REVIEWS

Copperfields who astound us (especially Hiding the Elephant those of us who know or think we know EDWARD SUMMER exactly what they're doing). Jim Steinmeyer was faced with an Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible interesting problem. In a decade where and Learned to Disappear. By Jim Steinmeyer, magicians' the wrath of every professional and ama- portraits by William Stout. Carroll & Graf Publishers, teur magician in the world is focused New York, 2003. ISBN: 0-7867-1226-0. 362 pp. upon television's magic-spoiling $14 paperback, $26 hardcover. "Masked Magician" (or the Outagamie Museum in Wisconsin that revealed in June 2004—after furious and vocal objections from the magic commu- The conjurer demonstrates that fooled. Not only that, but one is con- nity—the secret of Houdinis Substi- things are not always what they fronted with the true genius of the real tution Trunk), how can a professional seem. Therein lies his philoso- people who pulled this off in the past magician, illusion designer, and histo- phy."—Colonel Stodare and continue to baffle us today. rian explain just what magic is all about There are, believe it or not, histori- in a way that both reveals the "method" "It's not the trick. It's the magi- cal magic secrets that even the wisest and preserves the mystery? cian." —Harry Houdini and most savvy living magicians don't With an eye toward not being run know. Even if they did, it's not enough, out of town covered in tar and feathers agicians, at least of the stage really, to know for a fact that "it's done by magical pros, Steinmeyer has spun a illusionist persuasion, are with mirrors" or that "the card is up his detective story. Born in 1958, Stein- among the world's greatest sleeve." There is so much more to it M meyer has crammed lifetimes of aston- keepers of secrets. Yet it's also a well- than knowing the trick. Hiding the ishment into a few short years: He has known secret that even if you know how Elephant helps the reader understand designed illusions for Harry Blackstone, their tricks are done, you don't know that concept, among others. Jr., Lance Burton, David Copperfield, much at all. Viewed as history as well as enter- Ricky Jay, Siegfried and Roy, Orson Any curious ten-year-old with only a tainment, stage illusions and card tricks Welles, Disney theme parks, and more. litde perseverance and a library card can are an intricate evolution of science, find out about the "gimmick" to any technology, theater, showmanship, psy- great magical illusion or sleight of hand chology, mythology, audience expecta- and, in principle, go on to become rhe tion, and audience participation. No next Blackstone or David Copperfield. one element can account for the wonder But it's not really that easy to become experienced by the paying audience and a great magician or to baffle and awe the knowledgeable magician alike. masses. Any of us who have tried to bring off Houdini, after all, made an elephant pulling a red silk handkerchief out of Aunt disappear in full view of a huge audi- Emma's nose are intimately familiar with ence, and, according to Jim Steinmeyer, everything that goes into what seems like a was an abject failure. Why this is so simple feat of, say, palming and misdirec- forms the backbone of Hiding the tion. It involves—or should involve— Elephant, one of the most stupendous, snappy patter, bewitching facial expres- utterly awesome, timely, provocative, sions, graceful and balletic movements, totally indispensible, perceptive, and and an inexplicably mysterious aura of insightful books on the nature and mystification and the unknown, not to mechanics of how and why we are mention an obscene number of hours in practice. And all of this must be evoked Edward Summer recently baffled Natasha and displayed effortlessly in a living room Demkina, the Russian Girl with (pur- swarming with noisy relatives. The ported) X-Ray Eyes and has begun produc- geniuses in magic are the ones who can tion on The Magic of Magic, a documen- pull it off not only in a kitchen full of dirty tary He has contributed in the past to dishes, but also on the grandiose theatrical SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and is not ashamed stages inhabited by the Houdinis and to say so. Thurstons and Lance Burtons and David

5 8 September/October 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER REVIEWS

In this book, he's turned all of his practi- that provoked audiences to literal Steinmeyer has, at last, pulled it off. cal investigations about me presentation screaming hysteria night after night as It's worth mentioning, in passing, mat of magical effects on die theatrical stage Houdini apparendy drowned in a tank the woodcut-like, cameo illustrations into a riveting trail of clues leading up to full of water? How was that different that dot the book are by William Stout, the Houdini's disappearance of Jenny the from Thurston's floating a hypnotized himself a designer of movie and theme Elephant from die stage of New York's woman up into the air with the full park miracles and also a leading expert on Hippodrome Theatre in 1918. secret completely visible to audience dinosaurs, especially those of Antarctica. A parade of near-mythic but histori- members invited up on stage by the Those concerned with belief in the cally accurate portrayals of performing magician? How did it take decades and supernatural and other debilitating non- magicians drop hints and tidbits of what many brilliant minds to evolve both of sense and also with the inevitable ques- went into fooling millions of spectators these apparently "simple" effects? tion of "how did they do that?" have the for the decades leading out of the nine- In 1911, David Devant, a world- perfect book to recommend or give as a teenth and into the twentieth centuries. renowned, innovative magician who is a present. More than that, it's a model for Steinmeyer tells us, as exactly as he can, main character in mis drama co-wrote how almost any arcane topic might be just what they did, how die mechanics Our Magic with Nevil Maskelyne, also a explained in way that's clear, historically worked, and, perhaps most important, great magician of his day. In two sections accurate, and as compelling as any pro- how they fooled us and why the very ("The Art of Magic" and "The Theory of cedural mystery novel. The payoff here same tricks—folded and pressed and Magic") they attempted to "explain" stage is not only the solution of the mystery of turned around to a slightly different magic to their pre-WWI audiences in a the 1918 vanishing elephant, but also a angle—fool us today. such a way as to make die audiences deep appreciation of the methods of the perpetrators and die tools for investigat- Agatha Christie's nail biters have understand and appreciate the art which ing utusi imtiiiiig conundrums—rang- nothing on Hiding The Elephant nnf r»nlv f«x>!ed theiT!, but 1'JTcd the*** tG ing from diseases to politics to friends Where Christie invents conundrums pan with their hard-earned money in who won't breathe without asking their and clues, Steinmeyer reports upon his- those pre-television days. The book, astrologers for permission—that plague tory. What, for example, was the genius apparently, failed miserably in its effort to us all. • behind Houdini's Water Torture Cell enlighten and inspire the public.

Top Ten Best Sellers

Foundations and Why We Love: Fundamental Concepts The Nature and Chemistry of Mathematics of Romantic Love Howard Eves Helen Fisher

The Golden Ratio: Journey through Genius: The The Story of Phi, the World's Great Theorems of Mathematics Most Astonishing Number William Dunham Mario Livio The Book Nobody Read: For Love of Chasing the Revolutions of Insects 8 Nicolaus Copernicus 3 Thomas Eisner Owen Gingerich

The Fabric of the Cosmos: Concepts of Modern Space, Time, and the Mathematics 4 Texture of Reality 9 Ian Stewart Brian Greene How to Grow Fresh Air. Consciousness: 10 SO Houseplants That Purify Your An Introduction Home or Office Susan Blackmore B.C. Wolverton

By arrangement with Scientific American (www.sciam.com), July 2004.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER September/October 2004 59