The Secret History of Magic

Advance Praise for The Secret History of Magic

“I was the first in line for this book, I’m a big fan of the authors. The Secret History of Magic is an original look at a beloved art. It reveals how magicians did it, why magicians did it, and why we will always be amazed.”
–Neil Patrick Harris
 
“Jim Steinmeyer and Peter Lamont take the reader on a rollicking journey from the dawn of civilization to the present. This magnificent history of magic goes beyond all others in marrying the evolution of that ancient art to the evolution of science, technology, philosophy, and myth. It shows how magic has mirrored all of these, yet stayed a step ahead in its capacity to inspire wonder.”
-John McLaughlin, Former Deputy Director and Acting Director of the CIA


Praise for Jim Steinmeyer and Peter Lamont

“Dr. Lamont is the perfect guide for this trip into the world of smoke and mirrors … A riveting yarn, full of quirky stories and wisdom about our need for mystery”
-Sunday Express

“Steinmeyer’s combination of enthusiasm and erudition is a joy.”
-Neil Gaiman

“Steinmeyer writes about events a century ago as vividly as if he had been there.”
-Teller, Penn and Teller, The New York Times Book Review

“Lamont’s dry, irrepressible sense of humour suffuses and subverts this wonderfully entertaining book.”
-The Times

“Steinmeyer is the ideal host, introducing us to a fascinating stranger, and sliding into the background…Here is a storyteller with a glint in his eye. Pull up a chair, you won’t be disappointed.”
-Mark Stafford, Times of London

“Peter Lamont has conjured up a magical read.”
–The Observer
 
“Peter Lamont’s shrewd and often very funny book distils the perplexities of an age … this is a serious and thought-provoking book about how we witness and interpret the world.” 
-Hilary Mantel, Man Booker Prize winning author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies

“There is no greater expert on the history of stage magicians than Jim Steinmeyer.”
-Neil Patrick Harris

“Lamont disentangles the gargantuan knot of lies and sets the record straight with a joyful vengeance …  that’s just the way I like my historians.”
-Teller