The Spell Book Blog

[Originally Published in the McBride Museletter] by Judge Gary Brown In the Spring, some celebrate holidays that use eggs to symbolize reawakening. Most celebrants remain blissfully unaware that this humble icon bears a fabled secret used to thwart medieval Inquisitors, colonial-era troops and modern spies. The secret, and its denouement, caused a scandal in the U.S., leading a federal Government agency to resort to near-delusional falsehoods to justify its action

Charles Greene III’s Exposing Houdini: 52 Lost Glass Plate Images is a remarkable achievement. The book takes a monumental historic discovery—the glass plate images referenced in the title—and transforms it into a delightful and engaging work of magic history. The volume reflects the author’s unique skill set. Charles is not only an accomplished expert on magic history and ephemeral connoisseur (he possesses one of the world’s most extensive collections of magic posters), but

The Museletter , produced by the McBride Magic & Mystery School, is featuring an article I wrote entitled "Discovering the Athenaeum". It is my homage to the wonders of the Mystery School library. It's one of my favorite places on the planet. If you've been there, you'll get it right away. If you never have, you will marvel at this gem. And if you're going, this will help you plan to make the most of it. Take a look when you have a moment. For another one of my Muse

Koran the Mystic with President Herbert Hoover It all started with the acquisition of this unusual souvenir card, and quickly became one of my favorite tales of magic history. Posing next to President Herbert Hoover (right) is Koran the Mystic (b. William Perry Taylor), a vaudeville-era mindreader. (In case you have any doubt, Koran is the one in the superimposed fake turban.) Koran claimed to be the first (and only) man of mystery to be photographed at the White House dur

Report on the 5th Florida Magic History Conference

The phone rang. "What do you know about the Astounding Velma?" asked Sterling Lee, one of my running buddies for all things magical. I...

In The Inventive Magician's Handbook....With Props, I discuss the genius and kindness of Martin Lewis, whose insights in creating "The...

I call it “folded corner syndrome.” Nearly every magician has experienced it: paging through a magic book, you encounter something...

Magic books generally fall into three categories: Instructional, Conjuring History and Magic Theory. Each has its place in a magician’s...

I had just delivered a Monday Night Mystery lecture for the McBride Magic and Mystery School entitled “Inspiration and Invention.” It...

THE SECRET IS OUT! I'm delighted to announce that The Inventive Magician's Handbook . . . with Props will be released on October 1 by...

When someone as articulate and insightful as Sir Terry Pratchett - the celebrated fantasy author who has written extensively about magic -...

During a session at the Mystery School’s “Weekend of Wisdom” in 2021, Jeff McBride challenged each participant to set a magic goal to accomplish during the following year. The goal was to be written, and then read to the group. I immediately knew my goal: I wanted to appear on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us . But I lacked the resolve to write it down or say it aloud. Somehow, it felt too big, too audacious, so I substituted “performing at the Magic Castle” instead. Yet, in my

A digital edit of Bosch's "The Conjurer," setting the main protagonists in a science lab produced by the DALL*E AI interface. Send in the...

In an unsuccessful attempt to acquire the most coveted, albeit useless, ventriloquism gizmo of the 20th Century, I inadvertently...

“If you have to ask, you’ll never know. If you know, you need only ask.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chrisitian...

Tuesday is pizza night at our house: we order pizza delivery every Tuesday evening. A brilliant declaration by my spouse, "Pizza...

During the early days of COVID-19, my friend Lynn Miner suggested I try my hand at writing the "Hocus Pocus Parade" for IBM's Linking...

Passing several Floridian fireworks stands, fruit vendors and cigar stores on the way to the Tin City Magic Shop led to a realization. ...

The Secret Art Journal, produced by the McBride Magic & Mystery School, is featuring an article I wrote entitled "A Different Kind of...