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Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

Alex Stone (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · Rating details · 2,371 ratings · 393 reviews

From the back rooms of New York City’s age-old magic societies to cutting-edge psychology labs, three-card monte games on Canal Street to glossy Las Vegas casinos, Fooling Houdini recounts Alex Stone’s quest to join the ranks of master magicians.

As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture populated by brilliant eccentrics, Stone pulls back the curtain ...more

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published June 19th 2012 by Harper (first published October 4th 2011)

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Dec 11, 2015 Carol rated it really liked it

I made many notes while reading this book about the author's quest to find his place in the world of magicians. His perseverance and dedication are to be admired. On the whole it was an interesting story and the sleight of hand is nothing but magical. I was mesmerized by all types of magic described and the talent of those who perform this art. I think my favorite tricks are those done with just a plain deck of playing cards. The way these can be manipulated leave me in awe.

This reader would ...more

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Oct 12, 2014 Mara rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, money-and-mind, audiobooks, library-books, 2014-reads

The fact that this book was written without a single allusion to everyone's favorite illusionist, Gob Bluth , is basically a crime against humanity (or at least against the laws of pop culture reference-dom). This missed opportunity is especially egregious, given that our author/magician, Alex Stone, is, at one point,kicked out of the Academy of Magical Arts !

I'll be honest. I'm just more comfortable with an Alliance-approved magician.

If you're looking for a book that interweaves science ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 David rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, memoirs, humor

What entertainment! This is the autobiographical story of a graduate student in physics, who decided to take a detour into magic. Alex Stone starts the book with a giant flub; he competed in the "Magic Olympics" in Stockholm--and was disqualified because he hid his hands behind a table. That was, for him, "rock bottom". He decided to study, practice, attend magic workshops, and practice, practice, and practice. The book has some interesting digressions about neuroscience, and the psychology of What entertainment! This is the autobiographical story of a graduate student in physics, who decided to take a detour into magic. Alex Stone starts the book with a giant flub; he competed in the "Magic Olympics" in Stockholm--and was disqualified because he hid his hands behind a table. That was, for him, "rock bottom". He decided to study, practice, attend magic workshops, and practice, practice, and practice. The book has some interesting digressions about neuroscience, and the psychology of inattention. Stone studied psychology, and came to the realization that hands are not really faster than the eye. But hands can be faster than the mind.

It is also filled with fascinating accounts of magicians and their diverse approaches to magic. There is a full description of how street grifters, or "confidence men" walk through the streets of cities, attended by a "mob" that lures in victims. These con-artists are magicians of a different sort. Note the use of the word "artists", the only type of criminal given such a title.

Stone worked with master magicians. He learned that magic is not just a set of tricks, but it is theater. He learned how to be a real performer. He realized that he needed a theme for his magic, and he eventually realized that his theme needed to have some relationship to physics or mathematics. Master magicians told him that the best tricks are old ones that have been long-forgotten. He did a lot of research, and found that he could take advantage of some special mathematical qualities of card decks. The last chapter describes two tricks that he invented--absolutely incredible! He throws a deck of cards into the audience, and asks the spectator nearest to where the deck fell to pick it up and cut it, again and again. Then he asks the nearest six people to pick up one card from the top of the deck. He requests the people who picked up red cards (or black cards, it doesn't matter) to stand up. Then, after some irrelevant comments and questions, he quickly tells the audience what cards they chose, in the correct order. Stone actually describes, in general terms, the secret of this trick. Even knowing the secret, it would be marvelous to see this trick in action! ...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Harold rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I enjoyed every moment reading this book this book! If nothing in the title piques your interest then this book is not for you. But for me? Right up my alley! There is so much of interest in this book - so much knowledge - so much touching on the arcane that I found myself highlighting much of the text for future reference. That Stone can make the mathematics of shuffling a deck of cards interesting speaks to remarkable writing skills. When he explains the universe reflected in 52 cards I am ...more

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Sep 26, 2015 Vonia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favorites, memoir, psychology, ghosts-spiritual, entertainment-industry, celebrity, logical-nerd-socially-awkward, mind-fuck, stage-magic, immersion-journalism

