Examines magic as a performing art and as a meaningful social practice, linking magic to cultural arenas such as religion, finance, gender, and nationality and profiling magicians from Robert-Houdin to Pen and Teller.

Magic is one of the longest surviving forms of entertainment. This is a how-to magic book that teaches the real secrets of close-up, under-your-nose, in-your-face magic as seen on television. It contains great tricks, as popularised by greatest magicians. It is also illustrated with original two-colour illustrations.

Gerry Cottle, a stockbroker's son, ran away to join the circus when he was just 15 and soon married into Britain's oldest circus dynasty. In time he was the owner of the biggest circus in the world until his growing cocaine addiction led to his arrest and bankruptcy.

Features more than hundred tricks divided into various categories including: card magic, money magic, rope, silk, and handkerchief magic, small magic, stage magic, mind reading and telepathy.

Suitable for both beginner and advanced clowns. This book is aimed at clowns and would-be clowns who want to improve their skills. It includes comedy routines as well as instructions on riding a unicycle, juggling, stilt-walking, applying makeup, mime, puppetry, and magic.

Examines the freak show performance tradition, using meticulous historical research and cultural criticism to change the way we understand both performance and disability.

Explains how to use standard puppets as well as novelty figures such as balloon animals and gym socks. This book includes 22 comedy dialogues to get you started.

Presents tricks that can be performed any time, any place, written by one of TV's leading stars of the 'street magic' scene and featuring a foreword by Derren Brown.

Japanese dolls have played an important cultural role in Japanese society since its earliest stages of development, as talismanic figures, centrepieces in elaborate festivals, and avidly collected art forms.

The first comparative study in English of all aspects of puppetry in nineteenth-century Europe.

Magic has dramatically grown in popularity since the rise of celebrity 'street' magicians. This book teaches you how to perform this modern magic. It aims to enable you to quickly and easily master extraordinary magic tricks and skills that will astound and enthrall your audience.

A guide to numerous magical manoeuvres which explains various elements of interpreting and performing your tricks. It focuses on the psychological aspects of magic such as - how to trick your audience into thinking that you can interpret non-verbal communication, how to persuade, and how to appear to be able to predict future events.

The author of the first complete text on clown ministry is back by popular demand with this follow-up book. Clown ministry has grown, changed and flourished in the decade-plus since its inception. This book updates through inspirational features and dynamic new material. Part I - Who's Who contains profiles on the movers and shakers in the clown ministry field, including Where are they now? ...