The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston versus Houdini & the Battles of the American Wizards
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.79 (623 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1585428450 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-09-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Jim Steinmeyer is the critically acclaimed author of The Glorious Deception, Charles Fort, and Hiding the Elephant, a Los Angeles Times bestseller. . He is also a leading designer of magic illusion who has done work for television, Broadway, and many of the best-known names in modern magic. He lives in Los Angeles, CA
"HOWARD THURSTON LIVES AGAIN!" according to B. Robinson. Jim Steinmeyer's excellent new biography of Howard Thurston (1869-19HOWARD THURSTON LIVES AGAIN! Jim Steinmeyer's excellent new biography of Howard Thurston (1869-1936) is a welcome addition to the literature of the theatre and that of the history of magic. The dogged research by the author is noticeable on every page as we find our subject first on the outskirts of society as a petty thief and then rising to the heights of being an American institution -- parading the largest touring magic show ever. Thurston made his success in Europe at the turn of the century at the same time another young Hungarian emigre nam. 6) is a welcome addition to the literature of the theatre and that of the history of magic. The dogged research by the author is noticeable on every page as we find our subject first on the outskirts of society as a petty thief and then rising to the heights of being an American institution -- parading the largest touring magic show ever. Thurston made his success in Europe at the turn of the century at the same time another young Hungarian emigre nam. Well written Dave Yost The book reads clean and does a fine job of showing the relationships of the various magicians of the era. I rated this four stars due to the lack of any photos, lithographs, or other visual aids. I expected to see something.. The first great modern stage magician! Rory Coker Howard Thurston in the first three decades of the 20th Century gradually created what became the standard great touring magic show, a mix of pure sleight-of-hand, hilarious audience-interaction bits, and huge stage illusions. Every top US magician since, such as David Copperfield or Criss Angel, has eventually mounted a "big show" that mirrors Thurston's closely. Yet, while magicians remember and revere Thurston, the general public today has never heard of him. Why?Walter Gibson, who knew and worked for both Thurston a
Steinmeyer explores the stage and psychological rivalry between Thurston and Houdini during the first decades of the twentieth century- a contest that Thurston won. In The Last Greatest Magician in the World, Thurston's magic show is revealed as the one that animates our collective memories.. During his life, from 1869 to 1936, Thurston successfully navigated the most dramatic changes in entertainment-from street performances to sideshows to wagon tours through America's still-wild West to stage magic amid the glitter of grand theaters. Yet Steinmeyer shows how his story is one of the most remarkable in show business. Thurston became one of America's most renowned vau
He then became a top vaudeville star, but wisely left the vaudeville circuit to produce more ambitious spectacles involving 40 tons of magic apparatus and colorful costumes, a variety of animals, and more than two dozen assistants. All rights reserved. Tracing the magician™s rise to fame, this volume neatly juggles his marriages and his magic with his triumphs, travails, showmanship, and marketing ballyhoo (œThe Wonder Show of the Universe). (Feb. While Houdini™s daring stunts were legendary, Steinmeyer says Thurston was