Magic Is Dead: My Journey into the World’s Most Secretive Society of Magicians

Journalist Frisch is led down the rabbit hole of magic and toward a greater appreciation of life’s wonderment in this highly entertaining and deeply felt look into the world of magicians. Frisch regales readers with accounts of his deepening friendship with the 52, a cabal of young magicians looking to “shake things up” and move magic past the “loud, brash, fast-paced, flamboyant” style of David Copperfield. The group, named for the number of cards in a deck, was founded in 2013 by magicians Laura London, Daniel Madison, and Chris Ramsay, though the “World’s Most Secretive Society” of the subtitle is a bit of a stretch on Frisch’s part, as many of the members are present on Instagram and YouTube (like Laura London and Chris Ramsay). Nevertheless, he ably captures the transcendent allure of their magic, not just describing the tricks he learns (such as the Diagonal Palm Shift, a simple sleight-of-hand), but imparting the awe such deceptions can deliver. Soon, Frisch is performing magic with his new comrades at conventions and carousing with them in Las Vegas and Barcelona. Frisch’s enthusiastic deep dive into the world of magic is infectious enough that it just might send readers to the stores for their own magic sets. (Feb.)