Magic Is Dead

My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians

By: Ian Frisch

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vein of Neil Strauss’ The Game and Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein comes the fascinating story of one man’s colorful, mysterious, and personal journey into the world of magic and his unlikely invitation into an underground secret society of revolutionary magicians from around the world.

Magic Is Dead is Ian Frisch’s headfirst dive into a hidden world full of extraordinary characters and highly guarded secrets. It is a story of imagination, deception, and art that spotlights today’s most brilliant young magicians - a mysterious club known as the52 that is revolutionizing an ancient art form under the mantra Magic Is Dead.

Ian brings us with him as he not only gets to know this fascinating world, but also becomes an integral part of it. We meet the52’s founding members - Laura London, Daniel Madison, and Chris Ramsay - and explore their personal demons, professional aspirations, and what drew them to their craft. We join them at private gatherings of the most extraordinary magicians working today, follow them to magic conventions in Las Vegas and England, and discover some of the best tricks of the trade. We also encounter David Blaine; hang out with Penn Jillette; meet Dynamo, the UK’s most famous magician; and go behind the scenes of a Netflix magic show.

Magic Is Dead is also a chronicle of magic’s rich history and how it has changed in the internet age as the young guns embrace social media and move away from the old-school take on the craft.

As he tells the story of the52 and his role as its most unlikely member, Ian reveals his own connection with trickery and deceit and how he first learned the elements that make magic work from his poker-playing mother. He recalls their adventures in card rooms and casinos after his father’s sudden death and shares a touching moment he had as a working journalist with his childhood idol, Shaquille O’Neal.

“Magic - the romanticism of the inexplicable, the awe and admiration of the unexpected - is an underlying force in how we view the world and its myriad possibilities,” Ian writes. As his journey continues, Ian not only becomes a performer and creator of magic - even fooling the late Anthony Bourdain during a chance encounter - he also cements a new brotherhood and begins to understand his relationship with his father, 15 years after his death.

Authored with psychological acuity and a keen eye for detail, Magic Is Dead is an engrossing tale full of wonder and surprise.

©2019 Ian Frisch (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Not what I expected

This is mainly an autobiography. Nothing against the author, but I expected more about the world of magicians and how they performed their illusions and less about his personal life.

A beautiful and personal story

I know Ian. So I won’t pretend this review is unbiased in any meaningful way. What I can tell you with absolute certainty is that Ian can write! And this book was so infused with whimsical narrative that it’s easy to forget we’re real people he’s writing about. But then he grounds each of us in the realities of our day to day lives, and makes us look and feel human again. And that became the best part for me; riding along with him through all of it. Seeing this World of Magic through his eyes had the very strange and unexpected effect of making it even more magical for me. Well done, Ian.

excellent

an awesome look into the world of magicians and magic. one of the best books I have ever listen to.

A Masterpiece

This is one of my favorite books of the decade, and literally in my top 2 of all time best Audible listens (and I've done 150).

The NARRATION IS OUTSTANDING---truly one of the best readers Audible has to offer.

Wow.

Not to come across as over zealous, but this book hit me in the feels. As a learning magician to hear that feeling of pride when providing that experience for someone, that moment of amazement. It took me for a ride.

I wish that Ian had narrated so you could feel more in the voice. But all in all, amazing book!

The new standard

Ian writes what will be the new standard for chronicling modern magic. His fresh perspective draws the reader/listener in and resembles a heartfelt conversation over beers more than a book. I enjoyed it greatly.

Magic is FAR from dead!!

this fascinating book chronicles the evolution of the time honored art of Magic at the hands of the New Young Guns of Magic and their secret underground Society of Magicians the call "The 52". I've already listened to it twice! this is not a tale of fiction, this is all real!

Never wanted it to end.

Excellent book If you have any interest in Magic or just a great story. Awesome book.

Amazing

Ian has a way with words. Describes what I’ve been dreaming about for over a year, flawlessly. His adventure was absolutely magical. I’d like to think I understand them all a bit more now

for magicians and laypeople alike

If you want a great look at where magic really is, who's pushing it forward, and what magicians are really like, give this a shot.