Prepare to be amazed! “Hiding the Elephant” by Jim Steinmeyer unveils magic’s secrets. Discover illusions, rivalries, and the art of making the impossible disappear. Download now!
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Jim Steinmeyer – Hiding the Elephant (Instant Download)
Discover the secrets behind the golden age of magic with Jim Steinmeyer’s captivating book, Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear. This instant download offers a deep dive into the art and science of magic, revealing the ingenuity and creativity that have captivated audiences for generations.
What You’ll Learn
- The cultural history of magic from the 1890s to the 1930s
- Legendary tricks like the Levitation of Princess Karnak and Harry Houdini’s Disappearing Elephant
- The fierce rivalries and personalities that shaped the craft
- The engineering, artistry, and sheer chutzpah behind famous illusions
Why This Book is a Must-Read
Steinmeyer, a renowned illusion designer for legends like Siegfried and Roy and David Copperfield, provides a unique perspective on the world of magic. He doesn’t just reveal secrets; he adds context, showing how magicians create a human connection to their art. Unlike political deceit, magic is a form of pure trickery that audiences willingly embrace for the thrill and wonder it brings.
From the controversial antics of the Davenport brothers to the scientific ingenuity behind famous tricks, this book is both a research study and a salute to the magician’s art. Whether you’re a magic enthusiast or a curious reader, Hiding the Elephant is a treasure trove of insights and stories.
Hiding the Elephant： How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear
Review of book from Publisher’s Weekly：
The success of a magician “lies in making a human connection to the magic.” Create an illusion in the audience’s mind， and they’re hooked. But to understand magicians， we need to understand the art of that creation.
Steinmeyer， who has designed illusions for Siegfried and Roy and David Copperfield， presents a cultural history of magic’s golden age (from the 1890s to the 1930s)， some legendary tricks (including the Levitation of Princess Karnak and Harry Houdini’s Disappearing Elephant) and the fierce rivalries that dominated the craft.
Steinmeyer reveals certain secrets， which rely on engineering， artistry and sheer chutzpah， but he hasn’t betrayed anyone; most of his information has been published elsewhere.
What he adds is context. Magicians advertise deceit， then perform it. Unlike political chicanery， which Steinmeyer dubs dishonest trickery， magic is a kind of pure trickery. Audiences pay for a ruse， not a lecture on fraud. Do we believe movie special effects are real? Of course not， but it doesn’t detract from our enjoyment. Similarly， while many 19th-century spiritualists were rightfully debunked as frauds and charlatans， audiences loved the antics. Some， such as the Davenport brothers， were a magnet of controversy and a wild hit， successfully mixing “religion， agnosticism， science， superstition， and fraud.”
Steinmeyer diagrams famous tricks， celebrating their science and ingenuity. Readers meet characters as colorful as their acts. Buyer beware： If you want to keep your illusions， go to Las Vegas. But for magic lovers who revel in learning the magician’s art， this book part research study， part salute is a find.
