Jim Hagy began publishing magic history at age 11 and never stopped. Now a distinguished historian and author, he discusses his unique approach to magic's past - focusing on social history and audience relationships rather than methods. From his childhood correspondence with Milbourne Christopher to his latest books about animals in 19th-century magic, Jim reveals how conjuring reflects broader cultural attitudes and why the magic community's welcoming nature opened doors to its greatest minds.

Dr. Matt Tompkins, experimental psychologist and magician, explores the intersection of magic and cognitive science. From mastering coin tricks as a child to designing "fake mind control machines" at Lund University, Matt reveals how magicians understood principles like change blindness decades before scientists. He discusses his book "The Spectacle of Illusion," founding the Science of Magic Association, and using mentalism to study public perceptions of AI with deception rates of 97 percent and higher.

Professional magician Jim Kleefeld reflects on six decades of performing magic, revealing his strategic journey from children's performer to mentalism authority. Jim discusses writing "Locked" to establish credibility before tackling "The Book Test Book" - a comprehensive encyclopedia covering 600+ book tests from 1584-2020. He shares his meticulous research process, his wife's suggestion for the book's Easter egg, and insights on building respect and lasting friendships in the magic community.

Professional magician and historian Mike Rose discusses documenting magic's forgotten innovators, from Joe Karson, creator of the Zombie floating ball, to Phil Thomas, Baltimore's "Ambassador of Magic." Mike reveals how Joe's early Zombies were made from glass, how Phil survived a devastating shop fire, and the influence of an "Unholy Trio" of magicians. Mike shares insights on the evolution of research and the passion driving his preservation of stories about Baltimore's magic scene.

In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Josephy discusses her book "Magic, Magicians, and Detective Fiction." As editor of a unique collection of essays, she explains the surprising extent of overlap between performance magic and mystery writing, from magician-detectives to magical criminals. Dr. Josephy reveals how author Maurice Leblanc drew from the French magic scene to create the character of Arsène Lupin and explores how magic appears in detective fiction across different cultures and time periods.

Neil Tobin discusses his approach to performing magic and mentalism with site-specific experiences, including the acclaimed "Supernatural Chicago." We also discuss Neil's recent academic research and essays on magicians who wrote detective fiction and learn how Walter B. Gibson and others connected magic and mystery writing communities, using detective stories to elevate the public's perception of magic. Neil also previews his upcoming annotated edition of Clayton Rawson's Great Merlini novels.

In this episode of The Magic Book Podcast, professional magician, historian, and author Charles Greene III discusses his journey from corporate magic to becoming an authority on vintage magic posters and Friedländer lithography. He shares insights from his decade-long research into the subject of his book, "Ionia: Magician Princess Secrets Unlocked." Charles also discusses two upcoming biographies and how his investigations have uncovered connections between magic history and early Hollywood.

In this episode of The Magic Book Podcast, United States district judge and accomplished magician Gary Brown discusses his journey from "accidental biographer" to respected magic historian. He shares insights on writing "The Coney Island Fakir," researching Henry Slade, and authoring innovative books "Wandcraft" and "The Inventive Magician's Handbook." Gary offers perspective on the challenges of magic history research and previews new revelations about Alexander to be published in Gibecière.