Book review
Book review
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Book Notes: Quick Takes
Picks and Shovels – Cory Doctorow This is the third of the Martin Hench novels. Hench is Doctorow’s forensic accountant who was first introduced to readers in Red Team Blues and then again in The Bezzle. Red Team Blues was a great caper in the world of crypto while The Bezzle wasn’t for me. Picks… Continue reading
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The Phoenix: Volume 1 Number 7
Number 7, dated April 17, 1947, marks the first submission by Shaman to the Phoenix. He’d made contributions to the Jinx in the past but this was his first here. While there’s evidence that Annemann, Gibson, and Elliott all contributed magic under the name, there was a performer who went by the name Shaman. Dennis… Continue reading
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Book Notes: Bringer of Dust
Bringer of Dust is the second book in the Talents trilogy by J.M. Miro, the pseudonym for Steven Price. Ordinary Monsters, the first in the series, was the first book I read in 2024 and a delightful surprise. I was a little hesitant about the second book because, well, it’s a second book and second… Continue reading
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Book Notes: Dark Wire
I’m not certain where I first learned of Joseph Cox’s book, Dark Wire, but I am grateful. It’s a delightful read that’s full of characters that seem fictional however they’re all too real. Dark Wire is the story of the longest sting operation in history of law enforcement. It involves multiple countries and numerous local… Continue reading
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Revisiting: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Originally published in 2004, Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell remains one of my favorite magical fiction books. Its page count is close to 800 which I believe many find intimidating. However it’s a journey I’ve made many times. One may ask why reread books especially when there are many new books published every… Continue reading
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Book Notes: Bert Allerton: Gentleman Magician
Chicago area magician and author, Chuck Romero, quietly released his latest work without much fanfare. If I hadn’t been scanning through the latest posts on the Genii forum, I may have missed it. Romano previously released books on the life and work of Paul Rosini and the artwork and design of magic illustrations. Both works… Continue reading
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Book Notes: When The Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, And How America Cracked Up In The Early 1990’s
John Ganz’s When The Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, And How America Cracked Up In The Early 1990’s was listed on many best of nonfiction books for 2024. I would say justifiably so. Ganz has done an amazing job researching and weaving together the history of the first few years of the 1990’s. In the… Continue reading