This book is the perfect companion to one of my favorites, "Sleights Of Mind". Whereas "Sleights Of Mind" is written by neuroscientists exploring the world of magic, this is written by a magician exploring magic's significant relevancy to psychology and the neurosciences. (He is, however, also a physicist. Although he left his PhD program in order to pursue magic, he still retains his passion for physics.) The two works greatly compliment each other, covering much of the same territory, but from This book is the perfect companion to one of my favorites, "Sleights Of Mind". Whereas "Sleights Of Mind" is written by neuroscientists exploring the world of magic, this is written by a magician exploring magic's significant relevancy to psychology and the neurosciences. (He is, however, also a physicist. Although he left his PhD program in order to pursue magic, he still retains his passion for physics.) The two works greatly compliment each other, covering much of the same territory, but from different perspectives, making repeat information more welcome rather than repetitive.

The mulled over topics include Psychology/Sociology experiments, Neurobiology imaging scans proving the importance of innate brain mechanisms to a magician's success, the effects of secrecy on an individual psyche, explanations for various magic tricks, examining the unique subculture of magicians.

Numerous types are examined: street magic, stage illusions, close-up magic, card tricks, escapologists, psychics, mentalism. The great legends in magic across time, including recent sensations are all mentioned: Robert-Houdin, Dai Vernon, David Copperfield, Cardini, David Blaine, Penn & Teller, Criss Angel, Harry Blackstone, Lance Burton, Banachek, Persi Diaconis (actually, a "Mathemagician", a most fascinating title), Robert Turner (A blind magician), Val Valentino (The Masked Magician). Author and magician Alex Stone personally meet many of these, including a class from Jeff McBride. Even more amazing was the opportunity he had to meet David Bayer, Russell Crowe's hands as mathematical genius John Nash as portrayed in one of my favorite films, 2001's Academy Award winner "A Beautiful Mind".

The most iconic places for magic, such as Tannen's in New York, The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. Competitions for magicians worldwide that the author kept tabs on, whether or not he participated. Performing magic for laypersons is one thing. Entirely different, that is, from performing for dozens, even hundreds, of fellow magicians. The greatest honor for them is to fool their very own. The two he did participate in- The Magic Olympics and The International Brotherhood of Magicians- are faithfully chronicled, especially the latter, in which he trained and strained on his act for quite some time, practicing for hours and days on end, in order to perfect it.

As a sample of the fascinating magic "secrets" revealed, I will share a couple of my favorites. One was the explanation of the Faro Shuffle (a prescribed, very precise Shuffle wherein the deck is cut exactly in half and the cards are interwoven perfectly). When done correctly, it enables the magician to guide the cards where he wants them- therefore, to magically guess whatever card needed. As long as he shuffles the deck, or someone else shuffles it in the "traditional" way (Riffling the cards; interlacing to halves, a few cards on top of one another). The knowledge behind this is essentially mathematical, related closely to computer sciences' binary code. Even more intriguing, it takes pretty much exactly 8 shuffles to truly randomize a deck. Any less, the cards are not random and at risk to "magic". Anymore, it really makes no difference (think about how water boils; nothing much until it boils, but afternoons that it is pretty much the same).

One more. The three basics in magic based on pure trickery, from way back when, are The Fast + Loose, The Shell Game (Cups + Balls), The 3-Card Monte. Essentially, the audience is always the " victims", as they are always guaranteed to lose. They are several men operations, a team that consists of dealers, individuals that will pretend to lose, another that comments to the "target", as if they can commiserate in their losing hundreds together (even though, obviously, the " target" is the only one in reality), etcetera). No matter how well one knows the game, it is nearly impossible to win, as long as the street magicians do things right.

Magic is necessarily, undeniably, intimately related to the neurosciences, biology, physics, engineering, computer sciences, psychology, sociology, and the performing arts. I commend Stone for illustrating this with such intelligence, engagement, and even flair.

Very importantly, something also expressed in almost the same words in several other "magicology" books, learning the secrets behind how tricks work does not make us, as spectators, less amazed, less appreciative, less enamored, less enthralled, by magicians. Rather, by understanding it- while our cognitive processes still prevent us from seeing it live in action- we appreciate it even more. We are even more drawn in.

"Magic happens not in the hands of the magician, but in the mind of the spectator."

