Fooling Houdini

Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

By: Alex Stone

Narrated by: Alex Stone

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit - a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a rundown pizza shop, to one of the world's greatest card cheats, who also happens to be blind. Captivated, he plunged headlong into this mysterious world, eventually competing at the Magic Olympics and training with great magicians around the globe to perfect his craft.

From the back rooms of New York City's century-old magic societies to cutting-edge psychology labs; three-card monte on Canal Street to glossy Las Vegas casinos; Fooling Houdini recounts Stone's quest to join the ranks of master magicians. As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture, Stone pulls back the curtain on a community shrouded in secrecy, fueled by obsession and brilliance, and organized around a single overriding need: to prove one's worth by deceiving others.

But his journey is more than a tale of tricks, gigs, and geeks. In trying to understand how expert magicians manipulate our minds to create their astonishing illusions, Stone uncovers a wealth of insight into human nature and the nature of perception. Every turn leads to questions about how the mind perceives the world and processes everyday experiences. By investigating some of the lesser-known corners of psychology, neuroscience, physics, history, and even crime, all through the lens of trickery and illusion, Fooling Houdini arrives at a host of startling revelations about how the mind works - and why, sometimes, it doesn't.

©2012 Alex Stone (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Completely enjoyable!

Any additional comments?

Alex Stone was a great narrator! You could really hear the excitement in his voice. It was educational as well as entertaining. A great read!

Witty, fun, interesting.

What did you love best about Fooling Houdini?

If you identify with coming of age stories about geeks, outcasts, and nerds, this is worth your credit. Witty with interesting connections to science and magic lore. Great narration.

Fascinating

Great story on the history of magic and a look behind the curtain on many things

Great insight into the life of a magician

Those last two negative reviews don't make any sense. I don't think they were listening to the same book. The author has a lot of interesting and detailed information collected on his journey to becoming a well rounded magician. He also does a great job narrating his own book.

fun book to explore

really enjoy the journey with the writer it was fun and entertaining. would love to hear more from him.

Way more diversity of content than I expected

This book combines personal narrative, instruction, history, moral exploration, deep thinking, and educational elements. Stone revealed a world I'd never known existed and turned many of my perceptions of the world I DO know on their heads. Magic is inextricably linked with psychology, neuroscience, mathematics, crime, much of American history, and the birth of dollar stores, among many other things! I was pleasantly surprised by the author's candidness and originality of thought. I was delighted that so many of my own questions about magic were answered! It ended too soon but has caused me to begin researching the subject for myself. I can't recommend it enough nor to too many people. The book has injected a new liveliness in my daily conversations! Magic really is a universal delight.

loved it

it was great and it helped me under stand what magic is to me as a person.

Outstanding

This was perfection for me personally. It checked all the boxes. great story, history,methods and deep psychology of.magic and deception. I didnt want it to end.

Magic for the Mind

Where does Fooling Houdini rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I think Fooling Houdini ranks pretty high in the books I've listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fooling Houdini?

I enjoyed the clown class description.

Have you listened to any of Alex Stone’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't. I thought Alex Stone's narration was very professional and fit the tone of the book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Alex's failure at the IBM in the beginning. Anyone who has bombed on stage can relate and

Amazing look at a fascinating world

This is one of the rare books that I both read in print and listened to on audio. So insightful, smart and funny. I learned a lot about the world of magic. Thank you! Waiting for a part two. :0)