J. Robinson. It is basically about two ex-Royal Marines, and it is based in Dubai and Royal Tunbridge Wells. I had fun writing it, and I'm very pleased with the response. For anyone who likes a gritty read and a touch of black comedy, I think you will like it. It is available to buy on Amazon, Waterstones, etc. The cheapest price is on Amazon at £9.99. Here's the link: www.amazon.co.uk If customers buy directly from me, they will receive a signed copy!" Email zane@zanesmagicshop.com.

 

The Warlock Effect by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman. From Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, creators of the international smash-hit play and film Ghost Stories, comes a new novel: The Warlock Effect. Set in Soho in 1952, this thriller introduces us to Britain's most popular magician Louis Warlock, who is engaged by the British Secret Service to try and foil a deadly plot that threatens not only his life, but the safety and security of Great Britain itself.

 

The book is laced with the authors’ joint love of magic. Drawing on many real names and places from the magic community, this thriller not only pays homage to the rich world of British magic, but also creates new characters in Louis’ Brains Trust team, that are set to become new favourites. "Two great masters join forces to explosive effect" Richard Osman. Just published by Hodder; order via Amazon.co.uk.

 

The Derren Brown Collection 11 disc DVD set. The Derren Brown Collection features some of the internationally acclaimed psychological illusionist's most extraordinary and astonishing performances. The set includes the Olivier Award-winning Svengali and the BAFTA-winning The Experiments as well as a host of other hilarious, dramatic and spellbinding shows.

The 11 disc set contains: Something Wicked This Way Comes / Svengali / Enigma / An Evening of Wonders / Infamous / Inside Your Mind / Trick of the Mind Series One & Two / The Experiments / Russian Roulette / Séance / The Heist / The System.

This is Derren Brown at his best: funny, energised and a master of audience control. The collection features audience participation, shocking stunts and mind-games, as Derren demonstrates why he is one of the country's most exciting live performers. The collection includes over 18 hours of Special Features including interviews with Derren, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, audio commentaries, unseen material and trailers. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Colditz Conjurer: The amazing true story of Vincent 'Bush' Parker, Battle of Britain pilot and prisoner of war magician. A school-boy magician from the Australian outback, Bush left home to become an assistant to Long Tack Sam and The Great Levante. With World War Two looming, he gave this up to train as a Spitfire pilot. One of Churchill's Few, he fought in the Battle of Britain until he was shot down in a dramatic dogfight. As a prisoner-of-war in Germany, Vince Parker earned a reputation as a persistent escaper.

 

He ended up in the infamous Colditz Castle, a high-security fortress from which the Germans thought escape was impossible. In the footlights of the castle's theatre, this charismatic officer used his magic skills to boost the morale of his fellow prisoners. But, behind locked doors, he applied the secrets of stage magic and escapology to the real-life challenge of getting back home. A remarkable tale of perseverance, courage and cunning in the face of adversity; written by James Green MMC. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Psychology: Why It Matters. Richard Wiseman. You are remarkable: You experience a vast range of thoughts and feelings, including falling in love, remembering last Tuesday, and contemplating the meaning of life. And you can carry all sorts of astonishing behaviours, such as sauntering down the street, singing in falsetto and riding a unicycle. Psychologists study every aspect of how you think, feel, and behave.

Richard Wiseman takes you on a personal journey into this fascinating world, focusing on what makes for meaningful research. He explores how psychology reveals the hidden workings of the mind, boosts critical thinking, debunks myths, improves lives, and informs debates in politics, philosophy, and education. This insider’s guide lifts the lid on how psychologists go about their work, examines contemporary challenges associated with studying the mind, and encourages students and researchers to reflect on why they do what they do.

If you’ve ever wanted to think like a psychologist, spot a liar, uncover the truth about happiness, or discover how to create a more altruistic society, then this book is for you. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Derren Brown A Book of Secrets: Finding Solace in a Stubborn World. From the publisher: In A Book of Secrets, internationally bestselling author Derren Brown shows us that it is in those moments when we are faced with adversity that we can find life's most lasting rewards.

 

In thirteen fascinating chapters, Derren takes us on a personal journey - to the scene of a childhood humiliation, to lonely evenings on tour, to being paralysed by shyness at a dinner party, to navigating middle age and to finding love. Sharing moments of anger, frustration, loneliness and loss, Derren reveals how it's possible to find consolation and compassion. Even in our most challenging times we can find meaning and grow. "Derren Brown is a mine of wisdom, humanity and kindness - everything we need to sustain and nourish ourselves. "Enlightening, thought-provoking and illuminating. Derren Brown asks questions about the world, and his intelligent curiosity benefits us all." Elizabeth Day. Order via www.amazon.co.uk.

 

David Copperfield's History of Magic - now available for pre-order! By David Copperfield, Richard Wiseman and David Britland, with photographs by Homer Liwag. 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 and remarkable performing art, David Copperfield profiles twenty-eight of the world's most groundbreaking magicians. From the 16th-century magistrate who wrote the first book on conjuring to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her teeth, David Copperfield's History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of the greatest magicians in history.

These magicians were all outsiders in their own way, many of them determined to use magic to escape the strictures of class and convention. But they all transformed popular culture, adapted to social change, discovered the inner workings of the human mind, embraced the latest technological and scientific discoveries, and took the art of magic to unprecedented heights.

The incredible stories are complimented by over 100 never-before-seen photographs of artifacts from Copperfield's exclusive Museum of Magic, including a 16th-century manual on sleight of hand, Houdini's straightjackets, handcuffs, and water torture chamber, Dante's famous sawing-in-half apparatus, Alexander's high-tech turban that allowed him to read people's minds, and even some coins that may have magically passed through the hands of Abraham Lincoln. By the end of the book, you'll be sure to share Copperfield's passion for the power of magic.

This title will be released on October 26th, 2021 and is now available for pre-order from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

The Amazing Fartzini III: Finale by Shane Robinson. Shane Robinson, owner of Zane's Magic Shop, is pleased to announce that the thrilling and explosive finale to the 'Amazing Fartzini' trilogy about a magician has now been published. The Amazing Fartzini III: Finale by Shane Robinson is sold through Amazon worldwide as well as other book shops. For more details and to buy a signed copy from Zane's Magic Shop Click Here. Format: Quality Paperback, 430 Pages, Suitable for teens to adults, Price £9.95. If customers would like to buy all three books in the series as a set, Zane is currently offering a discount of 15%.

 

The Amazing Fartzini II. From the publisher: In the sequel to 'The Amazing Fartzini', Eric Fartz, the boy wizard, continues to amaze wherever he goes. But, trouble is never far behind him - not if his arch-enemy, David Smythe Jr, has anything to do with it! In this exciting new magical adventure, will Eric survive his most death-defying escape yet? And will he finally manage to win the battle and escape from not only the physical but the mental shackles of his tormentor? Enter the awesomely imaginative mind of a boy wizard, where magic, fearsome mythological dragons, castles, knights in shining armour, witches, fortune-tellers and gangsters are commonplace, and where reality blurs with fantasy, questioning what is real and what is not! Readers of the first book will love the second book, which picks up right where the first book left off, with all the same characters, and new ones! To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Amazing Fartzini. From the publisher: Ingrid Fartz and her eleven-year-old son Eric fled their hometown of Sheffield to start a new life in Ramsgate, Kent, to escape from an abusive relationship with Eric’s Father. Eric was a quiet and painfully shy boy lacking in confidence, who was bullied by two horrible boys at his new school. He didn’t have any friends either and was feeling pretty low, until one day, a chance meeting with an old magician at a magic shop stall at the local Christmas Fair convinced him to take up magic, which changed his life

Throughout the story, Eric learns and performs amazing magic tricks, which are also taught at the back of the book! The story culminates in Eric entering ‘St. Bartholomew’s Got Talent’, but will he get the chance to take part?

This is an entertaining and thought-provoking story about Eric’s struggle at ‘Big School’, filled with inspiration and advice, not only about performing magic but also on how to become more self-confident and a high achiever!

Although it is a fictional story it could just as easily have been written about many young people in the real world today, struggling with confidence issues. Maybe that is you? If it is, then this book will definitely be very helpful to you as well as being an interesting and enjoyable read, plus you will learn some really cool magic tricks too!

It is a modern-day fairytale about triumph over adversity, written by a professional magician with young people in mind! Three Books Combined Into One! An Entertaining and Thought Provoking Novel, Filled With Inspiration! An Instructional Magic Book, Teaching Amazing Easy-to-do Magic Tricks! And a Motivational, Confidence Boosting Self-Help Book For Children! To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

A Little Happier: Notes for reassurance. Derren Brown. From the publishers: In A Little Happier, Derren Brown draws out the essential discoveries from his international bestseller Happy to help you lead your happiest life. A Little Happier's 17 inspiring and reassuring lessons will help you define and find your own happiness. Its lessons challenge us to think differently about the meaning of happiness and how we can over overcome anxiety in a difficult world.

None of this is real when each of us tells stories about our lives in too tidy narratives that are seldom true and rarely helpful. We should be wary of goal setting: long-term goals fixate us on a future that may not happen and we may not wish for when we get there. Our partner isn't right for us because no-one is. None of us is born for someone else. But perhaps those areas of frequent conflict are useful indicators of where we might ourselves be insufferable.

Life is hard, messy and complex. But if we can learn to separate what we can control - our thoughts and actions - from all else beyond our control, we can find a surer footing with which to greet the world and experience our own concept of happiness. Due for publication on 15th October. Pre-order via www.amazon.co.uk.