Well, of course. At its core, magic is- simply said- magicians toying with and taking advantage of our innate perceptual mechanisms. We all naturally (whether we will admit it is irrelevant) see what we want to see. We believe what we want to believe. And for most of us, that is the opportunity to be amazed. To be children again, when the possibilities were endless. ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 Sonja Arlow rated it liked it

Shelves: recommended, non-fiction, 2015-read, funny

3 1/2 stars

This book was long forgotten at the bottom of my TBR pile until I came across a Freakonomics podcast (Think Like a Child) where the host had an interview with Alex Stone about just how difficult it is to fool children with the same magic tricks that will completely flabbergast adults.

“Magic, at its core, is about toying with the limits of perception. And as any neuroscientist will tell you, one can learn a lot about the brain by studying those bizarre moments wherein it succumbs to ...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Tori rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction

I LOVED this book!!!!!!

I loved the author's self-deprecating humor, his anecdotes, and his nerdiness. I loved the subject matter. What a great read!!!!!

Stone was a physics guy- working on a PhD at Columbia - and thought that magic would make him less nerdy. He learns, buys, and creates magic tricks, and eventually competes in the Magic Olympics. Who would have thought such a forum existed??? Or that there are over 100 magic conventions each year? The reader doesn't exactly learn the "secrets" of ...more

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Sep 01, 2013 Anne Shirako rated it it was ok

Shelves: adult-nonfiction

Why would a physics PhD student leave Columbia University to study magic? Why do we enjoy being fooled? What does math have to do with it? Answers to these questions and more can be found in Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone.

Stone was enchanted at age six when he received a magic kit. Enthralled, he immediately began showing off his magic “skills” to everyone he could wheedle into watching. It wasn’t until after he was hauled off Why would a physics PhD student leave Columbia University to study magic? Why do we enjoy being fooled? What does math have to do with it? Answers to these questions and more can be found in Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone.

Stone was enchanted at age six when he received a magic kit. Enthralled, he immediately began showing off his magic “skills” to everyone he could wheedle into watching. It wasn’t until after he was hauled off the stage in disgrace at the World Championships of Magic in 2008 that he became serious about studying and practicing the magic arts.

Stone’s book is part memoir, part investigation into the hidden subculture of magicians (and street-side con men), and part a look into how and why magicians can fools us—a personal journey rather than a textbook. Obfuscation, distraction, and endless hours of practice all have their part in the success of an illusion. Stone explains how inattentional or perceptual blindness, the “failure to notice an unexpected stimulus that is in plain sight” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inattent...), is used by magicians to bamboozle their audiences. He describes how the classic short cons (three card Monte and the shell game), well orchestrated, multi-casted street theater acts, work to fleece carefully selected suckers; how he can distract a patsy while snatching his watch; and how psychics are able (well, actually not) to read minds.

In addition, Stone reveals some of the math and science behind conjuror’s tricks. For example, shuffling, on the average, must be done seven times to mix the deck--a hypothesis tested out by Perci Diaconis, a Harvard mathematician and magician. Shuffling only one or two times still allows the card magician to see out-of-order cards. This mathematical discovery not only tightened up casino security, it strangely enough also had significant impact on the medicine mixing strategies of pharmaceutical companies.

Being a muggle, I didn’t know that there is a world class magic library, The Conjuring Arts Research Center, in New York City. Like Hermione, serious magicians search here for ancient magical secrets. “‘If you want to fool magicians…you’re not going to fool them with a new move. You’re going to fool them with some hundred-year-old mathematical principle…Go dig up some ancient book. Go to the library’” (emphasis gleefully added).

What did I think? NOT a great book. Lots of random magic info dropped into a less than engaging memoir.

If you're interested in learning more about how magic really works, read Perci Diaconis’ book, Magical Mathematics, the Mathematical Ideas that Animate Great Magic Tricks (check your library catalog for a copy). Stone refers to Diaconis as a “naturally gifted magician [and] an underground legend.” Why not learn from the best instead of a not-so-great amateur who writes about the best?

Teen magicians might like to watch Make Believe, the Battle to Become the World’s Best Teen Magician. Make Believe follows the journeys of six young magicians from around the planet as they vie for the title of Teen World Champion of Magic. In addition, the magicians share card trick tutorials in the Bonus Materials.

