Jim Steinmeyer

From the author of Hiding the Elephant and The Glorious Deception comes a collection of five essays that shows how the great stage illusions were integrally products of their time, based on the traditions and fashions of the people, and the offspring of the incredible, inventive personalities who brought them to the stage. Like no other author, Jim Steinmeyer gives us insight into the timeless app

In a biography woven from equal parts enchantment and mystery, Jim Steinmeyer unveils the secrets behind the most enigmatic performer in the history of stage magic, Chung Ling Soo, the "Marvelous Chinese Conjurer" -- a magician whose daring made his contemporary Houdini seem like the boy next door. Soo's infamous and suspicious onstage death in 1918 mystified his fellow magicians: he was shot duri

Alan Wakeling’s acclaimed magic has for years been the “secret source” for leading professional magicians. His career featured stage magic, illusions, close-up and stand-up effects, including several complete acts. This book contains professional material developed by Wakeling and used by magicians. Fully illustrated, beautifully and clearly described, this book is a treasure for any aspiring magi

Now in paperback comes Jim Steinmeyer's astonishing chronicle of half a century of illusionary innovation, backstage chicanery, and keen competition within the world of magicians. Lauded by today's finest magicians and critics, Hiding the Elephant is a cultural history of the efforts among legendary conjurers to make things materialize, levitate, and disappear. Steinmeyer unveils the secrets and l

The seminal biography of the twentieth century’s premier chronicler of the paranormal, Charles Fort—a man whose very name gave rise to an adjective, fortean, to describe the unexplained. By the early 1920s, Americans were discovering that the world was a strange place. Charles Fort could demonstrate that it was even stranger than anyone suspected. Frogs fell

Here is the seminal biography of the magician's magician, Howard Thurston, a man who surpassed Houdini in the eyes of showmen and fans and set the standard fro how stage magic is performed today. Everyone knows Houdini-but who was Thurston? In this rich, vivid biography of the "greatest magician in the world," celebrated historian of stage magic Jim Steinmeyer captures the

The modern classic and the first volume of the Impuzzibilities series.

An acclaimed historian sleuths out literature’s most famous vampire, uncovering the source material – from folklore and history, to personas including Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman – behind Bram Stoker’s bloody creation. In more than a century of vampires in pop culture, only one lord of the night truly stands out: Dracula. Though the name may conjure up images of Bela Lugo

Jim Steinmeyer’s sequel to Impuzzibilities contains ten new “interactive” effects, including the amazing “King’s Coronation,” an interactive effect suitable for television, video or radio. One effect uses no apparatus, just the spectators’ hands! “The Five Fiends Blackjack” deal is a completely self-working Blackjack effect; the “Thirteen Card Dilemma” is a surprising routine in which cards simply

Jim Steinmeyer’s highly-anticipated new book on illusions is an exploration of practical methods and new approaches. It contains some of his most-treasured secrets, including effects that are already being used by professional magicians in their performances—innovative illusions that will become important parts of your arsenal. The book includes four lectures on stage magic, eight stand-up routine

Jim Steinmeyer's first book on stage illusions, containing 9 surprising and deceptive illusions and 6 stand-up effects for magicians. In each case, the emphasis is on presentation and practicality, with diagrams and dimensions so the effects can be constructed in workshops. Now a standard text on the subject, Device and Illusion has been acclaimed as a valuable and important collection of effects,

Pepper's Ghost was the remarkable Victorian invention which allowed three-dimensional ghosts to walk onstage with actors. A beautiful new edition of "Two Lectures on Theatrical Illusion," Jim's book combines his lectures, "The Science Behind The Ghost" and "Discovering Invisibility." The book is the only complete history of Pepper's Ghost, containing the full evolution of this incredible Victorian

Number eight in the popular Impuzzibilities series, published in June 2020, Curious Impuzzibilities continues Jim's mission to push the boundaries of self-working magic.This book offers 11 amazingly simple, yet powerful, effects.

From the author of Hiding the Elephant and The Glorious Deception comes a collection of five essays that shows how the great stage illusions were integrally products of their time, based on the traditions and fashions of the people, and the offspring of the incredible, inventive personalities who brought them to the stage. Like no other author, Jim Steinmeyer gives us insight into the timeless app

Since the era of Zoom magic shows began, many magicians around the world have been using Jim Steinmeyer's beloved Impuzzibilities books to find inspiration mind-blowing tricks that are suitable for a virtual environment.Now, with Virtual Impuzzibilities, the 9th release in this massively popular series, Jim looks to intrigue and inspire you with 14 different effects designed to fit per

A Lecture on inspirations and new ideas in conjuring including "The Dog & The Hoop".