 

The Magic Book: The Complete Beginners Guide to Anytime, Anywhere, Sleight of Hand Magic. Harry Lorayne. From the publishers: "The Magic Book" reveals the secrets of magicians―the simple techniques that will enable anyone to perform seemingly complicated magic tricks with relative ease. Clearly written and heavily illustrated―there are over 200 illustrations in all―this book guides you through the basic principles of magic using only common household items: a deck of cards, coins, rubber bands, and even a potato. The author then provides simple step-by-step instructions for hundreds of amazing tricks which he has perfected after forty years of painful trial and error. To help new magicians develop their techniques, Harry Lorayne provides a special “afterthought” section at the end of each magic trick where he discusses possible problems that most beginners have with the trick he has just explained. In addition to the practical instruction, Lorayne provides the philosophy of magic as it has never been taught before. For more info and to order visit www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Amaze: The Art of Creating Magical Experiences. Mariano Tomatis and Ferdinando Buscema. Foreword by Derren Brown. From the publishers: Amaze is a inspiring book that introduces a magical perspective into everyday life. Widely acclaimed by thought leaders in the worlds of magic, business, and experience design, Amaze is a manual about how to create "magical experiences" in daily life for friends, family, colleagues, clients, and even strangers. It is a book about "thinking like a magician" to unleash the power of wonder and surprise in everyday life. The authors move seamlessly between the realms of science, art, and magic, seeking wonder at every turn. They excel in inspiring us all to cultivate curiosity and find ways to create astonishment in our own lives and the lives of others. The book is an empowering grimoire for hacking reality and giving the gift of magical experiences to others. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Spun Into Gold - ‘The Secret life of a Female Magician’ by Romany Romany is reviewed by Jay Fortune this week: "The meat, which is very often missing from celebrity biographies, is here in spades. By ‘meat’ I refer to the challenges of simply keeping afloat in a tough world where payment is often low, and even non-existent, especially in the early days of one’s performing career. And, perhaps, even more so for a female performer, especially one who is entering the male-dominated world of magic. This book is vital reading for those who are thinking of following their dreams to being a professional magician or performer of (almost) any discipline..." To read the full review, Click Here.

 

Dynamo: The Book of Secrets. From the publishers: Can you keep a secret? Inside this book you will find many, from the mind of one of the most talented magicians in the world: Dynamo. In this fully illustrated guide to modern magic, Dynamo shows you how you can perform magic yourself. Learn how to make water freeze instantly, read your friends' minds, make chewing gum float 360 degrees around your head, slice a banana without even touching it, discover superhuman strength and many more mind-blowing illusions. A magical masterclass, The Book of Secrets will be the first step on an exciting journey for budding magicians, providing hours of breathtaking fun for all the family. A fully-illustrated beginner's guide to modern magic from the world's coolest magician, Dynamo. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Greatest Magician in the World. Join aspiring boy magician Elliot in his quest to find The Greatest Magician in the World, in this fantastically funny magical adventure. The book includes seven removable magic tricks to perform - making it the perfect gift for young magic fans aged 6-11. Written by former professional magician and TV and radio star Matt Edmondson, and illustrated by the bestselling Garry Parsons, The Greatest Magician in the World is an incredible interactive novelty gift book featuring a brilliantly witty and exciting quest story, a cast of personality-packed magicians, and everything you need to perform seven jaw-dropping magic tricks. Prepare to be amazed! Hardcover. Macmillan Children's Books. 5th October 2017. (I know that this is a real from the heart project from Matt, and that it would make a wonderful Christmas present for any up and coming young magician. DT). To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Complete Final Series and A-Z of Dynamo [DVD]. From the makers: The King of magic returns for the fourth and final series of the multi award winning Dynamo: Magician Impossible. In four brand new episodes we follow magician Dynamo as he travels to France, India and the USA, amazing everyone he meets with his unique brand of jaw dropping magic. Featuring appearances from Coldplay, Sam Smith, One Direction and Bollywood star Irrfan Khan, Dynamo takes us on a magical adventure which will astound even the biggest cynics! Plus, 'The Exclusive A-Z of Dynamo' Dynamo is one of the World’s Greatest magicians… he’s entertained everyone from Los Angeles to Mumbai with his extraordinary TV series Dynamo: Magician Impossible, performing over 16 hours of magic across 4 record breaking series. To celebrate this we’ve put together the A-Z of Dynamo - an exclusive, encyclopedic look at his magic, his persona and of course the reaction to his impossible magic from his many, many fans across the globe. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here (MagicWeek receives a small commission on sales via Amazon.co.uk).

 

London Theatres by Michael Coveney (Author) and Peter Dazeley (Photographer). London is the undisputed theatre capital of the world. From world-famous musicals to West End shows, from cutting-edge plays to Shakespeare in its original staging, from outdoor performance to intimate fringe theatre, the range and quality are unsurpassed. Leading theatre critic Michael Coveney invites you on a tour of forty-five theatres that make the London stage what it is. With stories of the architecture, the people and the productions which have defined each one, alongside sumptuous photographs by Peter Dazeley of the public areas, auditorium and backstage, this illustrated overview of London's Theatres is a book like no other. A must for fans of the stage! To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here (MagicWeek receives a small commission on sales via Amazon.co.uk).

 

Dynamo: Magician Impossible - Series 1-3. On DVD, the first three series of the TV show featuring Bradford-born magician Stephen Frayne aka Dynamo. "Using an array of sleight-of-hand trickery, Dynamo takes to the streets, performing to the public and celebrity fans including Rio Ferdinand, Ian Brown, Samuel L. Jackson, Noel Fielding, Mathew Horne, Travis Barker, Natalie Imbruglia, Damon Albarn, Holly Willoughby, Phillip Schofield and Jessica Ennis." Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Magic 1400s-1950s by Mike Caveney, Jim Steinmeyer, Ricky Jay and Noel Daniel. 544 pages, hardbound, 7.6cm x 30.5 x 40.6 cm - smaller than the first edition but still a real magic heavyweight. Order from Amazon.co.uk for just £28.79, Click Here.

 

Tommy Cooper Jus' Like That! A Life in Jokes and Pictures by John Fisher will be published on October 25th by Preface Publishing. For the first time, Tommy Cooper’s biographer, writer and producer, John Fisher, collects between two covers the cream of the comedian’s personal archives, with photographs, memorabilia and documents that have never been seen before. Had Cooper kept a scrapbook, this is what he would have produced. Souvenirs from his many stage and television triumphs jostle side by side with candid shots of him at play with his family, many revealing a side to the man the public never really saw. Here is the authentic side of Tommy in the forces, the early show business struggle, the backstage world of his magic, the newspaper coverage of the most recognisable man in Britain, the crazy japes at home with wife Gwen, and so much more. This book, with its brilliant colour images and hilarious text, puts the successive stages of Tommy’s life in full context. And if you don’t want to follow his life in biographical detail, just sit back and relax by laughing at the many jokes that crowd the pages. They tell their own story! This is a large-format (21cm x 29cm) hardback crammed full of Cooper theatrical memorabilia and never-before-seen private photos. Highly recommended, and great value too. To pre-order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Sleights of Mind: What the neuroscience of magic reveals about our brains. What can magic tell us about ourselves and our daily lives? If you subtly change the subject during an uncomfortable conversation, did you know you're using attentional 'misdirection', a core technique of magic? And if you've ever bought an expensive item you'd sworn never to buy, you were probably unaware that the salesperson was, like an accomplished magician, a master at creating the 'illusion of choice'. Leading neuroscientists Stephen Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde meet with magicians from all over the world to explain how the magician's art sheds light on consciousness, memory, attention, and belief. As the founders of the new discipline of NeuroMagic, they combine cutting-edge scientific research with startling insights into the tricks of the magic trade. By understanding how magic manipulates the processes in our brains, we can better understand how we work - in fields from law and education to marketing, health and psychology - for good and for ill. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here (MagicWeek receives a small commission on sales via Amazon.co.uk).

 

Dynamo: Magician Impossible Series 2 will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday October 22nd. To pre-order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Hey now... Not magic but a great late-night antidote to whatever the day has thrown at you, The Larry Sanders Show from the mid-nineties still stands up amazingly well (pi). I picked up the box set of the complete series a couple of years ago in its native US format, but it's now available over here as a 'Region 2' (UK) DVD box set and can be ordered via Amazon.co.uk Click Here. DT.

 

Nothing Is Impossible: The Real-Life Adventures of a Street Magician. "I immersed myself in magic. I read every book I could get my hands on and practised and practised, day after day and night after night. Magic became my world...some might say an obsession." From the publishers: When you're a kid life can seem tough; tougher for some than others. But the darkest of times can also be the most enlightening. When his late granddad showed him magic for the first time, Steven Frayne knew there was more to life than hiding from bullies. He had a destiny. A calling. In that moment Dynamo was born: the most exciting magician of the 21st century. Since then, Dynamo has shocked, thrilled and amazed men, women and children, from all walks of life, all over the world. With his mind-blowing illusions, he has catalysed a whole new era of magic. Now, in his very first book, Dynamo invites you to join him on a breathtaking journey across the globe. Be prepared to levitate Lindsay Lohan in Singapore, transform snow into diamonds in the Austrian mountains, and walk on water across the River Thames. Along the way, he reveals how to make the impossible possible, what it takes to pull off the greatest stunts man has seen, and why everyone needs magic in their lives. Hardcover, 320 pages, 23.6cm x 15.2cm. Just published. To order from Amazon.co.uk (with 46% off RRP + free delivery) Click Here.

 

Magic: The Complete Course by Joshua Jay (Book & DVD) "Joshua Jay's 'Magic' is a complete course, jam-packed with over a hundred amazing but easy-to-learn effects. Much more than a collection of tricks, this book teaches both the mechanics and presentation necessary to perform each trick - since only a mastery of both (plus a lot of practice) makes a real magician." Available from Amazon.co.uk for just £12 including delivery Click Here.

 

Caught Amid Life’s Own Sly Tricks ‘Fooling Houdini’ by Alex Stone... "In 2005 Alex Stone joined the Society of American Magicians. He swore an oath, learned a secret handshake and seldom left home without a deck of cards and three Kennedy half dollars. He tried hard to make the group’s bimonthly meetings a big part of his social life. 'I thought magic would actually make me less nerdy,' he recalls." To read the full review by Janet Maslin in The New York Times, Click Here. In the UK you can order 'Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind' from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. "How to fool Houdini–and avoid fooling yourself" Click Here.