Reviewed by Anne Shirako, Reference Librarian, Ukiah Branch, Mendocino County Library, 3/2013
...more

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Aug 20, 2012 J.R. rated it it was ok

Shelves: kindle-books

So... I hear this book is catching a lot of crap in the magic community. I can see why but I'm not going to pile on. I don't think it's much of an exposé at all. There are things I didn't like though. First off the writing isn't superb. I would expect this from a non writer memoir but the author writes and has for a while regularly for discover. The book could have been shorter. There were sections when it felt like padding. Another complaint was that he wasn't clear how major aspects of the ...more

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Jun 17, 2013 Jim Aker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science

Arthur C. Clarke has told us that , "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." What if someone with a scientific mind went about designing a magic routine around science? That is exactly what Alex Stone the author, Physics student and amateur magician does. This was an a excellent read for those with an interest in science and magic. A very entertaining read with a little something for everyone. I recommend it.

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Aug 03, 2012 Jess rated it it was ok

Well, it's an okay anecdotal history of magic, but the author is kind of a defensive douchebag, and the book never achieves any real depth.

Love to read a book about women in magic (and why there are so few), anyone know of one?

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Jan 27, 2018 Katie/Doing Dewey rated it really liked it

Summary:The author of this memoir sometimes rubbed me the wrong way, but I enjoyed hearing about an interesting subculture with fun tangents on science and history.

This story of author Alex Stone's attempt to become a master magician reminded me of a stunt memoir, likeThe Happiness Project, or of Mary Roach's books (although less humorous). Like these books, the author meets with fascinating people and tries off-beat approaches to learning more about his topic. He also couples descriptions of Summary: The author of this memoir sometimes rubbed me the wrong way, but I enjoyed hearing about an interesting subculture with fun tangents on science and history.

This story of author Alex Stone's attempt to become a master magician reminded me of a stunt memoir, like The Happiness Project, or of Mary Roach's books (although less humorous). Like these books, the author meets with fascinating people and tries off-beat approaches to learning more about his topic. He also couples descriptions of his experience with fascinating tidbits of relevant science and history.

This book ticked a lot of boxes for me. I love learning about interesting careers and subcultures and the world of the professional magician is certainly both. I also have always enjoyed stunt memoirs, hearing about someone having a lot of unusual experiences as they work to accomplish a goal. And I can't say no to a book full of fun science and history facts, especially when a lot relate to the way the human mind works. I really liked all of those aspects of this book.

I had mixed feelings about the author that did influence how I experienced the book. Some of his mannerisms, particularly the use of casual phrases that felt out of place, bothered me enough to interrupt the flow of the book. I also have to admit that I didn't like him very much at the beginning. It seemed he'd not devoted the effort to being good at anything in his life. At the beginning, even his attempts to do magic were lazy at best. The positive side of that is that he had a really nice character arc throughout the story, experiencing some personal growth as he finally did put a lot of effort into one thing. This was a small part of the reading experience though and the author's engaging writing about topics that appeal to me generally made this a fun read.

PS, if you were wondering about the post title - I've been naming review posts after the type of book they are for awhile and lately I've been reading so much nonfiction that just 'Nonfiction Review' didn't feel descriptive enough. I've also not written a lot recently about my long-term project to read one book per Dewey Decimal number, but I've been reminded that I used to name my reviews after their Dewey Decimal number by Arya at Arya's Fangirl Lexicon, who has just started trying to read one book per Dewey Decimal number herself.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey ...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Mark Stevens rated it it was amazing

I've been to the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, love the magic segments on the variety shows when I was a kid (still do) and have perfected one jaw-dropping card trick that works on about 30 percent of the four-year-old population. I liked to be amazed and amused.

In "Fooling Houdini," Alex Stone lifts the curtain on the world of magic. It's not a full-scale exposure. It's not a how-to or tell-all. It's a peek inside the relationship between magician and audience, between the duper and dupee, those I've been to the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, love the magic segments on the variety shows when I was a kid (still do) and have perfected one jaw-dropping card trick that works on about 30 percent of the four-year-old population. I liked to be amazed and amused.

In "Fooling Houdini," Alex Stone lifts the curtain on the world of magic. It's not a full-scale exposure. It's not a how-to or tell-all. It's a peek inside the relationship between magician and audience, between the duper and dupee, those with the secrets and those who seek to be wowed.

