About this title: A cult classic and a work of remarkable scholarship, this title is an investigation into the inspired world of side shows, circuses, and singularly talented performers. Jay's unparalleled collection of books, posters, photographs, programs, broadsides, and data about unjustifiably forgotten entertainers all over the world made this unique book possible.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Edition: First Warner Books Trade Paperback Printing
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Warner Books, New York
Date Published: 1987
ISBN-13:9780446385909ISBN:0446385905
Description: Good in None-As Issued jacket. 4to: over 9 3/4"-12" tall. Card wraps are bumped on the corners and edges and worn on the top and bottom of spine; corners are also creased; spine is NOT creased; edges are browned and there are some soiled spots. Binding is clean and tight. Page edges are browned and a bit soiled; otherwise pages are clear and unmarked. 343 pages. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard Books, New York
Date Published: 1986
ISBN-13:9780394537504ISBN:0394537505
Description: Near Fine in Near Fine jacket. Hardcover in dust jacket. 4to. Later printing. Book and unclipped jacket are in Near Fine condition with minimal wear. One corner of dust jacket is crimped. 343 pp. including index. read more
Description: 2001, 3rd printing, fine condition, stiff pictorial wraps, published by Farrar Straus And Giroux, New York, 347 pages. A compilation of eccentric and amazing entertainers, Mental Marvels, Side Show Acts, Mentalists, Mind Readers, Hypmotists, Spiritualist, Magicians, Talented Animals, Fire Eaters, Sword Swallowers, and a unique assortment of Charlatans, Mountebanks, etc. With the likes of Max Malini a most unusual Magician, Harry Houdini the escapeologist and a rival for P.T. Barnum for ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: New York: Villard Books, 1987
Description: Cloth-backed Boards. Near Fine/Very Good. Second Printing. 4to. pp: ix, 340. Illustrated throughout with b&w reproductions of handbills, playbills, posters, old photographs, sixteen pages of full-colour reproductions of playbills. Half-inch closed tear to both top and bottom of spine of dust jacket. Jay is himself a prestidigitator of some note and is the curator of the Mulholland Library of Conjuring and the Allied Arts in Los Angeles. " In this book you will learn about and understand the ... read more
Description: Good/Good hard cover. Small 4to, boards, 340pp, illus. edgewear, small tears, light soiling, scratches, price clipped, dust jacket. bump & tear line top edge back from corner in about 3 inches, spine twisted back, cover. soiling topedge & top inside front cover & front end page. edges tanned, clean, tight, text. enter. read more
Description: 1998, 1st Farrar Straus And Giroux edition, fine condition, stiff pictorial wraps, published by Farrar Straus And Giroux, New York, 347 pages. A compilation of eccentric and amazing entertainers, Mental Marvels, Side Show Acts, Mentalists, Mind Readers, Hypmotists, Spiritualists, Magicians, Talented Animals, Fire Eaters, Sword Swallowers, and a unique assortment of Charlatans, Mountbanks, etc. With the likes of Max Malini a most unsual Magician, Harry Houdini the escapeologist, and a rival for ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard
Date Published: 1986-10-12
ISBN-13:9780394537504ISBN:0394537505
Description: Very Good. Very nice clean copy in clean, price clipped dustjacket. Gift inscription to previous owner. First edn.2nd printing. We process quickly and carefully. read more
Edition: First Edition; Second Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard Books, New York, NY, USA
Date Published: 1987
Description: Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. 4to A Very Good First Edition/Second Printing in red and black boards showing only slight bumping of bottom corners. Price-clipped dust jacket somewhat worn at top. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard Books,, NY:
Date Published: 1986
ISBN-13:9780394537504ISBN:0394537505
Description: Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. 0394537505. Illustrated. First printing. Near fine in a near fine (two short closed edge tears-tape repaired on verso), price clipped dust jacket. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Robert Hale, London
Date Published: 1987
ISBN-13:9780709031505ISBN:0709031505
Description: Boards in dust jacket. Very good. 4to. ix+343pp., illust. (+16pp. color plates), notes, index. "A delightful excursion into some of the more exotic regions of show business" wrote the New York Times. Jay's cast of side-show attractions and theatrical wonders includes incombustible ladies, porcine prophets and performing pets, mental artistes, human volcanoes, stone eaters, armless violinists, virtusous petomanes, the human aquarium, and many, many more. Step right up! read more
Description: NY 1987 3rd Villard. 4to., 343pp., color and monochrome illustrations, original hardcover. Small remainder mark at top fore-edge. Fine in Good DJ. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Noonday Press
Date Published: 1998-10
ISBN-13:9780374525705ISBN:0374525706
Description: Like New. As issued no jacket. Paperback. Like new condition with no markings and no creases to spine or cover. Very slight wear to cover. Near fine copy. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard Books,, NY:
Date Published: 1986
ISBN-13:9780394537504ISBN:0394537505
Description: Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. 0394537505. Illustrated. First printing. Fine in a very near fine, price clipped dust jacket.; 340 pages. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard
Date Published: 1986
Description: Fine in fine jacket. 1st ed. Profusely illustrated compendium of wondrous information about "unique, eccentric and amazing" entertainers through history, including stone eaters, mind readers, poison resisters, singing mice, etc, etc. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Villard
Date Published: 1986-10-12
ISBN-13:9780394537504ISBN:0394537505
Description: Like New. First Edition, Second Printing. Excellent condition (title page clipped/removed, minor wear/chipping on dust jacket, otherwise in mint/pristine condition). Pages are crisp and clean with a tight spine. read more
"A fantastic collection of odd people and odder stories that you couldn't find anywhere else. If you're into magicians, entertainers, or just weird history in general, this is a great read."
"Ricky Jay is a famous magician and historian of magic (you may have seen him in some of David Mamet's movies). In this book he describes some performance acts that will amaze you. It will expand your conception of what human beings are capable of."
"Ricky Jay is one of the world's most accomplished showmen, a world-renowned magician and sleight-of-hand artist, particularly famed for his card-throwing stunts. (He is the author of Cards as Weapons.) In this affectionate and entertaining book, Jay presents a mind-boggling array of oddball performers, everything from calculating horses to armless artists. Jay's style has a trace of the academic to it, but he wears his mantle of scholarship in a rakish manner. One can imagine a twinkle in Jay's eye as he writes of these "pioneers or refiners of peculiar performance," particularly in the chapter devoted to the 19th century Parisian performer, "Le Pétoman," who gave musical performances by, well, farting. Ah, to hear "Au clair de la lune" thus rendered!
I couldn't help but think, as I was reading Jay's droll description of Le Pétoman's performances and the enthusiastic reception he received that, really, present-day moralists who "humph!" over the degradation of society and such things as "South Park" or pro wrestling need to take a chill pill.
And, yeah, my mom was right - each one of us does have a special talent, just waiting to be discovered."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