 

Illusionology The Secret Science of Magic is a sumptuous treasure trove of a book aimed at 8-14 year olds (I imagine) although adults will find it equally engaging. Every page is magical in itself, with special compartments revealing magic secrets, interwoven with instructions for tricks that the reader can learn, and even some special props including magic playing cards, 'pop-up' illusions and other specially produced tricks.

From the publishers: "Purportedly written in 1915 by one of America's top scientists, William Schafer, the book is an expose of the tricks of the masters for new initiates of the Illusionists' Guild. As well as revealing inside info about many famous tricks - levitating a lady, making things disappear and mind-reading, among others - and providing instructions, it gives explanations of the science that makes the magic possible."

 

Author Emily Hawkins is a highly experienced writer and editor who also wrote the New-York-Times bestseller Oceanology. Providing a raft of magical knowledge is ‘The Deceptionist’, or ‘Sav’ to his friends. A magician to the stars and member of The Magic Circle, he is immortalised in the book demonstrating optical illusions. He can make you doubt your own eyesight with amazing feats of close-up magic!

The artwork by David Wyatt is simply wonderful. Illusionology was published on March 1st and is currently available from Amazon.co.uk for just £10.99 in hardback Click Here. For more information visit www.ologyworld.com.

 

The Complete Magician: Everything You Need to Put on a Show [With Magic Props Including Linking Rings, Deck of Cards and DVD] by Joshua Jay, available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Tommy Cooper's Secret Joke Files - compiled by John Fisher. For the first time the secret joke archives of the legendary comedian are opened up for all to enjoy. Relive the laughter with jokes on every subject from 'A for Absent-minded' to 'Z for Zoo'. Part of an ongoing series of books celebrating the Cooper legacy, Tommy Cooper's Secret Joke Files follows hot on the heels of John Fisher's bestselling The Tommy Cooper Joke Book and Tommy Cooper's Mirth, Magic and Mischief. Just published (just like that), hardcover, 176 pages, and crammed full of hundreds of jokes... "She was so beautiful, when I took her home in a taxi, I could hardly keep my eye on the meter". Order from Amazon.co.uk today and enjoy 48% off the published price. Click Here. Tommy Cooper's Secret Joke Files also includes a fascinating look at the painstaking process Tommy Cooper used to catalogue and index his material, and the fine tuning that turned an original thought, written down as a few random lines, into a brilliant one-liner. The perfect Christmas present and highly recommended. DT. (MagicWeek receives a commission on all Amazon.co.uk sales generated via a click-through from MagicWeek.)

 

Richard Wiseman has a new book out called Paranormality. It looks at the psychology behind lots of different types of seemingly supernatural experiences that are of interest to magicians, including cold reading, metal bending, séances, fake psychics and Ouija Boards. To order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Last Greatest Magician in the World. "Expanding on his chapters on Howard Thurston in his history of magic, Hiding the Elephant, Steinmeyer produces an engaging full-length biography of the man Orson Welles called the master. While Houdini's daring stunts were legendary, Steinmeyer says Thurston was the public's favorite, captivating audiences with his self-assured grandeur. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Thurston gained fame in the early part of the 20th century with his Rising Card Trick, in which he levitated cards named by audience members. He successfully changed with the times, going from street performances to wagon tours through the West. He then became a top vaudeville star, but wisely left the vaudeville circuit to produce more ambitious spectacles involving 40 tons of magic apparatus and colorful costumes, a variety of animals, and more than two dozen assistants..." Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. "The Most Famous Magician You've Never Heard Of" Click Here.

 

The Illusionist will be released on DVD on Valentine's day ("Happy Valentine's Day darling!"), to pre order via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Derren Brown Live Collection 3 DVD set. "A terrific magician. This is breathtakingly ingenious entertainment" The Times. A special DVD box set containing three of Derren Brown’s must-see live theatre shows will be released on January 17th. Included: An Evening of Wonders: "The psychological illusionist takes us on a journey through mind control and subliminal suggestion and recreates the jaw-dropping 'Oracle Act' from the turn of the 20th century. The show features audience participation, shocking stunts and mind games, as Derren shows why you have to see him live." Something Wicked This Way Comes: "This DVD features the Olivier Award-winning stage show. Derren stops his pulse, walks on glass, and armed only with a few newspapers drives the show to a tour-de-force finale of prediction, influence and showmanship that will leave you breathless." Enigma: "A special tone leaves the audience hypnotised and a woman finds herself sleep-walking through the rows. Is a supernatural force summoned within the Spirit Cabinet or is the medium somehow doing Brown's bidding? Derren is again at his finest in this stunning theatrical event that brought him more rave reviews up and down the country and 'sees him climb to artistic heights rarely, if ever, achieved by any other legends of the magical arts'" (Time Out). Three brilliantly crafted live shows from the world's finest mind manipulator. Go ahead, treat yourself, Click Here.

 

Derren Brown: Confessions of a Conjuror. "The inside of Derren Brown's head is a strange and mysterious place. Now you can climb inside and wander around. Find out just how Derren's mind works, see what motivates him and discover what made him the weird and wonderful person he is today..." 352 pages, hardcover, out on Thursday, with 50% off via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The 4 complete Ed Sullivan Shows starring The Beatles will be released on DVD on Monday. The shows also feature other guest acts including FISM champion Fred Kaps who had the unenviable task of actually following The Beatles on one of the shows. This digitally remastered two disc set runs for over four hours, complete with all 15 songs performed by the band over their four appearances on the show, including the hits "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Help" and "Yesterday". This special new package also includes an exclusive Ed Sullivan Show ticket replica from The Beatles 1st appearance and approximately 13 minutes of additional footage. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Amazing Book of Cards: Tricks, Shuffles, Games and Hustles by Joshua Jay, over 200 pages + DVD, available now from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Death Defying Acts. A film about Harry Houdini's romance with a con woman. Starring Catherine Zeta Jones, Saoirse Ronan, Guy Pearce and Timothy Spall, available from Amazon.co.uk on DVD Click Here.

 

Tommy Cooper Collection, 5 DVDs, over 12 hours long, available from Amazon.co.uk.

 

Magic, 1400s-1950s by Mike Caveney (Author), Jim Steinmeyer (Author), Ricky Jay (Contributor) and Noel Daniel (Editor) was published on October 15th by Taschen GmbH. "The scientists of showbiz. 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 true pioneers of special effects in human history, magicians have never ceased to mystify by perpetually making the impossible possible. This book celebrates 500 years of the dazzling visual culture of the world's greatest magicians. Featuring over 1,000 rarely seen vintage posters, photographs, handbills, and engravings in one 640-page volume, it traces the history of magic as a performing art from the 1470s through the post-WWII years. Through sensational images and clear and insightful accompanying text, "Magic" explores the evolution of the magician's craft, from its early street performers to the brilliant stage magicians who gave rise to early cinematic special effects; from the 19th century's "Golden Age of Magic" to groundbreaking daredevils like Houdini and the vaudevillians of the early 20th century." Hardcover, 670 pages, 50.6cm x 32.8cm x 7.6 cm (i.e. very, very big!) and available from Amazon.co.uk right now for just £87.75 (saving 35%) with free delivery Click Here.

 

David Nixon Entertainer with the Magic Touch by Edwin A. Dawes and Stephen Short will be published on October 30th by Jeremy Mills Publishing Ltd. For anyone that grew up watching David Nixon on television the memories will come flooding back as you delve into this beautifully produced lavish volume. David Nixon's magic had a delightful charm all of its own and this book has captured that charm. Edwin A. Dawes and Stephen Short interviewed David's many friends and loved ones to present a full portrait of his life. It is illustrated throughout with family photographs, magazine pages, show bills, magic photos and numerous television stills. I've only had a brief look, but this really is a wonderful book. Available for pre-order from the publishers. Hardback, 276 x 210mm, 288 pages, price £35.00 www.jeremymillspublishing.co.uk. (I used to watch David Nixon after school, write down all the tricks, try and work them out, and then mark the guest act points out of 10! A full listing of David Nixon's Theatre and TV shows is included in the appendix).

 

5 copies of The Tommy Cooper Joke Book to be won! We have 5 hard-backed first editions of the newly published Tommy Cooper Joke Book compiled by John Fisher to give away this week. 166 pages crammed full of pure Cooper... hand written notes, photos, props, hundreds of lines, gags, and more. 'My wife is a magician - yesterday she turned our car into a tree.' To enter the draw simply email us with 'Tommy Cooper' as your subject heading, together with your full name, address, and post/zip code by 12 midnight on Wednesday 14th October 2009. 5 lucky winners will then be selected at random (their names will appear next Saturday). This lucky draw is open to MagicWeek readers worldwide. We were going to make it a competition, but in the end I opted for a lucky draw instead to give everyone an equal chance in an unequal world. (It's a fantastic book by the way, the hand written notes really draw you in, and it makes a perfect accompaniment to John Fisher's Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing: The Definitive Biography of a Comedy Legend which was published in 2006.) To order The Tommy Cooper Joke Book from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Talent Code: Unlocking the Secret of Skill in Maths, Art, Music, Sport, and Just About Everything Else. "'Talent. You've either got it or you haven't.' Not true, actually. In The Talent Code, award-winning journalist Daniel Coyle draws on cutting-edge research to reveal that, far from being some abstract mystical power fixed at birth, ability really can be created and nurtured. In the process, he considers talent at work in venues as diverse as a music school in Dallas and a tennis academy near Moscow, to demonstrate how the wiring of our brains can be transformed by the way we approach particular tasks. He explains what is really going on when apparently unremarkable people suddenly make a major leap forward. He reveals why some teaching methods are so much more effective than others. Above all, he shows how all of us can achieve our full potential if we set about training our brains in the right way." Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot by Richard Wiseman has just been published by MacMillan and is available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. Here's a video that Richard's produced to promote the book: Click Here.

 

Back up the entire contents of you PC or Mac, and enjoy peace of mind, with this Western Digital Elements 1TB (1,000GB) USB 2.0 External Hard Drive from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. Recommended and used by the makers of MagicWeek!

 

Ah-ah, I know what you're thinking, "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Derren Brown is known to his devoted fans as a brilliant showman. His television shows attract audiences in the millions and his live show plays to sell-out audiences every night. But in his spare time, Derren uses a very different skill. He is a prodigiously talented artist who paints caricatures of famous faces from around the world. He has painted everyone from Richard Dawkins to Robbie Williams, from Anthony Hopkins to Amy Winehouse, and here for the first time they are all collected together, with Derren's thoughts on the person concerned and why he wanted to paint them in the first place. A must for all of Derren's fans, available from Amazon.co.uk, Click Here.

 

Derren Brown An Evening of Wonders - out now on DVD. More 'magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship' from psychological illusionist extraordinaire Derren Brown. Here Derren brings his mind-bending powers to the stage for his live show An Evening of Wonders. The show fuses Derren's established trickery with impressive feats of memory, and astonishing stage theatrics. Available form Amazon.co.uk with 39% off! Click Here.

 

Magic: The Complete Course, book and DVD by Joshua Jay. Pre-order now via Amazon.co.uk and save 34%, Click Here.

 

Derren Brown - The Specials 4 DVD box set featuring The Heist, The System, The Séance and Russian Roulette. This set will be released on November 3rd, pre-order now to receive 40% off plus free UK delivery via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Channing Pollock in Judex - on DVD from August 25th. "The magical, rarely seen Judex, directed by the great Georges Franju, was largely unappreciated at the time of its release in 1963. This lyrical and dreamlike picture, a putative 'remake' of Louis Feuillade's own 1916 Judex, is as evocative of the silent master's own works as it is the later films of Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dalí. A French reviewer wrote in 1963: 'The whole of Judex reminds us that film is a privileged medium for the expression of poetic magic'. Starring the magician Channing Pollock, the divine Edith Scob, and the mesmerising Francine Bergé, Judex concerns a wicked banker, his helpless daughter, and a mysterious avenger. It plays like a fairy tale - one in which Franju creates a dazzling clash between good and evil, eschewing interest in the psychological aspects of his characters for unexplained twists and turns in the action. The beautifully controlled imagery, superbly rendered by Marcel Fradetal's black-against-white photography, animates a natural world and the spirits of animals all at war with a host of diabolical forces" Available to pre-order from Amazon.co.uk, Click Here.

 

Marc Lemezma's Mind Tricks: Mastering the Art of Mental Magic, available from Amazon.co.uk, Click Here.

 

"Pandora: Derren backs down in battle of the mind games" Click Here • Order Derren Brown Tricks of the Mind from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Herbert's Freaks. "A master of oddball characters. Gregory Gibson knows a thing or two about sideshows. The author and book dealer's grand-uncle was Houdini's ghostwriter. His father, a traveling salesman, often gathered magicians in his living room..." Click Here. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Masters of Comedy: Tommy Cooper - out now on DVD. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The 3-2-1 interactive DVD Game features rare clips from a number of magic acts including The Great Soprendo, Johnny Hart, Terry Herbert, and the Simmons Brothers. Order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Magic Circle Performing Magic Through the Ages by Michael Bailey was published by Tempus Publishing on Thursday. Former president Michael Bailey invites readers through the doors of England's most famous magic society for the first time in its 100 year history in this magic-packed 290 page hardbound book. From the early beginnings of magic to the formation of The Magic Circle to David Blaine and Derren Brown The Magic Circle - Performing Magic Through the Ages delves deep into the heart of magic. To read the review in MagicWeek Click Here. To order a copy from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic, 472 pages, in stock, dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Illusionist by Jennifer Johnston. "When Stella first meets Martyn, he's just a stranger on a train. She knows nothing at all about him. But very quickly she is won over by his charm and breathtaking illusions, and when he asks her to marry him, she agrees. However, as they begin their life together, Stella starts to feel uneasy. What exactly is the show-stopping illusion he claims to be working on, locked away in that room? Who are those men that visit the house at strange hours? And why are her questions never answered? As Stella realises that she barely knows the man she married, her thoughts turn to escape..." Available from Amazon.co.uk with 25% off Click Here.

 

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero (now in paperback). "Using exclusive access to newly uncovered archives, Kalush and Sloman reveal the clandestine agreements in which the British and Americans recruited Houdini to be an active secret agent. In exchange for his cooperation, the governments of these two countries facilitated his rise to the top of the world stage." The authors give thrilling accounts of his assignments, such as his participation in early aerial surveillance and his use of his own magic magazine to communicate espionage-related information. "Amazing... meticulously researched, imaginatively written and passionately presented" David Blaine. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Magicians is released on DVD on Monday, September 10th. Written by Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain and directed by former Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year Andrew O'Connor, Magicians should be considered essential viewing for anyone who has ever attended a British magic convention - or plans to (I loved this movie!). To Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk and to benefit from a 25% discount Click Here.

 

Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians and Their Amazing Feats - Paul Kieve. "Paul is obsessed with magic. Ever since he was given a magic set at the age of ten, he has been buying magic books, props and posters and honing his skills as a magician. He keeps all his magical paraphernalia in his house in Hackney, right around the corner from the magnificent Hackney Empire, a venue played at by all the great illusionists of the golden era of magic, some hundred years ago. One day, Paul is on the phone to his friend, sitting in his 'Poster Room', and chatting about how well his magic show from the night before went, when he gets a strange sensation ...Suddenly, the huge figure of Alexander steps out of the poster and starts telling Paul off for getting too big for his boots! Alexander and the other brilliant magicians in the posters are going to show Paul what magic is really about!" Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe, Hardcover, 304 pages, Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (15th October 2007). Pre-order from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Pre-order Magicians on DVD (release date September 10th) from Amazon.co.uk with 25% off - Click Here.

 

Criss Angel Mindfreak. 304 pages, hardcover, published by William Morrow, July 12th 2007. Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. The blurb: "This work presents the behind the scenes of the hit show. The most provocative mystifier in decades reveals secrets of 40 amazing illusions that fans can master. The star of the groundbreaking hit television series 'Criss Angel Mindfreak' is considered to be the most influential name in magic today. With a visionary approach and inventive material, 'Mindfreak' explores the various illusions - 'mindfreaks' - Angel performs each week, as well as his philosophy behind his approach to life and his art. From 'Burned Alive' and 'Bullet Catch' to 'Building Walk' and 'Levitation', Criss explains the mindset that makes each demonstration successful, and reveals the unique, personal illusory twist he adds to each one."

 

Smokin' Aces is released on Monday - pre-order from Amazon.co.uk with 30% off, Click Here.

 

Art & Artifice and Other Essays of Illusion Jim Steinmeyer - now in paperback and available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Street Magic Secrets with David Penn. From the Amazon's website: "Some secrets are definitely not for keeping... Get ready to amaze your friends with the astonishing Street Magic Secrets DVD. This is urban magic at its best. The DVD features a 30 minute film showing British Champion of Illusion, David Penn, performing some incredible tricks on unsuspecting members of the public. David then takes you back into the studio to show you the secrets and skills needed to perform every one of the tricks featured in the film. The tricks selected for the DVD were chosen on a time versus reward basis - you don't need to practise for months to achieve incredible success with these illusions. Whether it is making a £20 note fold up whilst sitting in the palm of your hand in 'The Telekinetic Note' reading someone's mind in 'The Body Clock', with 17 incredible tricks plus variations to learn, Street Magic Secrets will give you all the skills needed to perform some of the greatest close up illusions of all time." Available from Amazon.co.uk from 9th April 2007 Click Here for more details.

 

Harry Price: The Psychic Detective. A new book about the Edwardian psychic researcher Harry Price has just been published. To the people of his day Price, a member of The Inner Magic Circle, had a status that no ghosthunter of today can hope to share. His extraordinary life story includes links to the Piltdown Man forger Charles Dawson, rows with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Society for Psychical Research, and friendships with Harry Houdini and Adolf Hitler. Harry Price: The Psychic Detective is published by Sutton. Richard Morris' fascinating book investigates the truth about Harry Price and reveals whether he was a charlatan or a gifted pseudo-scientist. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Illusionist - pre-order now on DVD! Via Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Prestige - Are you watching closely? To pre-order the DVD with 25% off from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Dynamo's Concrete Playground will be released on DVD on November 20th by Warner Vision International. Dynamo takes to the road visiting London, Birmingham and his hometown Bradford on this 90 minute disc. "Much more than just a smoke and mirrors showman, Dynamo's in-your-face brand of street magic is more akin to the David Blaine school of daylight trickery. Fusing impromptu magic tricks, jaw-dropping stunts, and urban street culture into one engrossing documentary, Concrete Playground is guaranteed to leave a trail of stunned viewers in its wake." Visit www.dynamoworld.com for video clips. To pre-order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Ratso Sloman. Just published. Synopsis: "Using exclusive access to newly uncovered archives, Kalush and Sloman reveal the clandestine agreements in which the British and Americans recruited Houdini to be an active secret agent. In exchange for his cooperation, the governments of these two countries facilitated his rise to the top of the world stage. The authors give thrilling accounts of his assignments, such as his participation in early aerial surveillance and his use of his own magic magazine to communicate espionage-related information. After the war, Houdini embarked upon what became his most dangerous mission when he took on the Spiritualist movement. Convinced that Spiritualist mediums were frauds, he became obsessed with exposing them. But the Spiritualists were a powerful adversary. An organized network of fanatics, led by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, worked relentlessly to orchestrate a campaign that would silence Houdini forever. Grounded in solid research, but as exciting and dramatic as a good thriller, The Secret Life of Houdini traces the magician's long and circuitous route from struggling vaudevillian to worldwide legend. Hardcover, 624 pages. Order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

