Customer Reviews

Levitation: Physics And Psychology In The Service Of Deception

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Levitation by Jim Ottaviani and Janine Johnston is an expose of how magicians perform their famous levitation tricks on stage. But the book is far more than that. This beautiful graphic novel is narrated by a stagehand who knows the history of the trick and how it traveled from Europe with the magician John Neville Maskelyne to the American Harry Kellar, who stole the trick. The slim volume has backstage drama along with technical detail all lovingly illustrated by Johnston. Each panel is fantastic, especially those where real posters have been included. There's not a lot to this book, but what is there is all pleasing. I even got my husband to read this, and he's not a fan of graphic novels. Very enjoyable read!

A surprisingly detailed and accurate account of one of the most beautiful pieces in magic history. Some magicians will bristle at what is revealed here...but understanding does not preclude wonder...not if the information is artfully presented.

"Levitation" is an interesting if confusing story about early 20th century magicians and the legerdemain that occurred between them. It's about magicians John Maskelyne, Harry Kellar and Howard Thurston and a particular trick of supposed levitation that was passed between them. It's was fun to see magicians trying to steal each other's secrets, and the lengths they went to to conceal their "powers" from others. The corny stage patter was fun to read as well.

Anyway, like many of Ottaviani's books, there is a lot of information in the notes that explains what does not come across in the artwork. This doesn't say much about the author's storytelling ability, but at least the info gets across in the end.

Is the story of these three magicians worthy of this much attention? Perhaps not, but I found "levitation" at least mildly entertaining.

Sort of disappointed in this one. It is in, essentially, comic book format. I do not find such description in the product listing. Best for a kid who may be developing an interest in magic. Certainly not for an old time magic junkie.

This is a comic book. It is not what I expected. It is detailed and the history is there,but if you want a serious book,this is not it.