Obviously, the scripts require updating (but any magician should write his or her own script anyway), but the effects and techniques remain solid even after all these years. However, for the most part, the techniques are just as valid today as they were when they were invented. The art of card magic, for instance, has progressed a great deal since Robert-Houdin's day, and his techniques, while serviceable, have been surpassed by newer techniques in some cases. In terms of the magical methods described, some readers would likely object that the tricks are far out of date (though perhaps the people who would make such an objection wouldn't purchase this particular book in the first place), and on some occasions this is true. This book provides the reader a window not only into the past but into the mind of a man who very deliberately contributed to the construction of his own legendary status, which makes for fascinating reading.

But therein lies much of the interest in a work such as this. Are all of Robert-Houdin's memoirs historically accurate? Certainly not. The first observation I'd like to make is that any historian of magic will find a treasure trove in this book. Who am I to rate the works of someone like Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin, considered by many to be the father of modern conjuring? The fact of the matter is, Robert-Houdin's works largely speak for themselves, but I do have some thoughts about this compilation.

It's difficult to review a classic without sounding like a bit of an impostor.

Robert houdin books