A Haunting We Will Go - released on DVD. Dante the Magician makes a rare cinematic appearance in this classic Laurel and Hardy adventure from 1942. Dale Shrimpton emails: "It gives a taste of what his show may have been like for those of us too young to have ever seen his show in the flesh. Laurel and Hardy get mixed up with some gangsters, and the body of one of their victims, which has been hidden in a coffin. This coffin is one of Dante's props, used in his show, as a target for the cannon illusion, but things turn tricky when the gangsters turn up to see what's happened to the coffin, and the corpse... During the film we get to see Dante perform some small magical effects to children on a train, and his version of Asrah, together with some of Dante's larger apparatus, and set dressings." Also look out for an appearance from Harry Blackstone Snr. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Tommy Cooper - "The Missing Pieces" & "The Very Best of" double disc DVD set - 160 minutes of pure Cooper, newly available from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Derren Brown Tricks of the Mind. From the publishers: "Derren Brown's amazing television and stage performances have entranced and amazed millions. His baffling tricks and stunning illusions have set new standards of what's possible, as well as causing controversy. Now, for the first time, he reveals the secrets behind his craft. He delves into the structure and psychology of magic. He tells you how to read clues in people's behaviour and spot liars. He discusses the whys and wherefores of hypnosis (which he says doesn't exist) and shows how to use the powers of suggestion and massively improve the power of your memory. He also investigates the paranormal industry, exposes a few charlatans and looks at why some of us feel the need to believe in it in the first place...Woven into this are autobiographical stories about Derren's own experiences and beliefs, told with characteristic humour and engaging honesty. This extraordinary book lifts the lid on the deepest darkest secrets of magic and explores the limits of what can be achieved by the human mind. A must for Derren's legions of fans, it will amaze you, entertain you and expand your mind at the same time..." Hardback, 256 pages, publication date Monday 23rd October, pre-order with 50% off from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Think Like a Maths Genius: The Art of Calculating in Your Head by Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer. From the Publishers: "From two renowned mathematical geniuses, a professor and a columnist for 'Scientific American', comes an accessible guide to mentally calculating maths at lightning speed and amazing ease. All the secrets of easy mental arithmetic are revealed, and the secrets to incredible memorisation and other feats of mind, making it easy to perform maths tricks for the real world: from calculating restaurant tips to working out gambling odds." We've been sent a pre-publication copy of this book and can reveal that within its pages you'll find some seriously clever content, ripe for use within a mind magic type performance (formal or off-the-cuff). In fact you'll find a dedicated chapter entitled "Presto-digit-ation" for magicians towards the end of the book. But every page will make you think. For mentalists who have "seen it all before" this book will seem as fresh as the first ever magic set you had as a child. Highly recommended. 304 pages, published by Souvenir Press Ltd (19th October 2006), with a forward by James Randi. To pre-order from Amazon.co.uk with 34% off Click Here.

 

Alan York emails: Further to your news item about the forthcoming film “The Prestige”, readers might like to know that this film is based on a novel “The Prestige” by Christopher Priest published in 1995. According to the author, “The Prestige” is what UK magicians would call “The Effect”. The novel includes lots of theory about magic and magicians which is unlikely to be included in the film. The plot line revolves around Nicola Tesla and early experiments in electricity. The Sunday Times described it as “a magnificently eerie novel.” Available from Amazon.co.uk with 20% off Click Here.

 

Pete Firman's Tricks to Freak Out Your Friends is due for publication on Thursday September 7th. From the publishers: "If you're interested in magic because on your ninth birthday Mummy and Daddy booked the ruddy faced Uncle Fiddlesticks who made sweets appear from pockets he'd forced you to verify were empty, and you now want to know how it was done, then this isn't the book for you. 'Tricks To Freak Out Your Friends' doesn't contain trivial and forgettable tricks. The material in this book is 'grab you by the balls and twist 'em' stuff. It's sick and it's rude, and it'll blow their minds. This natty full-colour magic-manual takes you through each trick in detail, and colour photos demonstrate just how to perform them. It's guaranteed to make your friends choke on their pints. With a foreword by mind-meddler Derren Brown." Paperback, 128 pages, order from Amazon.co.uk and save 34% Click Here. For more information visit www.petefirman.co.uk.

 

Ultimate Street Magic by Gary Sumpter Gary Sumpter's new beginners book of 'street magic' has just been published by New Holland Publishers Ltd. "Over recent years, magicians have had to work harder to keep their public happy. The traditional role of the stage magician in sweeping tailcoats and top hats, has been usurped by a new generation, who're taking magic to the streets. In 'Ultimate Street Magic', Gary Sumpter reveals the tricks of the trade with the use of easy-to-understand text and clear step-by-step photographs. Working through tricks involving common objects, such as playing cards, coins, rubber bands and lighters, that will delight and amaze most audiences, he moves on to explain a range of even more impressive tricks to confuse the steel-willed and scare the strong of stomach, such as an easy-to-master street levitation. Wherever you go - pubs, clubs, markets and restaurants - you will be able to entertain the public with your new-found magical knowledge, and polish your act with a range of smart card flourishes." Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Derren Brown Tricks of the Mind. From the publishers: "Derren Brown's amazing television and stage performances have entranced and amazed millions. His baffling tricks and stunning illusions have set new standards of what's possible, as well as causing controversy. Now, for the first time, he reveals the secrets behind his craft. He delves into the structure and psychology of magic. He tells you how to read clues in people's behaviour and spot liars. He discusses the whys and wherefores of hypnosis (which he says doesn't exist) and shows how to use the powers of suggestion and massively improve the power of your memory. He also investigates the paranormal industry, exposes a few charlatans and looks at why some of us feel the need to believe in it in the first place...Woven into this are autobiographical stories about Derren's own experiences and beliefs, told with characteristic humour and engaging honesty. This extraordinary book lifts the lid on the deepest darkest secrets of magic and explores the limits of what can be achieved by the human mind. A must for Derren's legions of fans, it will amaze you, entertain you and expand your mind at the same time..." Hardback, 256 pages. Pre-order with 34% off from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing. The Definitive Biography of a Comedy Legend by John Fisher will be published on October 16th by HarperCollins Entertainment. Frank and revealing, this fully authorised biography by Tommy's friend and colleague, acclaimed TV producer, John Fisher, is the first ever intimate portrait of Britain's best-loved, but little known, entertainer. More than just a comedian, Tommy Cooper was a born entertainer. Working in a golden age of British comedy, Cooper stood - literally - head and shoulders above the crowd, and had a magical talent for humour that defied description. When Cooper enlisted in the army in 1939, and began to perfect his comic timing on his army colleagues in the Egyptian desert, the man with the fez was born. Cooper was at the heart of the thriving British variety scene, adored by his legions of fans and much revered by his fellow professionals. The gentle giant of entertainment accompanied his bewildered, botched magic act with a sublime sense of bravado and a face that was made for comedy. He was one of the first funny men to have the entire nation in stitches. But, there was a man behind the laughter that few people saw. John Fisher was Cooper's friend and colleague and witnessed first-hand the child that lingered within the adult and moments of self-doubt and inadequacy that contrasted with the genial exterior. Until his tragic death, which occurred in the middle of his act on live television in 1984, Tommy Cooper lived in constant fear of the day he would be found out by his audience. He could never believe the accolades that came so thick and fast from every direction, and died to the sounds of laughter that he never really believed. Supplementing his own intimate knowledge with material accessed for the first time from the archives of Tommy's agent and manager, Miff Ferrie, and with the full co-operation of the Cooper family, John Fisher brings alive the man behind the comedic mask in this definitive biography of a comedy legend. To pre-order (with a discount) from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Magic of Alan Wakeling: The Works of a Master Magician by Jim Steinmeyer pre-order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Derren Brown Trick of the Mind Series 2 - just released on DVD. The award-winning Derren Brown returns with more Tricks of the Mind, combining psychology with showmanship and a pinch of magic, with ambitious visual stunts and celebrity guests. 2 hours 22 minutes, 16:9 Anamorphic (get your Plasmas out), and Dolby Digital Stereo, available from Amazon.co.uk in association with MagicWeek Click Here. The first of the new series went out on Sunday evening and once again Derren has upped the ante - brilliant stuff.

 

Peter Lamont will be speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to mark the publication of his latest book The First Psychic: The Peculiar Mystery of a Notorious Victorian Wizard. The book was featured in the Daily Mail this week. Dr Lamont's talk, on the controversial life and unexplained miracles of the world's first and greatest psychic, will take place on the 18th August at 8.30pm. Synopsis: He was simply the greatest psychic of all time. He was also the first - before him, the word 'psychic' did not even exist. The feats he performed were so extraordinary that Victorian scientists had to invent the term in order to explain them. The man who became the world's first psychic was Daniel Dunglas Home. Now almost entirely forgotten, Home was a household name in Victorian Britain, a man of inexplicable ability who divided opinion wherever he went. Hated by Dickens and defended by Thackeray, denounced by Faraday yet mysterious to Darwin, insulted by Tolstoy but patronised by the Emperor of France and the Csar of Russia. The astonishing feats he performed, and the bizarre personal life that attracted so much controversy, are little known today outside the esoteric world of psychical research. He rarely appears in the biographies of the many great Victorians who knew him as few could openly admit to such a controversial acquaintance. This book will finally introduce one of the most remarkable and enigmatic figures in history, and the strange and seemingly inexplicable events that occurred in his presence. To order The First Psychic from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Magician and the Cardsharp - The Search for America's Greatest Sleight-of-Hand Artist by Karl Johnson. "A famous magician's journey to find the greatest cardsharp ever evokes the forgotten world of magic where Americans found escape during the Great Depression. It has the nostalgic quality of an old-fashioned fable, but Karl Johnson's The Magician and the Cardsharp is a true story that lovingly recreates the sparkle of a vanished world. Here, set against the backdrop of America struggling through the Depression, is the world of magic, a realm of stars, sleight of hand, and sin where dreams could be realized - or stolen away. Following the Crash of '29, Dai Vernon, known by magicians as 'the man who fooled Houdini,' is tramping down Midwestern backroads, barely making ends meet. While swapping secrets with a Mexican gambler, he hears of a guy he doesn't quite believe is real - a legendary mystery man who deals perfectly from the center of the deck and who locals call the greatest cardsharp of all time. Determined to find the reclusive genius, Vernon sets out on a journey through America's shady, slick, and sinful side; from mob-run Kansas City through railroad towns that looked sleepy only in the daytime. Does he find the sharp? Well, Karl Johnson did - after years of research into Vernon's colorful quest, research that led him to places he never knew existed. Johnson takes us to the cardsharp's doorstep and shows us how he bestowed on Vernon the greatest secret in magic. The Magician and the Cardsharp is a unique and endlessly entertaining piece of history that reveals the artistry and obsession of a special breed of American showmen." Due for publication on August 10th. Hardcover, 368 pages. To pre-order now, with a 9% discount from Amazon.co.uk, Click Here.