"To truly understand the art of magic and its timeless appeal, you wind up asking questions not just about how the mind works--and why sometimes it doesn't--but also about some of the most fundamental aspects of human nature," writes Stone. "Why do people take pleasure in deceiving others? How does the brain perceive the world and parse everyday experience? What are the psychological consequences of secrecy? What is reality, and how much of it do we consciously take in? How much faith can we have in our memories?"

Stone plays grasshopper to a series of gurus and masters and he dives deep into various aspects of the magic and its history--the lore, the heroes, the science, the psychology, the art, the math, the quaint clubs, the characters, the goofy mentalists, the rules and how the world of magic has changed over time. We meet a raft of individuals, including Richard Turner, a card handler without equal, "a man whose prowess with a deck bordered on the supernatural." (The chapter is called "The Touch Analyst" and Stone describes some skills here that probably have to be seen in person to be believed.)

Ultimately, "Fooling Houdini" is Stone's search for an improved performance self--finding a "person" inside who can hit the right note of credibility on stage. It's a tricky balance, as Stone notes, because "performing magic puts you in the awkward position of having to deceive the very people you seek to win."

By the way, the hand is not quicker than eye. Read "Fooling Houdini" if you want to understand why. ...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Joanne Clarke Gunter rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir-life, psychology, nonfiction-science

This book entertained and fascinated me. It is well-written and the author, besides being a extremely skilled close-up magician who excels at card and coin tricks, also has a master's degree in physics from Columbia University deciding to quit his PhD work in order to hone his magic skills and travel the country getting to know the master magicians and learn from them.

Many of the magic tricks described in this book are amazing just to read about and the mental acuity combined with the physical ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Bandit rated it liked it

According to Alex Stone, the world as magicians see it has only two kinds of persons...magicians and laymen. Any of the latter kind who happens to be fascinated with the world of the former kind (as I am) should read this book. Through a personal quest to become a better magician, the author takes the readers on the incredible journey into an equally incredible world. We meet amazing characters (like a blind card expert/martial artist) and get to hear their stories. You really get to understand ...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Jill Hutchinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography

This is a very unusual book......it is written by a PhD physicist who became addicted to magic and, as do most addictions, it took over his life. He flirted with card tricks as a child after his father bought him a magic kit and became hooked. He takes us through his journey which is absolutely fascinating. There is an underground world of magicians from street performers to professionals, secret societies, oaths, newsletters.....laymen are not welcome. The greatest magicians are those we have ...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Janis Ian rated it really liked it

An absolute must for anyone interested in magic - but even more so, anyone interested in the cognitive sciences, particularly as applied to vision and cortex. For instance: "Studies have found that visual deprivation causes almost immediate changes in the brain. In one study, blindfolded adults picked up tactile cues in their visual cortex after just five days. Another group of researchers has shown that people become more touch-sensitive after ninety minutes of sitting in a pitch-black ...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Hal rated it it was ok

I got wind of this book from the CBS "Face the Nation" presentation of authors singled out for there work. Bob Scheiffer the host went on and on praising Alex Stone and how funny and entertaining his book was. It sounded interesting but I did not quite connect in the same way.

Essentially the book is about how Alex a then student working on an advanced degree in physics decided to put his schooling on hold to further his first love performing magic acts and card tricks. He started out by getting ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: dragonfly-book-club, 2016

Is it a book about Alex Cross? Is it a book about magic? Is it a book about cognitive science? Is it a book about math? It all depends on which page you're reading.

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Jan 01, 2018 Audra Falk rated it it was ok

Shelves: gave-up-on, nonfiction

I picked this up on a whim when it caught my eye at the library. The concept of exploring the world of magicians and street cons or card cons fascinated me, probably because it's such a deviation from my own life experiences! In the end though, I only made it halfway through the book before it was due back at the library and didn't feel like renewing it. Parts of the book felt a little too tedious. Sometimes the author spent more time than necessary explaining his own journey. Still this would ...more

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Sep 16, 2018 Micha rated it liked it

I think my main gripe with the novel was that the author used so many references and often piled on too much information (which likely could have been condensed).

