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How Magicians Think
- Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters
- Narrated by: Joshua Jay
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
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How Magicians Think
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Summary
The door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked.
And now Joshua Jay, one of the world’s most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery.
And he goes one step further: Joshua Jay brings us right into the mind of a magician—how they develop their other worldly skills, conjure up illusions, and leave the rest of us slack-jawed with delight time after time. Along the way, Jay reveals another kind of secret, one all listeners will find meaningful even if they never aspire to perform sleight of hand: What does it take to follow your heart and achieve excellence?
In 52 short, compulsively listenable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic. He considers the aesthetics of performance, discusses contemporary masters, including David Copperfield, Penn and Teller, and David Blaine, and details how magicians hone their craft. And answers questions like: Can a magic trick be too good? How do you saw a person in half? Is there real magic in the universe? The answers, like so much in magic and life, depend on you.
Critic reviews
"[How Magicians Think] is delightful in being both a how-to book for aspiring artists and an in-depth view of the world of magic and its artisans. Jay is refreshingly candid in how he views his work, often self-deprecating, but always serious about his passion for his trade. An entertaining book from start to finish."—Booklist
“How Magicians Think is fascinating, beautiful, and can't-put-down shocking. It will inspire awe in its depiction of the secretive world of magicians and is a must-read for anyone passionate about pursuing excellence.” —Uri Geller
“How Magicians Think is one of the most remarkable books I have ever read! Joshua Jay is a genius storyteller who has distilled a life’s worth of insights into a single book, and the result is magical.” —Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics
What listeners say about How Magicians Think
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cathal Thornton
- 30-04-23
Really excellent!
Fantastically read by the author, absolutely teeming with love and insight into the world of magic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- BrianWatsonAssociates
- 01-11-21
A glimpse behind the curtain. .
What a fantastic read! Thus is much better than a bunch if secrets revealed and 10 times mire fascinating.
this is a glimpse behind the curtain if a secret world that many don't even know exists.
If you live magic, you'll love this book, if you hate magic, read this book and then.... you'll love magic!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. B. D. Leatherman
- 22-01-23
So good I have it twice
A physical copy on the shelf and an audio book to listen to again while on the go.
My 4* review for performance is simply constructive feedback: Godalming, Surrey, is pronounced "Goddle"-ming; such as in "mollycoddle".
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark G.
- 23-06-23
Truly magical ♣️❤️♠️♦️
I bought the book and started to read it, I purchased the audio book on my flight, chilling at the pool , it was great to relax listening to Joshua telling his Fascinating stories, truly inspirational.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 18-03-22
Recommend to any aspiring magician
First I gotta say took me a while to get settled as I'm not used to someone reading it to me 🤣 but after the 2nd chapter I kinda got used to it took me down the rabbit hole and into a world you would not imagine Joshua jay has been literally everywhere and I gotta say if my journey in magic turns out to be half of his I would be a full filled man
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Roger Boyle
- 27-04-22
How Magicians Thick
A very interesting "autobiography" about the psychology and study of magic and magicians ( stage magic, not occult magic)
I enjoyed the parts about Houdini, Blane, David Copperfield and even Derren Brown
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- John Davis
- 13-11-21
Wonderful
A brilliant listen on so many levels. Eloquent. Informative, thought provoking, engaging and brilliant. Thank you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-10-21
Great listen
Really enjoyed this just wish it went on longer! Highly recommend to magicians and muggles alike
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