 

Steve Cohen's newly published Win the Crowd: Unlock the Secrets of Influence, Charisma, and Showmanship is now available from Amazon.co.uk with 10% off. "Magicians need more than a hat trick to win over an audience. This guide from the 'Millionaires' Magician' includes powerful lessons on confidence, charisma, and persuasion - designed to influence and control the crowd. Steve Cohen, master magician and star of the long-running Chamber Magic show in New York City, will reveal the secrets of all great showmen and magicians - how to persuade, influence, and charm, and ultimately accomplish the things you've always wanted to do. As Cohen writes, 'You'll discover how to take over a room, read people, and build anticipation to a feverish pitch so people are burning to hear what you have to say.' When you strip away the sleight of hand tricks, magicians are essentially masters of attracting and holding attention and impressing audiences, exactly the psychological secrets you need to be successful in life and business." To order Click Here. Steve Cohen visits London next month, appearing at The Magic Circle Centenary convention.

 

The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo, the "Marvelous Chinese Conjurer" by Jim Steinmeyer can now be pre-ordered from www.amazon.co.uk. Jim Steinmeyer unveils the secrets behind the most enigmatic performer in the history of stage magic, Chung Ling Soo, the 'Marvelous Chinese Conjurer'. Soo's infamous and suspicious onstage death in London in 1918 mystified his fellow magicians: he was shot during a performance of 'Defying the Bullets,' in which he attempted to catch marked bullets on a porcelain plate. When Soo died, his deceptions began to unravel. It was discovered that he was not Chinese but a fifty-eight-year-old American named William Ellsworth Robinson, a former magicians' assistant and the husband of Olive Robinson. But even William Robinson was not who he appeared to be, for he had kept a second family with a mistress in a fashionable home near London. Written by the foremost chronicler of magic's history and culture. Due to the scandals surrounding Robinson's death, this is the first time his full story has been told. Hardback, 336 pages, with photos. To order from Amazon.co.uk with a 10% discount Click Here.

 

Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind, The Complete First Series on DVD, Plus: Unseen Footage, An interview with Derren, Exclusive behind the scenes video diary, Commentary on all six episodes from Derren Brown, his brother Dominic, and key production crew members. "Trick of the Mind reveals the truly staggering craft of one of the world's leading entertainers. Derren Brown demonstrates his unique powers of showmanship, psychological illusion and misdirection to astound and amaze everyone he meets, from people wandering the UK's streets, to celebrity fans. The eagerly awaited follow-up to 'Inside Your Mind', 'Trick of the Mind' sees Derren return on a grander and more adventurous scale! The UK's No.1 showman fuses a concoction of power of suggestion, subliminal messaging and interpretation of body language to predict and control human behavior." To benefit from a 25% discount pre-order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. See Derren live on stage tonight in Belfast Click Here.

 

Scarne on Card Tricks - John Scarne. "This marvellous treasury of card magic presents the exact details of 150 professional card tricks - none of them requiring sleight-of-hand dexterity - assembled by the world's number-one card wizard, John Scarne. An authority on gambling and card tricks, Scarne won renown for teaching professional gamblers how to sharpen their skills and avoid being fleeced. For this collection of mystifying and effective maneuvers, he reworked some classic card tricks to eliminate the need for sleight-of-hand. Presented with simple instructions and clear illustrations, plus suggestions for accompanying patter, are Houdini's 'Card on the Ceiling,' Blackstone's 'Card Trick Without Cards,' Carlyle's 'Piano Card Trick,' Milton Berle's 'Quickie Card Deal,' and Scarne's very own 'Drunken Poker Deal' and 'Knockout Card Trick.'" Paperback, 320 pages, Dover Publications. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Magician's Magic - Paul Curry. "Known among veteran magicians for his invention of many new tricks and his imaginative twists of old ones, Paul Curry incorporated thoroughly engrossing material with a style that was truly elegant. This book by a 'magician's magician' discloses the secrets behind a collection of close-up marvels - including the author's 'Out of the World,' reputed to be the best card trick of the past century." Paperback, 269 pages, Dover Publications. Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

MagicWeek recommended Christmas reading: Magic: Stage Illusions, Special Effects and Trick Photography Compiled and Edited by Albert A. Hopkins Click Here, Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible by Jim Steinmeyer Click Here, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke Click Here.

 

The War Magician: The Man Who Conjured Victory in the Desert by David Fisher has just been published in hardback by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and is currently available from Amazon.co.uk, with 30% off for Christmas, Click Here. "Jasper Maskelyne was a world famous magician and illusionist in the 1930s. When war broke out, he volunteered his services to the British Army and was sent to Egypt where the desert war had just begun. He used his skills to save the vital port of Alexandria from German bombers and to 'hide' the Suez Canal from them. He invented all sorts of camouflage methods to make trucks look like tanks and vice versa. Working for military intelligence, he put on a stage show inside the Royal Palace in Cairo in order to locate an enemy spy's radio transmitter. On Malta he developed 'the world's first portable holes': fake bomb craters used to fool the Germans into thinking they had hit their targets. His war culminated in the brilliant deception plan that won the Battle of El Alamein: the creation of an entire dummy army in the middle of the desert."

 

"Have you ever dreamed of learning the deepest secrets of stage magic and hypnotism? This revelatory autobiography offers a fascinating insight into the life secrets of a magician and hypnotist of international reputation. Ormond McGill, the Dean of American Hypnotists, has hypnotised audiences all over the world with his exciting stage shows. Using original sketches, photographs, and press material, Ormond explains techniques such as: Mind reading, Atomic Magic, Hypnotherapy of Zen, Acupressure Hypnotic Induction, Computer Hypnotherapy, Abundance Hypnosis, Mind control and Yogi Pramayama Practices. For hypnotists, magicians and everyone eager to learn more about the secrets of the stage show, this book provides wise counsel from the master performer. Join Ormond on his odyssey and share in a lifetime of rich and varied experiences. This is a performance not to be missed!" Now that's telling you... available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Did You Spot the Gorilla?: How to Recognise the Hidden Opportunities in Your Life by bestselling author (and magician) Richard Wiseman has just been published by Arrow Books. "In a recent series of ground-breaking psychological experiments, volunteers were shown a 30-second film of some people playing basketball and told to count the number of passes made with the ball. After just a few seconds, a man dressed as a gorilla slowly walked into frame, beat his chest at the camera, and sauntered off. Unbelievably, almost none of the people watching the film noticed the gorilla. Exactly the same psychological mechanisms that cause people to miss the gorilla also make them miss unexpected but vitally important opportunities in their professional and personal lives. This book outlines the scientific evidence and thinking behind this remarkable new phenomenon, and shows you how you can spot gorillas in your life - and what to do when you see one." Funnily enough I spotted a Gorilla just a few days ago, but that's another story... I've just had a quick dip into this book and it is full of goodies, especially of interest to 'mind magic' type performers. Available from www.amazon.co.uk (Look out for Richard in the new Volvo ads).

 

The Creative Magician's Handbook: A Guide to Tricks, Illusions and Performance by Marvin Kaye is currently available from Amazon.co.uk. An excellent book, 320 pages, £10.00, what a bargain! Click Here to order.

 

How to Pick Pockets for Fun and Profit A Magician's Guide to Pickpocket Magic by Eddie Joseph is now available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Recently re-published by Dover Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms is still a good read, offering excellent advice and thought-provoking content. Essential reading for every magician, available from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Jon Allen's Simple Magic Tricks: Easy-To-Learn Magic Tricks with Everyday Objects, due for publication on September 1st, can now be pre-ordered from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Marvin's 100 Tricks and Tips with the Svengali Magic Cards is available from Amazon.co.uk (rated by many as the greatest trick deck ever).

 

Modern Day Houdini. "For 30 years people have been calling Bill Shirk crazy. He has been buried alive ten times, hung 1,600 feet in the air from a helicopter by an ice skate (while in a straitjacket), run with the bulls in Pamplona (also in a straitjacket), and jumped off numerous bridges and cliffs (again in straitjackets). Now, for the first time, Bill Shirk reveals how he performed some of his most celebrated escapes, each more spectacular and heart-pounding than the last. Read how he survived being buried alive for three days with a python and a timber rattlesnake; learn how he escaped from a jail while chained and handcuffed; see what happened when ten tons of wet cement broke his coffin; and experience the feeling when the burning rope he was hanging upside down from dropped him into a shark-infested pool. Of course, just because Shirk tells you how to get out of a straitjacket in four seconds doesn't mean you'll be able to do it. Likewise, once you know how to put your head in a bag with a rattlesnake, you'd still be certifiable to try it." Available from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Best of Tommy Cooper is a newly released DVD from the BBC featuring the best of Tommy Cooper! This selection contains some extracts from Cooper at his very best including his infamous appearances on Parkinson and The Bob Monkhouse Show which left the hosts in stitches. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Blackstone Book of Magic & Illusion. Back in print, one of Americas most famous magicians examines the history, science and art of illusion, and tells the story of his family's life in magic. Includes in-depth descriptions of the 10 basic magical effects, stories of the greatest performers, analysis of the psychology of magic, with over 250 photographs. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Phantoms of the Card Table, by David Britland and Gazzo, MagicWeek's Book of the Year 2003, has just been published in a soft back edition and is available from Amazon.co.uk for just £9.09.

