Secrets of Conjuring and Magic: Or How to Become a Wizard

by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin

Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805–71) is often called the father of modern conjuring. His name was later adopted by magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, whose highly sceptical exposé of Victorian spiritualism is also published in this series. The best-known magician of his time, Robert-Houdin toured France, England and Germany, performed for Queen Victoria, and was sent to French Algeria by Napoleon III to demonstrate the perceived superiority of French magic to the local shamans. This book, originally published in 1868, is devoted primarily to coin and card tricks, but Robert-Houdin also describes many other magical tricks and includes a history of conjuring. In 1877 the book appeared in this English translation by Louis Hoffmann (1839–1919). Hoffmann (real name Angelo John Lewis, a barrister) had published his own guide to magic in 1876, and both books caused controversy for revealing the secrets of stage magicians in such unprecedented detail.

Genres: Magic, Nonfiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1868

About the author

Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (December 6, 1805 – June 13, 1871) was a French magician. He is widely considered the father of the modern style of conjuring.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a very good friend who is an amateur magician (and who always confounds me when he comes round and shows me a trick or two) so I have always had an interest in conjuring so when I saw this book at a most reasonable price for such a scarce volume, I just had to have it. It has sat on my shelves for some time because I was well aware that a read of it might not enlighten me very much because I don't understand all the legerdemain that goes on with magicians. And, while it is a most entertaining read, written very much for its Victorian audience, that is how it worked out. I understood the words that Robert-Houdin was telling us but how they translated into the actual acts I was just as bewildered as when I started reading them!

The book is a follow-up to his 'Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation et de la Magic' [The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic] and he always intended to publish this 'The Secrets of Stage Conjuring' work but he died before he could do so. Professor Hoffmann took over the role, and, adding some lengthy footnotes the book came out posthumously.

In it he explains how he set up the stage prior to commencing any magic, and these explanations are understandable but then he goes into how he performed certain tricks and while some of it is easy to follow, once it gets down to the final act, I am lost! Nevertheless it is an enjoyable read.

The final chapter focuses on the work of the Davenport brothers, two Americans from Buffalo and tells how they set up a sort of cupboard on stage, entered it and performed all sorts of what seemed like miracles within it; they even on occasion got a member of the audience to sit with them in the cupboard and they still managed to perform their tricks, without the third person realising. Some of these tricks are explained and once again they start off okay but then the reader is left wondering, 'Well, how the heck did that happen?' It appears that most audiences were just the same - completely puzzled.

So, the overall impression of 'The Secrets of Stage Conjuring' is that it gives an excellent view of the Victorian age of magic ... but the perpetrators have no need to worry, their secrets are still safe!

[zydek01 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mucha charla para mí gusto

[Ryan Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy read, but kind of boring at times.