How Magicians Think

This book will make you think, and it will help you improve your thinking about magic. It is written with love, and it is well worth your time.

The best read since MAXIMUM ENTERTAINMENT. Bravo

Joshua writes with such captivating charm, I devoured this in a couple of days. It's aimed primarily at non-magicians, but there's oodles of deep magical wisdom for the rest of us to enjoy. The way each chapter is framed as an answer to a question frequently asked of magicians ("How do you saw someone in half", "Why do magicians pull rabbits out of hats") ensures no topic overstays its welcome. In fact, if I had one criticism, it's the exact opposite: some of the topics were so engrossing I really wanted more. For example, the chapter on technology and research into the cognitive processes involved in magic and deception, was absolutely fascinating. It could easily be a book in its own right. The joy of this work, however, is that it acts as a wonderful taster menu to pique your interests. There'll be things in here that will inspire further reading and research to satisfy your curiosity.

Writing about magic by magicians can, lets be honest, sometimes be a little smug and self-satisfied. Joshua, as a clearly very self-aware writer, studiously avoids that pitfall with often brutal honesty about our many hang-ups and strange eccentricities. It only very occasionally comes across as a little earnest and worthy (there was a point early on where I was worried it was going to be someone simply telling me how great and potentially life-changing magic is for 300 pages), but I suspect that is only a by-product of the uncynical, wide-eyed wonder and enthusiasm the author brings to the project.

Along with Jim Steinmeyer's books on the history of magic, this is my favourite magic book for non-magicians ever. All in all, a huge success that's guaranteed to bring many new converts to our art form. I only hope there's a sequel.

Ah man, I love books where you can jump around to what interests you. Since these are in essay format you can choose your own adventure as you please. Josh definitely gives you some insight into how his brain functions and it's very interesting. It's well thought out and researched. Josh isn't just a magician here, he is also a historian and a good one at that.

What a book! Truly a love letter to magicians. It gets you thinking and considering your own magic in a very practical way.
It is also a very special look into the mind of one of Magic’s best. Highly recommend.
Six out of five stars!

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2021
This is a wonderful book. It contains 52 essays answering common questions about magic. Mr. Jay is not only an esteemed performer, but a brilliant thinker about all matters magical. He also runs a terrific on line magic store. I learned a lot from reading the book. My hobby is magic, and there are tremendous insights found in the book. My favorite insight is the story that Mr. Jay tells about what is written on the crumpled piece of paper that he keeps in his pocket and reads right before he commences a show. This advice, which is found in another chapter, is invaluable and is a piece of advice that I have used throughout my life as a teacher/public speaker. There are also very interesting bits of history including one chapter which tells the story of a woman giving birth to rabbits. I did not know this chapter of history. There are chapters that deal with the famous magicians of today, and the discussion of Mr. Copperfield and Mr. Blaine have many revelations that are likely unknown to most of us. I read the book cover to cover and I suggest you do the same, although many chapters are free standing. What you walk away from after completing the book is that magic is a fantastic art form which can rise to the highest level of enhancing your life. On the base of my computer stand is a rock, with one word painted on it. That word is "wonder". Magic is full of wonder. And Mr. Jay's book helps illuminate the wonder to be found in magic. (I posted this in Amazon. I originally read a free, review copy. Then I purchased a copy direct from Vanishing, Inc because the book is THAT good.)

I am writing this review, not as a magician, illusionist or similar professional. I am a designer, and my main interest is in designing playing cards, however I was pitched this book by Vanishing Inc and something about it caught my eye. It turns out to be an excellent decision to buy a copy as it not only gave me a broader understanding of the inner workings of magicians and illusionists but from that came several ideas that I'm planning to use in future products.
Not the usual list of tricks and how to do them, but a much deeper insight into the art and the performers, this treasure trove of inside information is in many ways far more useful. It left me feeling better prepared for making improvements to my future card designs and more informed as to how they might be used. Excellent buy!

This is a wonderful book Joshua has written Full of great stories and I must say wisdom from a great young magician the words In this book will you do make you think this book is Distance will be a must have for all magicians thank you again Joshua

How magicians think is a love letter to magic.

Within the pages of the book you will find history, stories, quotes, formulas and that is JUST in the first few chapters. Joshua is a storyteller and a great one at that! His writing is like a massage for your eyes. You will read through this book and then want to read it again. Highly recommend.

