In this personal journey through a unique and remarkable performing art, David Copperfield profiles twenty-eight of the world’s most groundbreaking magicians. From the 16th-century magistrate who wrote the first book on conjuring to the roaring twenties and the man who fooled Houdini, to the woman who levitated, vanished, and caught bullets in her teeth, David Copperfield’s History of Magic takes you on a wild journey through the remarkable feats of the greatest magicians in history.
David Copperfield has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as the greatest magician in the world. David has been featured on the cover of Vanity Fair, Esquire, Forbes, and Architectural Digest. The word “Copperfield” has become a part of popular culture, in a manner quite apart from anything envisioned by Dickens. In today’s literature and media, to “do a David Copperfield” or to “be the David Copperfield of” something has come to mean doing something magical or achieving the impossible. David’s proudest achievement, however, is Project Magic, a program that uses magic as therapy in a thousand hospitals in 30 countries worldwide. This medically-certified program motivates patients to regain their dexterity, coordination and cognitive skills by learning simple magic and sleight of hand.
Professor Richard Wiseman has been described by a Scientific American columnist as ‘…one of the most interesting and innovative experimental psychologists in the world today.’ His books (including The Luck Factor, 59 Seconds and Paranormality) have sold over 3 million copies and he regularly appears on the media. Richard also presents keynote talks to organisations across the world, including The Swiss Economic Forum, Google and Amazon. He holds Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, is one of the most followed psychologists on Twitter, and the Independent On Sunday chose him as one of the top 100 people who make Britain a better place to live. Richard is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle, a Director of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has created psychology-based YouTube videos that have attracted over 500 million views. He has published over 100 academic papers and articles, and also acts as a creative consultant, including work with Derren Brown, The Twilight Zone and the hit television show, Brain Games.
This talk took place on November 11, 2021, at 7:00 pm EDT.