 

Andrew Lock, manager of Paul Daniels, has recently published a book called "Magical Marketing". Whilst not aimed at magicians specifically, it includes many marketing techniques that magicians can use to promote themselves and their services and it's available from Amazon.co.uk.

 

Die-hard Copperfield fans will be pleased to learn that Terror Train is about to be released on DVD. Produced in 1980 it stars a young David Copperfield (acting and performing some magic) alongside Jamie Lee Curtis "It's New Year's Eve and the college boys of Sigma Phi fraternity have invited friends to a masquerade ball aboard a chartered train. But while they provide the food, booze and music, a knife-wielding psycho, intent on revenge for a sick joke four years earlier, provides the deadly entertainment..." Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk (includes a 20% discount).

 

The Rise of the Indian Rope Trick by Peter Lamont is reviewed in The Observer by Michael Holland. "In essence, Lamont entertains us with lessons in how history can be invented. Using the example of the fabled Indian rope trick, Lamont aims to show, and largely succeeds, how people will believe a thing is true, despite all rational evidence to the contrary, indeed despite outright denials of its existence, if it is repeated that it is true often enough." To read the full review Click Here. To order a copy from Amazon.co.uk (currently with 30% off the published price) Click Here.

 

The Classic Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard has just been republished and includes a foreword by Michael Bailey. Available from Amazon.co.uk with a 30% discount Click Here.

 

Truth in Comedy - The Manual of Improvisation by Charna Halpern, Del Close and Kim Johnson with a foreword by Mike Myers is now available from Amazon. "Furnishes a comprehensive guide to improvisational techniques as used in stand-up comedy." Order from Amazon.co.uk.

 

Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer is now available from Amazon.co.uk. "Hiding the Elephant is simply the finest, best-told, most graceful history of the Golden Age of magic I've ever read. It belongs on that elite shelf of historical explorations, like Longitude or The Professor and the Madman, which are so entertaining, so informative that the reader with no prior interest will feel educated and enthralled on every page. Jim Steinmeyer has braided together the historian's trifecta of penetrating analysis, entertaining narrative, and larger themes, which combine to create a terrific story. Ultimately, he pulls off the holy grail of scholarship: his terrific yarn will make novelists jealous." Glen David Gold, author of Carter Beats the Devil. To order Click Here.

 

David Blaine Above the Below is released on DVD on Monday December 1st and can now be ordered from Amazon.co.uk (with 25% off) Click Here. Also available on PAL VHS Click Here. Contents: Above the Below - 1 hour special including Blaine's initial entrance into the box, and special exit show. Vertigo (New York) – 45 minutes of footage of Blaine balancing for 35hrs on an 80ft high pole. Special Features: Over 15 minutes of footage of London Street Magic and a special film directed by filmmaker Harmony Korine showing unseen footage of his first few days of recovery.

 

Nicholas Lezard enjoys Ricky Jay's elaborate portrayal of the celebrity-driven society of yesteryear in Jay's Journal of Anomalies in The Guardian. To order a copy from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

John Hart's And for My Last Trick is available from www.amazon.co.uk "A memoir of 52 years of an extraordinary life. John Hart left Cambridge to join the RAF, where his talent for entertaining others fast came to light, initially as a conjuror. On his demobilisation from the RAF he began working on his father's poultry farm, but magic was his first love. He married his wife Mary in 1952, and with her help and encouragement he became an all-round children's entertainer: from the smallest children's party to the furthest reaches of high society. This volume features amusing anecdotes about the ups and downs of his varied career until his retirement in 1991. John Hart is a Gold star member of The Inner Magic Circle and a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians."

 

A Trick of the Mind by Judy Wait has just been published by Oxford University Press. "Erin has always been fascinated by magic, ever since she was a little girl, and now she hopes that if she teaches Matt some tricks he will notice her. But Matt dreams about Kirsty, and hopes that learning some magic will impress her and even persuade her to ditch Billy and go out with him. Then everything goes terribly wrong and Matt runs away to London, to try and make his living on the streets of Covent Garden..." This one should be on every teenage magician's Christmas list. Available from www.amazon.co.uk.

 

Derren Brown Inside Your Mind is released on both DVD and Video and is available now from Amazon.co.uk with a 25% discount! To order the DVD Click Here To order the Video Click Here.

 

Mind Magic by Marc LeMezma is reviewed in MagicWeek this week. To read the review Click Here. To order a copy from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

How do you review a book that's all about real mindreading? I don't know but I've had a go this week, Click Here To order Click Here.

 

Paul Zenon's 100 Ways to Win a Tenner has just been published by Carlton Books and is now available from a number of MagicWeek advertisers. It's packed full of scams and swindles that will leave you £10 up every time! Using everyday objects these bets require only one thing... nerve! This is a complete insider's guide that will enable you to come out ahead just about anywhere - whenever the opportunity for a little bet presents itself! Paul appeared on the Terry and Gaby show on Five last week, performing material from the new book and having fun. To order from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Penn & Teller - Phobophilia on PAL VHS is now available from Amazon.co.uk "The comic magical duo demonstrate their own brand of horror magic with tricks and special effects." To order Click Here.

 

200,000,000 sold and counting... The Harry Potter phenomenon continues with the launch of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book in the series, today. "Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. 'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything...'" Magic! Click Here to order the standard edition from Amazon.co.uk at just £8.49 (50% off) or Click Here to order the adult edition (also 50% off the list price).

 

Peter Lamont: Confessions of a Psychic plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival "A former psychic reveals how he used to fake paranormal phenomena, until he discovered the real thing. 'Lamont is an expert, extremely entertaining.' Derren Brown, Mind Control." Booking details: Click Here. Peter co-authored Magic in Theory with Richard Wiseman in 1999. More on Peter Lamont Click Here.

 

Yesterday was Friday 13th - but that didn't bother Dr. Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire, and associate of The Inner The Magic Circle, Click Here to find out why. The Luck Factor: A Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind by Dr. Richard Wiseman is now available in paperback from Amazon.co.uk.

 

Step by Step to Stand-up Comedy. "Essential for the aspiring comic or the working comedian interested in updating his or her comedy routine, Step by Step to Stand-up Comedy is the most comprehensive and useful book ever written on the art of the stand-up comedian." To order from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Phantoms of the Card Table by David Britland and Gazzo is reviewed in MagicWeek this week. "As the book unfolds it becomes apparent that this is very much a real life adventure, or collection of adventures, brought about by Gazzo's quest to find 'his master.'" We loved this real-life "tale of the Jedi." To read the review Click Here. To order from MagicWeek in Association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here. MAGICWEEK "BOOK OF THE YEAR 2003" AWARD WINNER

 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5 - Adult Edition) by J.K. Rowling can now be pre-ordered from Amazom.co.uk.

 

Just published That's Magic by Richard Jones is now available from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions (18) is now available on DVD from Amazon.co.uk. This is the Director's Cut which may be a good thing as the original was 'confused' to say the least. Featuring Billy McComb at The Magic Castle and a number of theatrically staged illusions Click Here.

 

Spellbinder - The Life of Harry Houdini is now available from amazon.co.uk "Born in 1874, Houdini rose to prominence as a magician and an escape artist whose feats amazed audiences, whose relentless drive for perfection propelled him to legendary status, and whose trade secrets are a matter for debate even today." Recommended for 10 to 16 year olds.

 

Create magic wherever you go with Amazing Irv's Handbook of Everyday Magic. "A sophisticated, hip, how-to guide to making magic with everyday objects in everyday situations. From how to levitate yourself to impress your kids, and how to successfully read your boss's mind, to how to charm and disarm a potential mugger, you'll be able to amaze your family, co-workers, friends, and fellow commuters in no time flat. More than 40 tricks - complete with step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations that focus close in on the sleight-of-hand - are divided into sections on creating magic at home, at work, on the go, and on the town. Each trick is introduced by irreverent, semi-practical anecdotes that teach you just the right time and place for performing them. With Amazing Irv's Handbook of Everyday Magic, you'll never again need to rely on a joke to be entertaining." Available from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Real Work: Essential Sleight of Hand for Street Operators by Paul Price is now available from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Harry Anderson reveals the tricks behind cons, swindles, and wagers that are the mainstay of carnivals, casinos, racetracks, and con men in his 161 page book from last year, now available from Amazon.co.uk, Click Here.

 

Dominic Wood's Magic Book has just been published by Bodley Head Children's Books. Featuring star-rated, step-by-step instructions and countless photographs of Dominc, this book is ideal for young magic enthusiasts (7-11). The book includes tricks such as "Mind Reader" "Secret Vision" and "Floating Fruit", top tips for a polished performance, and a run down of the greatest magicians in history. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Jean Hugard's classic Encyclopedia of Card Tricks has just been updated with a new foreword by Magic Circle president Michael Bailey - you can order it in time for Christmas (and right now there's 20% off!) Click Here.

 

Nick Einhorn's The Art of Magic and Sleight of Hand has just been published by Lorenz Books and is arguably the finest magic book for general release since Mark Wilson's excellent Complete Course in Magic back in '75, and, before that, Henry Hay's The Amateur Magician's Handbook in 1950! This is the sort of book that can stimulate an interest in magic that will last a lifetime. The production values are high, and the book is big... with 120 tricks, 250 pages, and 1,000 colour photographs. Each section has an introduction, so for example, the Mind Magic section talks about such performers as David Berglas and Graham P Jolley before delving into the magic. Excellent in every way this book gets my highest recommendation - it's targeted at both teenagers and adults alike. You can order it from Amazon.co.uk right now Click Here. Nick Einhorn is a member of The Inner Magic Circle and became The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year in 1996. Currently he is coaching two actors for Bright Young Things, an upcoming movie being directed by Stephen Fry.