Also, I learned a bit of the neuroscience aspect of magic in Brain Games, apparently. Who knew.

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May 23, 2013 Mendocino County Library rated it it was ok

Shelves: adult-nonfiction

Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone

Why would a physics PhD student leave Columbia University to study magic? Why do we enjoy being fooled? What does math have to do with it? Answers to these questions and more can be found in Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone.

Stone was enchanted at age six when he received a magic kit. Enthralled, he immediately began showing off Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone

Why would a physics PhD student leave Columbia University to study magic? Why do we enjoy being fooled? What does math have to do with it? Answers to these questions and more can be found in Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind, by Alex Stone.

Stone was enchanted at age six when he received a magic kit. Enthralled, he immediately began showing off his magic “skills” to everyone he could wheedle into watching. It wasn’t until after he was hauled off the stage in disgrace at the World Championships of Magic in 2008 that he became serious about studying and practicing the magic arts.

Stone’s book is part memoir, part investigation into the hidden subculture of magicians (and street-side con men), and part a look into how and why magicians can fools us—a personal journey rather than a textbook. Obfuscation, distraction, and endless hours of practice all have their part in the success of an illusion. Stone explains how inattentional or perceptual blindness, the “failure to notice an unexpected stimulus that is in plain sight” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inattent...), is used by magicians to bamboozle their audiences. He describes how the classic short cons (three card Monte and the shell game), well orchestrated ,multi-casted street theater acts, work to fleece carefully selected suckers; how he can distract a patsy while snatching his watch; and how psychics are able (well, actually not) to read minds.

In addition, Stone reveals some of the math and science behind conjuror’s tricks. For example, shuffling, on the average, must be done seven times to mix the deck--a hypothesis tested out by Perci Diaconis, a Harvard mathematician and magician. Shuffling only one or two times still allows the card magician to see out-of-order cards. This mathematical discovery not only tightened up casino security, it strangely enough also had significant impact on the medicine mixing strategies of pharmaceutical companies.

Being a muggle, I didn’t know that there is a world class magic library, The Conjuring Arts Research Center, in New York City. Like Hermione, serious magicians search here for ancient magical secrets. “‘If you want to fool magicians…you’re not going to fool them with a new move. You’re going to fool them with some hundred-year-old mathematical principle…Go dig up some ancient book. Go to the library’” (emphasis gleefully added).

If you’re a budding magician or a mathematician, request Perci Diaconis’ book, Magical Mathematics, the Mathematical Ideas that Animate Great Magic Tricks (793.85 Diaconis) from our catalog. Stone refers to Diaconis as a “naturally gifted magician [and] an underground legend.” Why not learn from the best?

UPDATE. We’re happy to announce, especially for our magic enthusiasts, that we now have the documentary Make Believe, the Battle to Become the World’s Best Teen Magician, in our library. Make Believe follows the journeys of six young magicians from around the planet as they vie for the title of Teen World Champion of Magic. In addition, the magicians share card trick tutorials in the Bonus Materials.

Reviewed by Anne Shirako, Reference Librarian, Ukiah Branch, Mendocino County Library, 3/2013

...more

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Sep 08, 2013 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, books-i-own

Some unnecessary digressions, but otherwise highly charming and well-written.

The first 3/4 of this book read like a real-life version of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Roald Dahl). Ordinary guy begins to gain very unusual, nearly superhuman abilities that help him to cheat at cards through lots of practice and the help of ~~a mysterious book~~ various mentors.

Stone summarizes a bunch of interesting psychological phenomenon that, unfortunately, I was already familiar with. Ultimately, Stone is ...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Donald Plugge rated it really liked it

Shelves: the-mind, psychology, hobby

I was back and forth on "Fooling Houdini" by Alex Stone, then ended up satisfied. The book was definitely a hodgepodge, part autobiography, part psychology, part history of magic, part "how to" and part brain science. Sometimes this type of book can end up being a "wiki" read, all the info from various wiki pages strung together. Alex was mostly able to avoid that tedium and weave together a unique blend of magic tales.

Alex Stone explores himself in this book. Anyone can write a book about them
I was back and forth on "Fooling Houdini" by Alex Stone, then ended up satisfied. The book was definitely a hodgepodge, part autobiography, part psychology, part history of magic, part "how to" and part brain science. Sometimes this type of book can end up being a "wiki" read, all the info from various wiki pages strung together. Alex was mostly able to avoid that tedium and weave together a unique blend of magic tales.

