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nocto's review
4.0
This is a fascinating look at how your mind works by delving into how magician's deceive us. I found it a bit odd that any explanation of how a magic trick works is wrapped in "spoilers", I can't understand why anyone would read the book and not read these. Towards the end the authors explain that this is to keep their various Magic Circle memberships - there is no ban on revealing how magic is done, but no one should find out by accident. If you don't want to find out how magic tricks work then I wouldn't bother reading the book. For me, in magic as in science, knowing how things work just adds to the beauty and the wonder. And it's a wonder our minds work at all with how easily they are fooled into seeing things that don't happen and not seeing things that do! A very interesting book.
agnexperience's review against another edition
5.0
Would recommend to anyone with only a casual understanding of how and why magic tricks work, explains illusions using neuroscience, helps understand people's behaviour in general. Well structured and balanced.
Agatha Heterodyne's paraphrase of Niven's law: “Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science!”
Agatha Heterodyne's paraphrase of Niven's law: “Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science!”
jessschira's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book as a research text for one I'm writing. I was sure that it was going to be informative but didn't have many expectations past point. I am pleased to report that it was also a fun read. The writing is not the best that I've ever seen, there were places were things felt of kilter, and a couple of spots where the authors felt like they lost their train of thought, but they had so much fun with the project that it did not seem to matter.
Before reading this, people need to know that the authors do reveal some of the secrets to some pretty famous tricks.
Before reading this, people need to know that the authors do reveal some of the secrets to some pretty famous tricks.
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