Jul 28, 2012 alex stone pictured, a geeky american student, thought hed found a neat way out of his nerdiness. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading fooling houdini. Math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind, by alex stone 11gsas. From the back rooms of new york citys ageold magic societies to cuttingedge psychology labs, threecard monte games on canal street to glossy las vegas casinos, fooling houdini recounts alex stones quest to join the ranks of master magicians. A physics scholar explores how the combination of science, magic and real life stirred his inner magician.
Interview with author and magician alex stone psychology today. From the back rooms of new york citys ageold magic societies to cuttingedge psychology labs, threecard monte games on canal street to glossy las vegas casinos, fooling houdini recounts alex stone s quest to join the ranks of master magicians. The transformative power of our nightly journey by alice robb goodreads author. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the. Steven levitt, author of freakonomics fooling houdini is a delight. Stones checkered history in magicianship sets the stage for fooling houdini, his cheery, inquisitive book about a world where math, physics, cognitive science and pure geeky. Alex stone was simultaneously studying in columbia university for a phd in physics and was a maths geek. Were brought along as stone remakes himself from a haughty knowitall who is publicly disgraced to humble student who finds his master.
Some of the physics maths behind the so called tricks was quite enlightening. Halfway through reading alex stones memoir, fooling houdini. If you are a highly skilled but evil magician, and wanted to use your skills for financial gain through criminal means or at least highly unethical means, what do you think would be the most profitable routes to. Fooling houdini author alex stone answers your questions. Stone begins his kaleidoscopic tour through the world of illusion at the 2006 world championships of magic in stockholm, where be beheld tricks of the trade that soon became more life altering than spectacle. Alex stone, a writer with an undergraduate degree from harvard and a graduate degree in physics, is also a magician who has competed at the magic olympics. He decided to study, practice, attend magic workshops, and practice, practice, and practice. Has fooling houdini by alex stone been sitting on your reading list. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind alex stone on. Available june 19, 2012 an enthralling journey into the inner world of. Alex stone discusses his new book, fooling houdini youtube.
Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind has been released by harper. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks and the hidden powers of the minda book. Jul 23, 2012 alex stone, author of the excellent new book fooling houdini, was kind enough to take questions from blog readers and there were some tough ones. To ask other readers questions about fooling houdini, please sign up. Fooling houdini by alex stone meaghan walsh gerard. What i loved most about fooling houdini is the world it takes us into. But it wasnt stones frequent rumination on magics links to psychology, maths, and science that got me thinking of unified theories of. From the back rooms of new york citys ageold magic societies to cuttingedge psychology labs. Years later, living in new york city, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene populated by a fascinating cast of characters. But the trick didnt work, as he explains in his new book. Fooling houdini from the back rooms of new york citys ageold magic societies to cuttingedge psychology labs, threecard monte games on canal street to glossy las vegas casinos, fooling houdini recounts alex stone s quest to join the ranks of master magicians.
Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind kindle edition by stone, alex. Alex stone writes with a winning voice that youll want to follow anywhere. As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture populated by brilliant eccentrics, stone pulls back the curtain on a community. Dec 19, 2018 what struck me most about fooling houdini are the many parallels to the seduction community. Ricky jay really hates the book fooling houdini boing. Jun 20, 2012 part memoir, part essay, part history, fooling houdini is an incredibly readable book. He writes with wit and scientific sharpness and grand humor. Alex stone pictured, a geeky american student, thought hed found a neat way out of his nerdiness. You will definitely find some great inroads to the world of magic by reading fooling houdini. Interview with author and magician alex stone psychology.
Stone is an engaging writer, but he wisely spends his energy, not on trying to dazzle us with his writing, but telling us the truth as clearly as possible. When alex stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit, sparking a lifelong love. Fooling houdini by alex stone penguin books australia. Halfway through reading alex stone s memoir, fooling houdini.
Orson scott card for rhino times alex stones fooling houdini is a delight. As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture populated by brilliant eccentrics, stone pulls back the curtain on. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Welcome to the official page alex stone, author of fooling houdini and a bunch of other fun stuff. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind stone, alex on. He immerses us in a fascinating world few have ever entered. The first is the autobiography of a magician, telling a tale from being gonged off stage at the magic olympics through a rising obsession with the craft before rolling into his redemption. Stones checkered history in magicianship sets the stage for fooling houdini, his cheery, inquisitive book about a world where math, physics, cognitive science and pure geeky fanaticism. D program at columbia, he drops everything to pursue the murky world of magic. I did a search on the kindle edition of this book, and the word elevator doesnt appear. Jul 05, 2012 in fooling houdini, stone recounts with humour and humility his love affair with magic and the experience it affords him.
This book makes you want to do magic tricks, and convinces you just how hard it is to do them well. To wrtie a captivating and charming book all about magic is a hard trick to pull off, but like all good magicians, stone makes it seem effortless. But thats what may well happen when you finish reading fooling houdini. Pick up the key ideas in the book with this quick summary. His writing has appeared in the new york times, the wall street journal, harpers. Joshua foer, author of moonwalking with einstein bursting with energy, inventiveness, and a sense of wonder on every page. Ricky jay really hates the book fooling houdini boing boing. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind by alex stone my rating. Street to glossy las vegas casinos, fooling houdini recounts alex stones quest to join the ranks of master magicians. An enthralling journey into the inner world of magic. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks and the hidden powers of the mind, alex stone, a former discover magazine editor, takes us inside the world of vegas illusionists. Doesnt look like the book has anything to do with houdini apart from a nice namecheck in the title, but thats enough for it to get a mention here on wild about harry. Fooling houdini alex stone hardcover harpercollins publishers.
Magicians, mentalists, math geeks and the hidden powers of the mind book online at best prices in india on. Alex stone discusses his new book, fooling houdini. Stone s chequered history in magicianship sets the stage for fooling houdini, his cheery, inquisitive book about a world where math, physics, cognitive science and pure geeky fanaticism intersect. The book picks up at the 2006 world championships of magic in stockholm. The great thing about fooling houdini is that you learn the history, the nuance and the skill involved in many forms of magic, but what alex stone has done beyond that is tell his story of defeat at a highprofile magic competition yes, they exist and the journey that experience put him on as he searched high and low to perfect his magic. Joshua foer, author of moonwalking with einstein alex stone s fooling houdini is a delight. His writing has appeared in the new york times, the wall street journal, harpers, discover, and the huffington post, he is the author of fooling. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Jul 11, 2014 his writing has appeared in the new york times, the wall street journal, harpers, discover, and the huffington post, he is the author of fooling houdini. Fooling houdini and memory secrets with magician alex stone. Magicians, mentalists, math geeks, and the hidden powers of the mind, by alex stone why would a physics phd student leave columbia university to study magic. In fooling houdini, stone recounts with humour and humility his love affair with magic and the experience it affords him. Years later, while living in new york city, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and popu.
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