5 ratings | 1 review | avg rating:4.20

Alex Stone’s Followers (18)

Alex’s Bookshelves

to-read (4)
currently-reading (2)
read (5)

Alex Stone

Goodreads Author

Website

http://foolinghoudini.com/

Member Since

April 2018

edit data

There is more than one author with this name

When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit—a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a rundown pizza shop, to one of the world’s greatest card cheats, who also happens to be blind. Captivated, he plunged headlong into this mysterious world, eventually competing at the Magic Olympics and training with great magicians around the globe to perfect his craft.

From the back rooms of New York City’s century-old magic societies to cutting-edge psy There is more than one author with this name

When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit—a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a rundown pizza shop, to one of the world’s greatest card cheats, who also happens to be blind. Captivated, he plunged headlong into this mysterious world, eventually competing at the Magic Olympics and training with great magicians around the globe to perfect his craft.

From the back rooms of New York City’s century-old magic societies to cutting-edge psychology labs; three-card monte on Canal Street to glossy Las Vegas casinos; Fooling Houdini recounts Alex Stone’s quest to join the ranks of master magicians. As he navigates this quirky and occasionally hilarious subculture, Stone pulls back the curtain on a community shrouded in secrecy, fueled by obsession and brilliance, and organized around a single overriding need: to prove one’s worth by deceiving others. But his journey is more than a tale of tricks, gigs, and geeks. In trying to understand how expert magicians manipulate our minds to create their astonishing illusions, Stone uncovers a wealth of insight into human nature and the nature of perception. Every turn leads to questions about how the mind perceives the world and processes everyday experiences. By investigating some of the lesser-known corners of psychology, neuroscience, physics, history, and even crime, all through the lens of trickery and illusion, Fooling Houdini arrives at a host of startling revelations about how the mind works—and why, sometimes, it doesn’t.

Alex Stone has written for Harper’s, Discover, Science, and the Wall Street Journal. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English and has a masters degree in physics from Columbia University. He grew up in Wisconsin, Texas, and Spain. He currently lives in New York City. ...more

13 posts
Alex Stone's Blog

Sorry for our appearance but we are currently performing ...

Sorry for our appearance but we are currently performing site maintenance. To contact the author please email alex@foolinghoudini.com.

Back soon!

View more on Alex Stone's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 08, 2015 11:32

View all 13 posts »

Combine Editions
Alex Stone’s books

Average rating: 3.73 · 2,655 ratings · 420 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

3.73 avg rating — 2,655 ratings — published 2011 — 7 editions

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Alex is Currently Reading

Alex is currently reading

Rough Sleepers

by Tracy Kidder

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jan 26, 2023 08:21PM

Alex is currently reading

Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1)

by Hugh Howey (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Nov 01, 2018 07:38AM

Quotes by Alex Stone (?)

“If there is a reason that explains the success of all the greats,” said the Spanish master Arturo De Ascanio, channeling Polonius, “it is that they have learned to know themselves and have thus been able to exploit and take advantage of their own personality.”
― Alex Stone, Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

0 likes

“The biggest myth about the three-card monte is that it works because the sucker doesn’t realize it’s a scam. In fact, the monte depends on the sucker realizing it’s a scam—and then wanting in on it.”
― Alex Stone, Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

0 likes

“It’s as though gullibility is an acquired behavior, and children have not yet learned how to be deceived.”
― Alex Stone, Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind

0 likes

See all Alex Stone's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The History Book ...: TWO - 2015 - Readathon Six Date: December 5, 2015 - Noon to 4PM - Check-In - CHECKPOINT TWO - SECOND CHECK IN	22	19	Dec 05, 2015 04:23PM
The History Book ...: FOUR - 2015 - Readathon Six Date: December 5th, 2015 - 8PM - Midnight - Check-In - CHECKPOINT FOUR - FOURTH CHECK IN	20	19	Dec 06, 2015 03:20AM
The History Book ...: JILL'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2015	160	212	Dec 29, 2015 09:29AM
The History Book ...: SEVEN - CHECK OUT HERE - 2015 - Readathon Six - December 5th, 2015 - 8 AM ON DECEMBER 6TH - FINAL CHECKOUT - THIS IS CHECKPOINT SEVEN - WHICH IS CHECKOUT - LAST STOP - MANDATORY FOR TOTALS - FINAL TALLIES - MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - ONLY CHECK OUT THREAD	20	36	Mar 04, 2016 12:20PM
The History Book ...: ONE - START HERE - 2015 - Readathon Six Date: December 5th, 2015 - 8AM to Noon - Check-In - CHECKPOINT ONE - FIRST CHECK IN	40	43	Mar 08, 2016 04:24PM
The History Book ...: * BOOKS READ IN 2015/2016 READATHONS	12	133	Mar 27, 2016 11:19AM
The History Book ...: WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU GOING TO TACKLE FOR THE READATHON?	125	166	Apr 20, 2016 01:39PM
Stress Free Readi...: #15: Delta's Passport	148	58	Aug 31, 2016 08:45AM
Stress Free Readi...: Llama-Llama-Ding-Dongs	235	63	Sep 17, 2016 05:01PM
Booktastic Bookah...: About You Part 3 2018	2	8	Dec 30, 2017 05:29PM