I don't write a lot of reviews, however, after receiving my copy of Joshua Jay's new book, How Magician's Think, I felt compelled to do so. To give some perspective, I am 72 years old and a former working, full-time professional magician who is retired. I began performing magic when I was 12 years old and have spent over 60 years involved with magic on some level. To say I enjoyed Joshua Jay's new book would be an understatement, it is absolutely wonderful! Reading How Magician's Think just left me smiling from ear to ear. I found myself being able to relate so closely to the thoughts, concepts and emotions so beautifully expressed in this book. All I can say is anyone who has any interest in magic, from the hobbyist to the working pro, must read this book! If you fail to read this book you will be missing out on a truly enjoyable and motivating experience.

Loved it! I believe that art performed well can inspire wonder and with it hope, and I believe this book provides a great foundation for better understanding how and why magic can bring that wonder and hope into our lives. The book is general in scope but with enough references and "rabbit holes" to encourage the reader to pursue their own research into the fascinating history, science, characters, performers, designers, and stories, etc should they find themselves getting hooked. Loved it and heartily recommend it to anyone interested in how magicians think!

Joshua Jay provides an experienced magician's point of view of the art we all love so much. Thank you Mr. Jay!!

I Absolutely love this book ! Being a part time magician I try to look for books that will help me improve my shows, I have the Volume 1 and 2 of Scripting magic to better my scripting and it states that when you write your scripts you do it from the audience point of view, Joshua Jay has hit the nail on the head with this with the book giving me a prospective to add to that to put myself in the audiences shoes and think differently as a magician which can only help me improve my magic performances. This is the best reading and learning in a long time, for the price this is a must buy!!

Ever since I found the Vanishing Inc. website I have been impressed with everything I've purchased from them. Every trick, pad and book I've purchased have been high quality. There huge selection of playing cards are awesome and its hard not to come to the site everyday to check out something new.
This is my second book from Vanishing inc. My first was "The boy who cried magic". Now I've purchased Joshua Jay's book "How magicians think". They have both been great reads. The biggest advantage to these books is learning about other books, periodicals, etc that are out there to continue to help open your mind to new ideas. Also learning more about other magicians heroes is always interesting. I haven't made it all the way through the book yet, but from the first couple of chapters I was pulled in. The book is also interesting in its study of social issues involved in the formation of magic over the last few centuries.

Definitely a Good read I highly suggest it for everyone.

As I mentioned before I also like collecting decks of cards Is/will there be a chance when we can get a second or third copy of the Playing Cards that came with some of the "How Magicians Think. I always try to buy more than one deck so I can keep one or two or three on Ice, just in case.

Sincerely,
John

If i was to suggest a book to read for someone beginning in magic, before learning any tricks or sleights or illusions, read this book it is a must and would probably teach a beginner to become a great magician, a great read for all levels of magicians, once i opened the book i couldn't put it down
Dean.

really interesting interview well worth a listen with the book in had

thanks Josh

How Magicians Think is a must read for all magicians, anybody who has ever watched “Fool Us” and everybody who has an interest in magic. Joshua brings the reader into the mind of a magician through his insights gained through a lifetime of magic. Joshua’s writing is thoughtful, clear and excellent. The graphics are clever and high quality. It is an excellent book that will make you think.

Wonderful chat about a wonderful book! Very honest and some great behind the scene Insights! How Magicians Think is a must-own for any magic lover!

My wife just gave birth to our first son a few months ago. While I won't force it on him, I hope he has an interest in magic. To pique that interest, I would sit him down with this. What a beautiful book that verbalizes exactly why we all love magic. A must-have for any/all magic libraries.

A very interesting and informative discussion, obviously as simply a "fly on the wall," since this was recorded live and is available to download and listen to now. Regardless, I could have easily listened to another hour, two, or even three or more additional hours; just like I would love to have a copy of the book being discussed, that includes the additional one hundred plus pages that had been chiseled away by the editor(s). Perhaps a sequel to both the book, as well as this discussion, should be slated for the near future... Cheers!

I had bought the book through Vanishing Inc and this was such a great perk. Joshua did a fantastic job of curating the topics and I'm hopeful for a future expanded release or a lost chapters release! The book is amazing and I want to thank Joshua for his hard work on it and on his relentless promotion of the magic arts!

This was 4.5 stars for me.

Fresh, thoughtful, varied. An enjoyable- and sometimes jolting- read.

Loses half a star due to Joshua's conflicting desire to have audiences treat magic as a fine wine (experienced rarely), whilst simultaneously wanting them to develop a better appreciation for the art. Hard to resolve that tension...

