
audiobook
This slim, illustrated guide invites listeners into the world of Indian street performers, offering a clear‑eyed look at the dazzling feats that have long been cloaked in mystique. The author, an experienced magician, treats each spectacle as a puzzle, asking whether any truly supernatural forces are at work or whether clever technique alone can explain the wonder.
Across its pages you’ll hear detailed accounts of the famed mango‑tree illusion, the astonishing rope‑cutting and reassembly, the “burial alive” stunt, and even the hypnotic snake‑charming display. With straightforward language and vivid descriptions, the book walks you through the props, gestures, and timing that make each trick possible, all while respecting the cultural backdrop in which they arose. Listeners will come away with a fresh appreciation for the skill behind the spectacle and a glimpse into early twentieth‑century attitudes toward the exotic performances that once captivated travelers and scholars alike.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (61K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Tim Lindell, Les Galloway and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2021-04-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1880–1959
A tireless investigator of psychic claims and strange phenomena, this British-born American writer spent decades testing mediums, spirit photography, and other mysteries at the edge of belief. He also wrote widely on health, conjuring, and unusual scientific ideas, which makes his work feel curious, energetic, and unmistakably of its era.
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