|
|
Beaulieu New user 57 Posts |
As a Magician in Training (if self teaching qualifies) I am very interested in learning more about the history of the art. The only old magician I can currently name is Houdini, so I am historically naive when it comes to magic! I would like to change that. Where should I look to begin to catalogue the great magicians of the past? Are there any books that have a broad overview of the history? Any key figures I should study? I will be reading through many posts in this section of the Magic Café, but wondered if any of you 'old hands' had some advice for a newcomer!
Thanks, ~Ben
"What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out" ~Bertrand Russell
|
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
Panorama of Magic Milbourne Christopher
Illustrated History of Magic Milbourne Christopher The Annals of Conjuring S. W. Clarke These three will give you some basic background, although all three of them have some errors in them, especially concerning the very earliest magicians. There is a French book that has not been translated into English -- I can't recall the name right now -- but Lawrence O will know the one I mean and will also probably post it.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Beaulieu New user 57 Posts |
Thank you sir!
I will be adding them to my list. Once I get some of the basic background, I can find out which specific people strike my fancy and dig a little deeper. ~Ben P.S. Trying to learn magic on a budget is frustrating sometimes!
"What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out" ~Bertrand Russell
|
Eric Fry Regular user 191 Posts |
Go to your local library and ask about interlibrary loan. You can borrow books about magic history and magic techniques, including high-level instruction books, from hundreds of libraries nationwide for free.
|
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
Actually, the two Christopher books are so common that most libraries have copies of them. Don't forget about your local college and/or university. There are resources available at colleges that some researchers don't even know about.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
MagiClyde Special user Columbus, Ohio 871 Posts |
A great resource for books on learning about magic are the ones from Dover. Dover reprints many of the classics of magic and most of them are around $10, many even less.
As for books on the history of magic, Bill has given you a good list of books to start with. If you are interested in the biography of a particular magician, such as Robert-Houdin, Houdini, Thurston or Chung Ling Soo, I am sure that many people will be more than willing to chime in with their picks.
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Magicians of old » » Where should I look for a basic grasp. (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.01 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |