--- product_id: 107539280 title: "Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians" price: "S$18" currency: SGD in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sg/products/107539280-magic-is-dead-my-journey-into-the-worlds-most-secretive store_origin: SG region: Singapore --- # Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians **Price:** S$18 **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians - **How much does it cost?** S$18 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sg](https://www.desertcart.sg/products/107539280-magic-is-dead-my-journey-into-the-worlds-most-secretive) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A journalist recounts his life-changing journey through the secret world of underground magic in this "funny, illuminating, and personal" memoir ( Brooklyn Rail ) When struggling journalist Ian Frisch came across magician Chris Ramsey on Instagram, he knew he had the makings of a good story. But what began as a simple profile piece led Ian to the52—a secret society of magicians determined to revolutionize their ancient artform under the mantra Magic Is Dead. As Ian gains entry to the52, he forms close bonds with its founding members—Laura London, Daniel Madison, and Chris Ramsay. He attends private gatherings of the most extraordinary magicians working today, follows them to magic conventions in Las Vegas and England, and discovers some of the best tricks of the trade. He also goes behind the scenes of a Netflix magic show and encounters David Blaine, Penn Jillette, and Dynamo, the U.K.'s most famous magician. As Ian tells the story of the52, and his role as its most unlikely member, he reveals his own connection with trickery and deceit, sharing how he first learned the elements of magic from his poker-playing mother. Rich with the history of magic and populated with a cast of fascinating characters, Magic Is Dead is a page-turning work of immersive journalism coupled with a young man searching for himself. Review: A fascinating look at the new wave of magic and a heartfelt look into the author's life - About seven years ago, I was supposed to interview Ricky Jay for his documentary Deceptive Practices: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay, and while the interview sadly never took place, I loved the documentary and became obsessed with card throwing, primarily, and card magic, secondarily. During some card-related internet/Twitter quest I came across this book, months before it was published, and was immediately intrigued. Thankfully, the book was just as great as I hoped it would be, but in ways I did not expect. What I did expect was some fascinating tales from his time with these innovative magicians, and I got those in spades, but what I wasn't expecting was the heartfelt tales about Ian's family, his father who died too soon and his amazing mother. The book comes together in a very unique way, equally influenced and inspired by non-fiction works as fictional (even cinematic works). As a freelance journalist myself who knows far too well about the financial struggles of this line of work, it was always compelling to see where this journey would take Ian, at ever turn of the page... and card. Review: Do I put this with ‘history of magic’ or ‘journalism’ in my library? - This book is, to me, fascinating. To read a first hand account of not just the growth of the artistry of current presentations of magic, but what compelled the people most singularly involved in bringing together a varied assortment of people who don’t just perform and create illusions, it’s what drove them to break away from nearly a century of staid traditions and redefine what makes the art so enduringly captivating. Having a journalist who hasn’t just reported but became a co-conspirator of sorts within a highly select group of creative minds from nearly every continent pushing, and some instances, shattering what had come to be almost expected of performers and realizing they were ultimately hacking away old ideas and perceptions to create the room for new dynamic growth. In doing so the architects and more revealingly the author found the roots of all ideas to not be so very different from what had driven the creativity of the last century. Admittedly I am just as enthralled by knowing the mechanics of a sleight but far more impressed by the dexterity with which it is handled. Be it Dai Vernon, Ricky Jay or Richard Turner, the countless people who have quite literally devoted themselves to a singular idea of perfection and occasionally achieved it consistently astound me completely. This reportage is not a ‘how they do it’. It’s the fundamentals of why. This is a fantastic read. Interest in a broad view of the complex history is touched on but this is more about the author’s acceptance and involvement with a highly selective club of brilliant, imaginative minds. Buy it because the title caught your attention. Read it because it’s a great book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #857,043 in Kindle Store ( See Top 100 in Kindle Store ) #58 in Magic & Illusion #67 in Magic Tricks #242 in Magic Games | ## Images ![Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81LqyVB2C7L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A fascinating look at the new wave of magic and a heartfelt look into the author's life *by B***R on June 5, 2019* About seven years ago, I was supposed to interview Ricky Jay for his documentary Deceptive Practices: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay, and while the interview sadly never took place, I loved the documentary and became obsessed with card throwing, primarily, and card magic, secondarily. During some card-related internet/Twitter quest I came across this book, months before it was published, and was immediately intrigued. Thankfully, the book was just as great as I hoped it would be, but in ways I did not expect. What I did expect was some fascinating tales from his time with these innovative magicians, and I got those in spades, but what I wasn't expecting was the heartfelt tales about Ian's family, his father who died too soon and his amazing mother. The book comes together in a very unique way, equally influenced and inspired by non-fiction works as fictional (even cinematic works). As a freelance journalist myself who knows far too well about the financial struggles of this line of work, it was always compelling to see where this journey would take Ian, at ever turn of the page... and card. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Do I put this with ‘history of magic’ or ‘journalism’ in my library? *by D***N on August 10, 2019* This book is, to me, fascinating. To read a first hand account of not just the growth of the artistry of current presentations of magic, but what compelled the people most singularly involved in bringing together a varied assortment of people who don’t just perform and create illusions, it’s what drove them to break away from nearly a century of staid traditions and redefine what makes the art so enduringly captivating. Having a journalist who hasn’t just reported but became a co-conspirator of sorts within a highly select group of creative minds from nearly every continent pushing, and some instances, shattering what had come to be almost expected of performers and realizing they were ultimately hacking away old ideas and perceptions to create the room for new dynamic growth. In doing so the architects and more revealingly the author found the roots of all ideas to not be so very different from what had driven the creativity of the last century. Admittedly I am just as enthralled by knowing the mechanics of a sleight but far more impressed by the dexterity with which it is handled. Be it Dai Vernon, Ricky Jay or Richard Turner, the countless people who have quite literally devoted themselves to a singular idea of perfection and occasionally achieved it consistently astound me completely. This reportage is not a ‘how they do it’. It’s the fundamentals of why. This is a fantastic read. Interest in a broad view of the complex history is touched on but this is more about the author’s acceptance and involvement with a highly selective club of brilliant, imaginative minds. Buy it because the title caught your attention. Read it because it’s a great book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good book if you like magic *by B***S on March 12, 2019* I love magic books and books about magic, so when this one popped up on my Amazon recommendations it was an easy decision. It's a memoir of a journalist reporting on magic who becomes obsessed with the art, eventually becoming a magician himself and publishing his own trick. I liked the introduction to the 'new breed' of magic. I started following magic 20 years ago and still favor reading the classics, but this really made me interested in learning more about some of the new creators out there. The stories about different tricks he witnessed, and even the how-to's, were all really well done. Also, the author did a great job of weaving his personal life story into this work, and all of the personal pieces were some of the best writing. However, I didn't like a few things about this. The most jarring example is that the dialogue came across as very unnatural at times. Can't put my finger on exactly why, but it was enough to distract from the story. It sounded like someone trying to recall a conversation and just not quite nailing it. I also didn't like the way the book was marketed or the subtitle. Secret society feels like a stretch. the52 was a central part of the book, but I felt like it should have been a side note compared to everything else going on. Last, I can't imagine that someone who doesn't already really like magic would like this. It's not a great start for the general public. Good book if you already love magic, probably not the best one to start with if you don't. One book that I think bridged that gap well and still told an interesting story was Alex Stone's Fooling Houdini if you are looking for a book to start with. Impressive story, author did a great job. Recommended if you like magic already. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sg/products/107539280-magic-is-dead-my-journey-into-the-worlds-most-secretive](https://www.desertcart.sg/products/107539280-magic-is-dead-my-journey-into-the-worlds-most-secretive) --- *Product available on Desertcart Singapore* *Store origin: SG* *Last updated: 2026-11-06*