 

More Dice - This time in the shape of a new book from Ricky Jay. "In Dice, Ricky Jay takes us from one of the earliest forms, astragali - the heel bones of hoofed quadrupeds, to the myriad types of cheating with dice in the modern era. We discover that Augustus, Caligula and Nero were all inveterate players, that Queen Elizabeth issued an order against the manufacture of false dice in 1598 and that dice made from celluloid in 1869 remained stable for decades and then suddenly began to decompose. This delightful volume will educate and amuse us." To order Click Here.

 

David Blaine's Mysterious Stranger (published by Villard - see last week) suddenly disappeared from the Amazon.co.uk catalogue midweek to be replaced by a different version to be published by Channel 4 on November 8th... very mysterious. Click Here.

 

Modern Enchantments by Simon During is now available from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk. Here's the synopsis taken from the Amazon website: "Magic, Simon During suggests, has helped shape modern culture. Devoted to this deceptively simple proposition, During's work, written over the course of a decade, gets to the aesthetic questions at the very heart of the study of culture. How can the most ordinary arts - and by 'magic,' During means not the supernatural, but the special effects and conjuring of magic shows - affect people? This text takes us deeply into the history and workings of modern secular magic, from the legerdemain of Isaac Fawkes in 1720, to the return of real magic in nineteenth-century spiritualism, to the role of magic in the emergence of the cinema. Through the course of this history, During shows how magic performances have drawn together heterogeneous audiences, contributed to the moulding of cultural hierarchies, and extended cultural technologies and media at key moments, sometimes introducing spectators into rationality and helping to disseminate scepticism and publicise scientific innovation. In a more revealing argument still, Modern Enchantments shows that magic entertainments have increased the sway of fictions in our culture and helped define modern society's image of itself." Over 350 pages. To order Click Here and to read a review from the Guardian Click Here.

 

The Psychology of the Psychic - Sounds like an interesting read: "Two psychologists examine the patterns of thought that allow individuals to believe in psychic abilities and the tricks that psychics can use to convince them." To order from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

52 Ways to Magic America by James Flint looks like an essential read. "A wry story of illusion and deception from the fading coastal resorts of England. Marty has been practising magic since he was eight. He loves the attention, not least at school where his deft card tricks offer him a way round the embarrassment of actually talking to girls. But how can any serious magician who dreams of following his heroes Siegfried & Roy to the glittering lights of Las Vegas, still be employing his little sister as his assistant? A post-show drinks party at the Young Magician of the Year at the Crucible in Sheffield, (the last event in the calendar before the World Snooker Championships) offers Marty's faltering career a way forward. The award winning duo of Darren Watt and Terri Electric are going their separate ways and it doesn't take long for Marti to coax Terri into becoming his partner on stage and in bed. Terri is everything Marty could dream of, a talented gymnast, an able assistant and a spitting image of Princess Diana. From cabaret bookings in Brighton, Eastbourne and Worthing the pair finally hit the big time with a summer's booking in the Caribbean. A summer is all it is though. Even before their sun-kissed skin has had chance to fade both Marty and Terri know that the autumn circuit back in the UK is going to be tough. By the time they reach the annual Magician's Convention in Blackpool on a bleak weekend in February it is clear that their act needs freshening up. But it is amazing what can happen when you are down on your luck at the top of the Blackpool Tower on a wet Sunday afternoon..." The Caribbean, the Blackpool convention, Eastbourne... it all sounds a little too close for comfort for me. Just published and available now with a 20% discount via MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk - to order Click Here.

 

Uri Geller's Life Signs : Transform Your Life Through Your Personality has just been published. I'm not too sure about its intended use but the contents may be of interest to anyone who's dabbled in mind magic. For more information or to order a copy from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Marvin Kaye inspired many a budding magician years ago with his beginners book The Complete Magician. The Creative Magician's Handbook: A Guide to Tricks, Illusions, and Performance is designed to turn the unpolished performer into an entertaining magician. Featuring fail-safe magic, sleight of hand magic, card tricks and mental magic, as well as the basic principles of showmanship. Click Here.

 

"In his long-awaited first book, David Blaine offers a unique exploration of the mysteries and history of the ancient art of magic. Mysterious Stranger brings Blaine's magic directly to his audience. In the book, you'll find: Mind-bending tricks the readers can learn to do themselves. Interactive magic effects. Mind-reading and psychic techniques. David Blaine's unique perspective on the art of magic. A copiously illustrated history of the art. Exclusive autobiographical background and an insight into David's private world." Order from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk now Click Here.

 

Carter Beats The Devil by Glen David Gold has just gone into paperback and will be in bookshops across the country from today. We've heard that close-up master Chris Power (who normally only performs at private functions) will be presenting some magic in the following London book stores today (Saturday 25th) to launch the paperback version: Ottakers, Shopping Mall, Bromley, from 11.30am for one hour, then Warterstones in Piccadilly from 1.30pm to 2.30pm, and finally in Borders, Oxford Street, from 4pm to 5pm. If you can get along to any of these stores do - if not then it is also available from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

More books: 18 months ago we reviewed The Turk, Chess Automaton by Gerald M. Levitt. Now here's The Mechanical Turk: The true story of the chess-playing machine that fooled the world. Newly published and available now from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide - This is a lavishly illustrated behind-the-scenes guide to the movie, featuring colour photos of the cast, locations, sets, monsters and costumes, and an overview of the making of the film trilogy over the last five years. Designed as a celebration of the films. Written by writer, broadcaster and member of The Magic Circle, Brian Sibley. Order via MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Mac King has just released Tricks With Your Head : Hilarious Magic Tricks and Stunts to Disgust and Delight by Mac King and Mark Levy... this one is going to be very popular, available now from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold is also available from Amazon.co.uk by return. "The mysterious death of President Harding in 1923 is only the curtain raiser to this extraordinary novel of magic and science. Charles Carter is Carter the Great, a name given to him by the supreme showman, Harry Houdini. Carter was born into privilege but became a magician out of need. Only at the moment of the performance, when an audience is brought together by a single experience, can Carter defeat his crippling fear of loneliness. But with every step into the twentieth Century, the stakes are growing higher. Science and the cinema are fast out-stripping even the master magician and instead of that single magic moment, there is only a headlong rush into an uncertain future." To read some 5 star reviews, or to purchase, Click Here.

 

Brian Moore - The Magician's Wife. Emmeline Lambert is married to an illusionist sent by Napoleon III to persuade the Arabs, poised for holy war, that France's might and magic are the greater. Emmeline begins to feel like an illusionist herself, when she dazzles the Emperor and then sheds her inhibitions along with her patriotism Click Here.

 

Paul Daniels - Under No Illusion. The real secrets of Paul Daniels are unmasked as the magician speaks frankly in his autobiography Click Here.

 

Ormond McGill - The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism. "The most extensive book ever to be published on stage hypnotism. Truly a goldmine of knowledge." Paul McKenna. Click Here.

 

Ricky Jay - Jay's Journal of Anomalies. Conjurers, Cheats, Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters, Imposters, Pretenders, Side-Show Showmen, Armless Calligraphers, Mechanical Marvels, and Popular Entertainments. Click Here.

 

Uri Geller - Unorthodox Encounters. "Soul-baring, disturbing, mind-expanding, sometimes funny and often bursting with chutzpah, the collected thoughts, writings and experiences of the world's most famous paranormalist are compulsive reading." Click Here.

 

Harry Houdini - Houdini's Book of Magic. Fascinating Puzzles, Tricks and Mysterious Stunts. 295 pages. Click Here.

 

David Blaine - Showman is out now. Containing the Frozen in Time footage plus about 20 minutes of previously unseen magic. You can order either the DVD or Video from Amazon.co.uk in association with MagicWeek.

 

Just published, Massimo Polidoro's book Final Séance: The Strange Friendship of Houdini and Conan Doyle is reviewed by David Britland this week. Polidoro is head of the Italian affiliate of CSICOP and a magician. To order a copy from MagicWeek in association with Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

More Music from the Motion Picture Gladiator has just been released on CD and, as with the original disc, it is absolutely stunning. Who will be the first magician/illusionist to use it? To order Click Here.

 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is now available on a 14 audio book cassette set from Amazon that is proving to be very popular with children and adults alike. The whole Harry Potter phenomenon has been very beneficial to magic in general. Click Here to order or read the reviews on Amazon.co.uk.

 

Magic meets science fiction in Equilibrium a 1994 episode of Star Trek - Deep Space Nine now available on video that features magician Jeff McBride. Available on video from Amazon.co.uk Click Here.

 

I first mentioned the soundtrack to Gladiator back in MagicWeek number 10 as it was such a stunning piece of music, and ripe for an illusionist's wants. In the States it has just won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score and in the UK has just been nominated for a BAFTA, (July 25th). With an Oscar win looming (March 25th) it will be interesting to see if this soundtrack collects all three top awards. To order Click Here.

 

David Blaine Mystifier is now available on DVD from Amazon.co.uk in association with MagicWeek, to order Click Here. To order on video Click Here.

 

The best selling book in the MagicWeek Book shop for the last two weeks has been Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin. It doesn't take a mind-reader to know that this is as a direct result of the impact that the screening of Derren Brown: Mind Control had last month. For more information from Amazon.co.uk, or to place an order, Click Here.

 

Dominic Wood, know to just about every child in the Country for his successful magic and game shows on both BBC and ITV, has just released his first book of magic. Simply Magic is aimed at six to ten year olds I would guess, and is full of practical tricks that children can perform with everyday items. Generously illustrated with performance photos throughout this would make a great first magic book for any child. Click Here.

 

There's a review of just published The Turk, Chess Automaton, by Gerald M. Levitt, this week. If you've got an inquisitive mind you'll take great delight in this book, from the cunning methods of the inner workings, to the fascinating stories that surround "The Turk." (Reviewed in MagicWeek). To place an order, Click Here.

 

If you ever find yourself lost for inspiration when trying to devise new magic, be it tricks or plot, then perhaps a look through Unexplained Phenomena - A Rough Guide Special will do the trick (oops). From teleportation to levitation, and 'shared visions' to the 'materialization and flight of objects' this book has it all! Click Here.

 

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