author

Frank Cahill

Best known as the co-author of two lively 19th-century entertainment books, this elusive writer helped bring parlor magic, charades, puzzles, and drawing-room amusements to a wide popular audience. Very little biographical information appears to survive, which only adds a bit of mystery to the name on the title page.

1 Audiobook

The Magician's Own Book, or, the Whole Art of Conjuring Being a complete hand-book of parlor magic, and containing over one thousand optical, chemical, mechanical, magnetical, and magical experiments, amusing transmutations, astonishing sleights and subtleties, celebrated card deceptions, ingenious tricks with numbers, curious and entertaining puzzles, together with all the most noted tricks of modern performers.

The Magician's Own Book, or, the Whole Art of Conjuring Being a complete hand-book of parlor magic, and containing over one thousand optical, chemical, mechanical, magnetical, and magical experiments, amusing transmutations, astonishing sleights and subtleties, celebrated card deceptions, ingenious tricks with numbers, curious and entertaining puzzles, together with all the most noted tricks of modern performers.

by George Arnold, Frank Cahill

About the author

Frank Cahill is credited as the co-author of The Magician’s Own Book, or, The Whole Art of Conjuring (1857) and The Sociable, or, One Thousand and One Home Amusements, both written with George Arnold. These books gathered together tricks, games, stage amusements, puzzles, and other forms of home entertainment that were especially popular in the 19th century.

Because reliable biographical records for him are scarce, it is hard to say much with confidence about Cahill’s personal life or career beyond those published works. What does come through clearly is his place in a tradition of practical, playful writing made for ordinary readers—for people looking to entertain family and friends with a little wit, performance, and surprise.

Today, Cahill is remembered less as a fully documented literary figure than as a name attached to enduring curiosity books that still appeal to readers interested in classic magic and old-fashioned social amusements.