Christmas. Now there is a word to strike fear into everyone’s heart, but it will soon be here. While I was browsing the Amazon website the other day I thought it would be a good idea to suggest one or two books that might make interesting reading over the Christmas period. Obviously there are thousands, but here are just a few that caught my eye. These are not books of tricks. I am sure that we could all sell Amazon shelf loads of those. No, these are books about magic and magicians. Some I own and have read; others just look like books I would like to own and read. So without further ado, let’s delve into those webpages. The first book I have enjoyed is – Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer . The book tells the story of the golden age of magic and of the world’s legendary magicians - the eccentric personalities who first patented a ghost, communed with spirits, and competed fiendishly amongst themselves in a race to make things materialise, levitate and disappear. Jim Steinmeyer tells their stories with a passion for his subject. He takes the reader backstage to reveals some of the mechanics of their mysteries and shows how simple principles of optics and lighting lie behind some of the most spectacular feats of conjuring. This is not just a book of how things were done, but tells the story of the men who did them. A very entertaining read. By the same author we have The Glorious Deception by Jim Steinmeyer – The Double Life of William Robinson aka Chung Ling Soo by Jim Steinmeyer. We all know that Chung Ling Soo is famous for dying when his bullet catch trick went wrong. During his early career William Ellsworth Robinson called himself Robinson, the Man of Mystery. To increase his allure with a touch of exoticism, he changed his name to Chung Ling Soo and took his show to Europe. He took the name as a variation of a real Chinese stage magician – Ching Ling Foo - and performed many of the tricks that Foo had made famous. Chung Ling Soo maintained his role as a Chinese scrupulously. He never spoke onstage and always used an interpreter when he spoke to journalists. Only his friends and other stage magicians knew the truth. There are many motives and theories on what happened on that fateful night the 23rd March 1918 at the Wood Green Empire, London, and Steinmeyer investigates them all. I haven’t read this book but it is at the top of my Christmas list as Jim Steinmeyer is great author who is passionate about writing and magic. Under no Illusions by Paul Daniels (I know I can hear you all groaning) is a very entertaining autobiography of a guy that has had a rollercoaster ride of a life. From the pictures painted of him by the press in years past he always came across as someone with an ego on the scale of Ben Nevis. How refreshing it is to discover the in-depth man behind the showbiz facade. This master of illusion is none other than a real, down-to-earth human being. Although I have not read this book myself I am told this is a superb, 'unputdownable' read showing how pure determination, the will to succeed - and a little magic - can propel you to the good life. No matter what you think about Paul Daniels it cannot be denied that he is a very entertaining character and his book is bound be an entertaining read. The Houdini Girl by Martyn Bedford is an adult thriller novel. It caught my eye because the main character, Fletcher Brandon, is a magician who at the start of the book is supposed to be giving a show at St Georges Hall in Bradford. After the show he discovers that his new friend, a girl called Rosa, has died after falling from a train leaving Oxford. He has no idea what she was doing on the train when she was supposed to be at work. The arrival through the post of an anonymous parcel containing a few of her belongings sets him off on a trail of investigation and discovery which takes him to the seedier side of Amsterdam. Not everyone’s cup of tea but a first class novel. Well I could go on and on and fill this copy of the Billet at this rate. As I have said there are literally thousands of books out there but hopefully I have brought you a taster of just a tiny few that caught my eye. Before I go I must just tell you that the latest addition to the library is a DVD made by myself of the Roadshow that BMC members gave at Altofts on September 16th. It’s a great show and worth a look. See you next month. | 