Alex Stone explores himself in this book. Anyone can write a book about them self, but can they keep it interesting? Is the story unique enough to immerse the reader? For the most part, Alex has an engaging story. The chronicle is not "I did this", "I did that" and "Here is who I know", rather, he intermingles his personal quest with that of the history and key figures of conjuring. Although he does have lots of names to drop -- Wesley (Mentor), Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger (Mystery School), Richard Turner (blind), Armando Lucero, Paul Vigil, Juan Tamariz (Madrid School), Penn and Teller , Simon Lovell (Base Deal), Ken Schwabe (SAM president), David Roth (coin), Bob Friedhoffer (foul mouthed teacher), John Born (IBM close-up winner), Apollo Robbins (pick pocket), Eric Mead (corporate magician), Asi Wind, Benzi Train, Cheng Lin, Jack Diamond, Eric Decamps, and Doug Edwards just to name a few.

The book displays an overall appreciation for the mere practice of magic, whether the advocate is professional or just a hobbyist. He never says this directly, however you come away with the benefits that attracted Alex to the field. The art of magic helps a person in showmanship, improves public speaking, is an ice breaker and is an aid to the compulsively shy. Hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity are the physical rewards in the practice of sleight of hand. The capturing and bending of attention is an intoxicating upper hand in both business and pleasure.

And as is now prevalent in non-fiction, he adds a bit of the science and neurology into the mix. References to brain plasticity, eye saccades, brain regions like the visual cortex along with a discussion of recent brain studies relating to magic. All this appears to be skimmed from the current volumes of popular brain science literature. Then Alex investigates the mathematics like the De Bruijn sequences and the statistics of card shuffling, group and probability theory. In a nod to the cultish aspects and mystique of the black art, the book includes secret societies, rites of passage, masonic rituals and the ceremonial breaking of the wand.

Although the book was more than a romp through the various wiki pages of magic, it did stray a bit from time to time. These included the talk of false memories and the legal system along with cell phone conversations and the dangers of distractions while driving. Then there was the usual repetition of brain evolution and the benefits to the hunter / gatherer. Yet none of this halted the forward progress. In the end the book had respect for my time as a reader.
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Aug 13, 2012 K. Lincoln rated it really liked it

I was hoping for some interesting tricks and connections between card-sharking and Math when I first picked up this book.

What I got instead was Alex Stone's journey from dabbler in sleight of hand to his transformation into a true magician with his own style of math-derived card routine.

And a fascinating journey it was. Did you know there was a Magic Olympics? Did you know many of the slight of hand masters are in danger of "recruitment" by the mafia? Did you know the masked magician on TV's I was hoping for some interesting tricks and connections between card-sharking and Math when I first picked up this book.

What I got instead was Alex Stone's journey from dabbler in sleight of hand to his transformation into a true magician with his own style of math-derived card routine.

And a fascinating journey it was. Did you know there was a Magic Olympics? Did you know many of the slight of hand masters are in danger of "recruitment" by the mafia? Did you know the masked magician on TV's Magic's Greatest Tricks Revealed was kicked out of illusionist Criss Angel's series debut party?

What you won't find is an explanation of how illusionists and trick card sleight-of-hand artists do their trick. While Stone goes into deep detail about the development of his own routine, he evidently learned his lesson (he chronicles in the book the flak he got as a result of publishing an article in a mainstream magazine about magic tricks) about revealing others' secrets.

What you will find is an international veritable who's who of Magicians (mentalists, illusionists, sleight of hand masters) as Stone studies various Magician traditions (and some physics and math along the way)as well a look into the subculture of magicians, con artists, clowns, and performers.

I also enjoyed Stone's ruminations on the nature of the brain and how it both helps magicians (plasticity of the brain can help magicians develop an amazing sense of touch) and allows spectators to be fooled (memory bias helps us remember only the "correct" parts of the mentalists' predictions as well as misdirection of our attention making us miss obvious sleight of hand).

Throughout Stone's journey is his own, geeky, half-arrogant/half-deprecating view of the people involved in this subculture, as well as his own stubborn desire to succeed as a magician. Extremely readable and interesting look at what most laypeople have no idea exists.

