{"product_id":"magic-by-misdirection-by-dariel-fitzkee-1981-edition-hc","title":"Magic by Misdirection by Dariel Fitzkee 1981 Edition HC","description":"\u003cp\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMagic by Misdirection (originally published in 1945) by Dariel Fitzkee is the crucial third installment of the famous Fitzkee Trilogy (alongside \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShowmanship for Magicians\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Trick Brain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 1981 Hardcover Edition, published by Lloyd E. Jones’ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMagic Limited\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (often bound in maroon cloth with a distinct yellow dust jacket), is widely sought after by collectors as the premier reprint of Fitzkee's groundbreaking work on psychological deception.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCore Philosophy \u0026amp; Overview\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhile most magic literature focuses on physical mechanics (moves, sleights, and secret props), Fitzkee argues that magic is an entirely psychological event occurring inside the spectator’s mind. Misdirection is not merely \"looking away when a trick is performed\"; it is the deliberate application of cognitive psychology to guide perception, expectation, and belief.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKey Structural Themes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1. The Psychology of Perception \u0026amp; Belief\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe Norm: Fitzkee emphasizes that audience suspicion is triggered by anything that departs from natural behavior. The magician must maintain natural speech, natural body language, and use familiar props.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eConviction \u0026amp; Naturalness: To deceive an audience, the performer must first believe their own illusion. If the performer acts as though a prop is light, empty, or ordinary, the audience’s brain will automatically fill in those assumptions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2. Deception Devices \u0026amp; Tactics\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFitzkee systematically breaks down the precise psychological tools a magician uses to manipulate an audience's mind:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSimulation \u0026amp; Dissimulation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSimulation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Pretending to do something you are not actually doing (e.g., placing a coin in your hand when you are keeping it hidden elsewhere).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDissimulation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Hiding or masking what you are actually doing (e.g., concealing a secret movement behind a natural gesture).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eManeuver \u0026amp; Ruses: Using routine structure or logical justifications to mask a secret action.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSuggestion \u0026amp; Inducement: Planted ideas that lead spectators to draw false conclusions automatically without being explicitly told.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3. Attention Control \u0026amp; Diversion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAttention Control: Controlling \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewhere\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewhen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehow strongly\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e the audience focuses their attention.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDiversion vs. Distraction: Fitzkee distinguishes between cheap distraction (forcing eyes to look away artificially) and true psychological diversion (giving the audience a compelling reason to think about something else, making the secret action invisible even in plain sight).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eConfusion, Monotony, \u0026amp; Relaxation: Leveraging cognitive fatigue, rhythm, and moments of off-beat relaxation (such as immediately after a burst of laughter) when the audience's guard is dropped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSignificance of the 1981 Hardcover Reprint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePreserving the Analytic Approach: During the late 20th century, many magic texts favored basic trick instructions over theory. The 1981 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMagic Limited\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e edition ensured Fitzkee's analytical, scientific framework for performance theory remained accessible to serious theater students and performing artists.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eEssential Companion: While \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Trick Brain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e offers a blueprint for inventing tricks and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShowmanship for Magicians\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e covers stagecraft, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMagic by Misdirection\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e supplies the invisible glue that makes illusions actually function.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"hillcountrymagic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43864148443195,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0675\/7751\/1995\/files\/07208A30-46E1-4DDD-96DF-7150A4907415.jpg?v=1785032950","url":"https:\/\/hillcountrymagic.com\/products\/magic-by-misdirection-by-dariel-fitzkee-1981-edition-hc","provider":"hillcountrymagic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}