Illusion is real, even if not actually truthful. Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie begins: “Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion.” Illusion is magicians’s product, their craft, their tool. And central to its “appearance of truth” is a social system of secrets and surprise. Two recent books reveal the journeys and expertise needed to enter and participate in this unusual world.
and-losing-all-control liked this taylorbooks-blog reblogged this from lareviewofbooks
jvdbooks liked this
randomscorpio-blog liked this
bookstorey liked this
rudelyearly liked this
latrapeze-blog liked this
studentn1-blog liked this
nothing2c liked this
monkfishjowls liked this
re-in-vent-blog liked this
kthread-blog reblogged this from lareviewofbooks and added:
Highly recommend Trade of the Tricks.
onemanbandstand liked this