Dai Vernon: A Biography--Artist - Magician - Muse

by David Ben

Dai the last great undiscovered artist of the 20th century.His medium was magic and with it, Vernon turned the clandestine world of conjuring on its ear with virtuoso sleight-of-hand and a dogged pursuit for perfection.Born in 1894 in Ottawa, the son of a Canadian civil servant, Vernon moved to New York - Manhattan - in 1915, and never looked back. Miracles flowed from his fingertips - effortlessly. The source of his secrets? The underworld and the gamblers, husters and con-men that roamed back-room dens of iniquity, bunked in jail cells and walked the streets of America. Vernon sought them out, befriended them, and made their work, their covert methods, his. This book, the first in-depth examination of Vernon's life, traces the first half of his remarkable journey - through Ottawa, Coney Island, Chicago, Manhattan, Kansas City and Colorado Springs - and the celebrities - Houdini, Billy Rose, and Roosevelt, that Vernon encountered along the way. Dai A Biography also details the evolution of magic in the 20th century. From the stages of London and Paris to the back rooms of magic emporiums where secrets were bought and sold, Vernon's life and work escort the reader through vaudeville, Broadway theaters, grand magic spectaculars, New York nightspots and the dawn of television. Here, cornerstones of the craft have finally been laid bare for all to see.

Genres: Magic, Nonfiction, Biography

366 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2006

Reviews

[Latigus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome book. I could not put it down. The book transported me to the Vernon days. I could not get enough of all the stories and the details. The legendary encounter with the mythological center dealer, Allen Kennedy, is here and thousands of other amazing gems from the fantastic life of David Wingfield Frederick Verner. One of the things that i liked very much about this book is the fact that it's filled with instructions and technique for the magician and the cheat, despite the fact that is's NOT an instructional book. 5 stars.

[Jeff Kowalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written biography (part 1). However, I believe that the cast of characters could be confusing to those who are not already familiar with US magic "history" (even though they are all well developed and defined in context). Additionally, it's disappointing that part 2 is not available and has not even been announced. Nevertheless, I look forward to reading the next installment since the current book was so good!

[Dorine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I do wish Mr. Ben would hurry up already and write the second book. I've been waiting years for it!