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.

Magic historian and bookseller Philip David Treece discusses founding CollectingMagicBooks.com, publishing works on iconic London magic shop Ellisdons, and preserving magic's printed heritage. He shares insights from his conservation background, approach to curating rare books, and publishing projects including "The Collected Writings of John Nevill Maskelyne." Philip offers valuable advice for magic book collectors and reveals how his experience as a customer shapes his bookselling philosophy.

Historian Margaret B. Steele discusses her groundbreaking book "The Great Boomsky" on The Magic Book Podcast, uncovering previously untold stories of African American performers in Alexander and Adelaide Herrmann's magic shows during the segregation era. Margaret shares insights from her research, the transformation she experienced as a writer, and the discovery of Isaac Willis's legacy in Nova Scotia. Margaret also discusses her publishing company, Floating Lady Publishing, and 3 new projects.