The Magic Book Podcast

Harry Houdini was one of the greatest collectors of his era. Every corner of his Harlem townhouse held books, playbills, prints, and ephemera. Within months of his death in 1926, the collection was split, sold, and scattered. Dr. Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center, spent a decade piecing the story back together. He discusses...

For more than six decades, Woodstock's resident magician Alan Eisenson, known professionally as Just Alan, has made magic from his own life. In this episode, we discuss "Just Alan - Not Just Magic," a limited edition book about Alan, written and illustrated by Jay Fortune. Alan explains what it means to transcend technique, describes how he decides where a true story ends and...

Chicago-based mentalist Christopher Carter discusses "In the Spotlight," named Penguin Magic's Book of the Year, which collects 28 routines and essays from a 35-year career across college campuses, corporate stages, and cruise ship theaters. Christopher explains why the Q&A act is so effective in mentalism, describes the Mental Interview at the heart of his appro...

Massachusetts magician and historian Scott Martell discusses "Mr. Fingers: The Magic of Irv Weiner," his 338-page biography of the performing legend of the college circuit, 25 years in the making. Scott traces Irv's journey from a Boston boyhood as the son of deaf parents to the Chavez Studio of Magic and the invention of the Red Tape Thumb Tie. He also reveals the losses tha...

Las Vegas magician Jason Bird discusses "Strolling for Dollars," his 580-page field guide to making a living doing walkaround magic, with a foreword by Jeff McBride. From a childhood library book to the Vegas Strip, Jason traces his path through Caesar's Magical Empire, the influence of Eugene Burger, and why he chose print over a video course. He talks candidly about pricing...