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. He immerses us in a fascinating world few have entered.'īuzz Bissinger, author of Father's Day and Friday Night Lights

He writes with wit and scientific sharpness and grand humour. ' Bursting with energy, inventiveness, and a sense of wonder on every page.'

Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking with Einstein Alex Stone writes with a winning voice that you'll want to follow anywhere.' ' An enthralling journey into the world of magic. Seeking answers to broader questions about decision making, the limits of perception, and the nature of deception, Stone helps us understand what happens as we attempt to distinguish reality from illusion, and discovers the link between magic and psychology, physics and even crime.įrom back-street scams to laboratories to the Magic Olympics, Fooling Houdini reveals the mysterious world of magic as never before. In Fooling Houdini, we journey through a strange and colourful subculture of obsessive, brilliant and dysfunctional geniuses - blind card sharps, street-hustlers and Las Vegas showmen - learning the principles and history of some of the greatest tricks ever performed.

Determined to take his lifelong hobby to the professional level, Stone embarks on a personal quest to reach the pinnacle of this bizarre world, and become a master magician.

A PhD candidate in physics at Columbia University, Alex Stone is also part of the underground magic circuit, an exclusive community whose members convene regularly in pizza parlours and coffee shops to swap tips and develop new illusions.

Alex stone fooling houdini