This Book's Snack Rating: Melty cheese nerdery on waffle fries for the surprisingly satisfying and compelling taste of the magic subculture ...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Darrenglass rated it really liked it

Alex Stone is a magician. And a physicist. And a science writer. But at heart he is a magician.He competed in the Magic Olympics in Stockholm in 2006 and...well, as one reads about in the opening pages of his book the outcome was not quite what he had hoped. So he decided to dive deeper into the world of magicians, and FOOLING HOUDINI takes the reader on this dive with him.

Stone seems to be an eclectic person, and the book is an eclectic book. Large parts of this book are simply a personal ...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Megan Jones rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jeffrey, reading-under-the-sun

I knew this must be a great book when my brother (who barely reads anything and is the most critical magic enthusiast in the world) finished this book in less than a week AND loved it!!! Although I don't share his passion for magic, since we are best friends, I wanted to better understand the world he has immersed himself in. Well, this book did just that. Without "giving away secrets" the author brought the reader into his world, and made it feel as if the reader was on this rollercoaster ride ...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Stefanie rated it liked it

I wish I could give this one a 2.5. The subject is interesting, the approach is varied, and it certainly held my interest. I was surprised by the lack of documentation and footnoting, especially with the numerous references to psychological studies. I copy edit psychological publications and was passingly familiar with some of the studies, but by and large he doesn't provide enough information for interested readers to track down the studies themselves to confirm what he's saying or read ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Chris rated it really liked it

I attempted performing magic once at a grade school talent show but really didn't have a good experience- so I'm not really sure what drew me to this book. Now I play music in a burlesque show that is commonly hosted by a magician that teaches at the Hollywood magic school mentioned in the book, so perhaps this had something to do with it. Alex Stone's anecdotes about the origins of tricks and historical figures added a dimension to the book that was very enjoyable to me, as well as the arc of ...more

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Jun 24, 2012 C rated it it was amazing

Shelves: faves, non-fiction, neuro

I adored this book. While it helps that I have a predilection for weird nonfiction that sticks neuroscience and a bunch of other things in a blender, I think anyone with even the remotest interest in magic (and I mean, who doesn't like magic? dead people, that's who) will enjoy this book. Part memoir, part historical narrative, part shtick-lit, part science experiment, Stone doesn't stay still for a second. Like Foer's Moonwalking with Einstein (which is actually referenced in Fooling Houdini), ...more

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About Alex Stone

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When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit—a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a There is more than one author with this name

When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit—a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a rundown pizza shop, to one of the world’s greatest card cheats, who also happens to be blind. Captivated, he plunged headlong into this mysterious world, eventually competing at the Magic Olympics and training with great magicians around the globe to perfect his craft.

From the back rooms of New York City’s century-old magic societies to cutting-edge psychology labs; three-card monte on Canal Street to glossy Las Vegas casinos; Fooling Houdini recounts Alex Stone’s quest to join the ranks of master magicians. As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture, Stone pulls back the curtain on a community shrouded in secrecy, fueled by obsession and brilliance, and organized around a single overriding need: to prove one’s worth by deceiving others. But his journey is more than a tale of tricks, gigs, and geeks. In trying to understand how expert magicians manipulate our minds to create their astonishing illusions, Stone uncovers a wealth of insight into human nature and the nature of perception. Every turn leads to questions about how the mind perceives the world and processes everyday experiences. By investigating some of the lesser-known corners of psychology, neuroscience, physics, history, and even crime, all through the lens of trickery and illusion, Fooling Houdini arrives at a host of startling revelations about how the mind works—and why, sometimes, it doesn’t.

Alex Stone has written for Harper’s, Discover, Science, and the Wall Street Journal. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English and has a masters degree in physics from Columbia University. He grew up in Wisconsin, Texas, and Spain. He currently lives in New York City. ...more

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“Deception, I came to realize, was one of the few remaining oral traditions.” — 0 likes

“Magicians court the spotlight while living in constant fear of exposure. They regard magic tricks as being like quantum states—destroyed by the very act of examining them up close. Magicians trumpet the secrecy of their art, almost daring the viewer to lift the veil, and yet they are furious when someone actually does.” — 0 likes

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