OOP Shattering Illusions (book) – Jamy Ian Swiss / Hermetic Press

First edition by Hermetic Press (not the later reprint by Vanishing Inc). New condition.

collection of essays on magic by close-up magician and historian of magic Jamy Ian Swiss. Over the past fifteen years, professional magician Jamy Ian Swiss has, through his monthly book reviews and other writings, gained a reputation for insightful and occasionally incendiary journalism. Shattering Illusions gathers twenty of Mr. Swiss’s best and most provocative essays, covering a wide range of topics, from the ethics of conjuring to tributes to some of magic’s past masters to a series of discussions designed to help the serious student of the craft discover fresh performance material, stronger presentations, and a unique character and style. Among the topics examined are effective and ineffective methods of combating the exposure of secrets to the public; the real impact of such exposure; why magic is commonly held in low esteem by the rest of show business and much of the public, and what can be done about it; intellectual property rights in magic; the problems of presentation for mentalists (and one solution); learning magic from books or video; how to tell a good trick from a bad one; the problem of the Too-Perfect Theory; the question of “naturalness” in sleight of hand; the benefits and pitfalls of commercialism; ways to discover one’s on-stage character and a style that can lead to success; and an answer to the troubling question, Why do we do magic?