How Magicians Think by Joshua Jay

HOW MAGICIANS THINK
The door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked. And now Joshua Jay opens that door to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. “This book is my love letter to magic,” says Jay, “and it answers the questions people ask me every night after the show.” Joshua Jay brings us right into the mind of a magician—how they develop their other-worldly skills, conjure up illusions, and leave the rest of us slack-jawed with delight.

Along the way Jay reveals another kind of secret, one all readers will find meaningful even if they never aspire to perform sleight-of-hand: What does it take to follow your heart and achieve excellence?

AND WHY MAGIC MATTERS
In 52 short, compulsively readable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them or how technology influences the world of magic. He considers the aesthetics of performance, and answers questions like: Can a magic trick be too good? How do you saw a person in half? Is there real magic in the universe? Was Houdini as good as everyone says?

The book takes you into the minds and work of contemporary masters, including David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine. Jay spent considerable time with each one to glean secret insights into how magicians hone their craft.


How Magicians Think

How Magicians Think is for anyone who loves mystery. But it’s also a probe into why we follow our passions, and what becomes of a life spent in pursuit of excellence. Or, as Teller describes it, “Swift, funny, honest, and alive with enthusiasm.”


More Praise for How Magicians Think
David Blaine
“Joshua Jay has proven to be an important voice in magic. How Magicians Think is a thoughtful, engaging look into the secretive world of magicians…[and] will excite anyone with a curiosity or love for magic.”
— David Blaine
Teller
“A loving, behind-the-scenes map of the world of magic, by someone who knows and lives the art. Swift, funny, honest, and alive with enthusiasm. And he has the good sense to quote me a lot.”
— Teller
Uri Geller
"How Magicians Think is fascinating, beautiful, and can't-put-down shocking. It will inspire awe in its depiction of the secretive world of magicians and is a must-read for anyone passionate about pursuing excellence.”
— Uri Geller
Seth Godin
"This generous book is about becoming really, really good at something, and doing it for the right reasons. It's a message we all need to hear."
— Seth Godin,
Author, The Practice
Pete Holmes
"In How Magicians Think, the great Joshua Jay reveals a magician's greatest secret — not a secret shuffle or how they kept a dove alive in their pants for four hours — but how they think. The answer? Differently, creatively, and beautifully. I mean, how can you not love someone who's devoted their life to making you feel wonder?"
— Pete Holmes, Comedian,
Author of Comedy Sex God
How Magicians Think
HOW MAGICIANS THINK PODCAST
How Magicians Think Podcast is a new, limited-series podcast that will explore the fascinating history, creativity, and psychology of magicians. This podcast is for anyone who loves magic, and it will feature the greatest magicians of our age, discussing their creative process. You'll love the behind-the-scenes chatter about magic, but this podcast is also aspirational: you'll gain insights on the creative process that you can apply to your own artistic pursuits.

This is not an audiobook for How Magicians Think. This podcast is released in tandem with Joshua Jay's anticipated book, but the contents are entirely different and will evolve as episodes are released.

The How Magicians Think podcast is produced by renowned podcasting company AudioUp and will debut in October on all podcasting platforms.