How Magicians Think, by Joshua Jay is a terrific read. As a magician, it made me think of the reasons and the philosophy behind the magic that I perform. It is well written, and very well put together. It's entertaining and I'm sure even the non-magicians will find value in this book. Also, check out the podcast. The interviews are amazing!!

Joshua Jay......genius!!
I simply cannot say enough good things about this book. From cover to cover it is entertaining, informative, funny and so very compelling. It's a book that is so out of left field in that it does't teach magic but rather delves deep into the psychology of what makes something magical and the minds that have shaped how we view and feel about magic. Naturally this publication will attracted magicians but it could just as easily be enjoyed by anyone. It's up there as one of my favourite books of any genre.

Such a fun book to read! Very fresh, informative, and entertaining! One of the great things about this book is that you don't have to read it in order! You can choose what chapters and skip around as each chapter is a different subject/story/experience! I had a lot of fun with this book! You need to get this, especially if you love magic!

This has become one of my favorite books. Not only is it's thoughtful and thought provoking work about magic, magicians, audiences, and how performances are perceived/experienced, but like many works that deliver into a specific genre, it finds purchase Ina variety of life's experiences. I would give this to anyone who is curious about magic, magicians, why we do what we do, or in humanity in general.

This book is a love letter to Magic. Joshua Jay tells with passion and enthusiam many stories, episodes and insights on how magicians of old and of today think and push the boundaries of the impossible.

Before reading this review, you should know that I have read more than a 1,000 books in my lifetime (including almost 200 magic books), and I almost never read any book twice. As I read Joshua’s book, I knew, almost immediately, that I would have to read it again, and again.

In fact, when I normally read a magic book, I flag effects, as well as passages, that I may want to reflect upon later; knowing that I will never re-read the entire book again. Joshua’s book was so engaging, that I initially skipped the flagging operation, because I didn’t want my reading to be interrupted by flagging. I told myself, “I will flag it on the second reading.” As soon as I finished the first reading, I immediately read it again, flagging more than 400 passages.

Second, I can count the number of reviews that I’ve written on one hand (and that’s for all products, not just magic). It is exceedingly rare for me to feel strongly enough to write a review. Besides, by the time I get to reviewing a book/product, someone, usually many people, have already written great reviews.

However, with this book, I feel compelled to say something.

In short, this book is magnificent. On the surface, it seems to be a list of answers to the lay public’s questions about magicians and magic. But it is so much more than the sum of its parts. Underneath, it is really a love letter, from a magician, ostensibly to the public, but also to magicians.

As a magician, you might think, “So what? How can this help me be a better magician?” Well, I can only say that I wish I had read this book early on in my magic career. It can, and will, make a big difference in how I approach, and think about, magic.

If you are a magician, this book is for you. If you are not a magician, but are always looking for fresh, interesting reads that will change how you think, then this book is for you. Either way, you will be missing out if you skip this book.

Perhaps, the best aspect of the book (for me) is the freeing nature of Joshua’s descriptions of the many varied styles, and approaches to magic that are embodied in his descriptions of famous magicians. As a performer who has struggled with “finding my style”, Joshua’s writing affirms that not only does the house of magic have many rooms, but it also has myriad, beautiful personalities, that together enrich the art, making it engaging for our audiences.

A few years back, after a lecture, Jamy Ian Swiss asked me, “Why do you do magic?” To which, I responded, “Because it is fun.” Jamy quipped back, “Lots of things are fun, why not be a comedian?” In the moment, I didn’t have a good response. Since that day, I have refined my answer (to Jamy’s question) many times, and in many ways. Now, after reading Joshua’s book, I can add another piece to my answer, “Because I must.”

Joshua Jay is a genius. I can think of no magic books which make you laugh, gasp, question or cry in equal measure - yet 'How Magicians Think' manages to do it! This is a love letter to magic, explaining how to watch this artform and why magic should have a more respected place amongst the other arts. It reveals the authors deep thinking, insight and undoubted talent both as a performer and as a writer. Read it, then read it again. Not since Geoffrey Durham's 'Professional Secrets' as so much invaluable advice been placed between two covers, with so much care and wisdom.

I really enjoyed reading the book.

I love "How magicians think" so much, I made sure everyone in my magic club pot of coffee and even donated a copy to my local library. This is not just a book for magicians but definitely for lay people and those interested in learning magic. There is so much insight into the "magician brain" with no exposure, that I am sure our lay audience would love to know. 100% add to cart, I promise you'll want to keep reading and reading even when you get to the end!

Awesome.