On the Other Side of the Footlights: An Expose of Routines, Apparatus and Deceptions Resorted to by Mediums, Clairvoyants, Fortune Tellers and Crystal Gazers in Deluding the Public (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Willis Dutcher

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0484347918 ISBN 13: 9780484347914

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2017

Synopsis

Expose of medium tricks and how they’re done, with practical insights for readers and magicians alike.

This nonfiction guide examines the routines, apparatus, and deceptions used by mediums, clairvoyants, fortune tellers, and crystal gazers. It aims to help readers spot fraud on stage or in private sessions, while also tracing how these tricks have evolved and why they work.

• Learn about common props and methods, from slates and envelopes to mechanical devices and controlled messages.
• Understand how audience perception, misdirection, and prepared information enable illusions.
• See how investigators and magicians approach seances, readings, and fortune-telling demonstrations.
• Discover practical tips for recognizing genuine technique versus trickery, and for safeguarding yourself from deception.

Ideal for readers curious about magic history, skeptical inquiry, or the mechanics behind stage deception.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0484347918
• ISBN 13: 9780484347914
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 122