{"product_id":"celebrations-of-curious-characters-hardcover","title":"Celebrations of Curious Characters - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRicky Jay\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eDavid Mamet\u003c\/b\u003e (Introduction by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eCelebrations of Curious Characters\u003c\/i\u003e cracks open the personal vaults of Ricky Jay?raconteur, historian, and one of the world's great sleight-of-hand artists?exposing a wonderful world of amusing and arcane knowledge. Adapted from his popular radio series ?Jay's Journal of the Air,\" \u003ci\u003eCelebrations of Curious Characters\u003c\/i\u003e features one-page anecdotes of mind-bending performers (limbless jugglers, banjo-picking birds, Anglo-Texan saxophone-playing siamese twins) paired with engravings, mezzotints, and broadsheets from the author's remarkable collection. You'll find engaging vignettes on a daunting variety of topics: musical prodigies, cannon-ball catchers, conmen, card cheats, and performing politicians. Plus, a man who made a model of Lincoln Cathedral out of 1,000,800 bottle corks; a woman continuously pregnant for six-and-a-half years; a theatrical strong man who became the world's leading Egyptologist; and a healthy number of digressions on time, money, and the argot of thieves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcknowledged as one of the world's great sleight-of-hand artists, Ricky Jay has received accolades as a performer, actor, and author. His heralded one-man shows \u003ci\u003eRicky Jay \u0026amp; His 52 Assistants\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eRicky Jay: On the Stem\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eRicky Jay: A Rogue's Gallery\u003c\/i\u003e were all directed by David Mamet. As an actor Mr. Jay has been seen in many films, including \u003ci\u003eHouse of Games\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThings Change\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHeist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRed Belt\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBoogie Nights\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMagnolia\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLast Days\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Prestige\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Great Buck Howard\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eTomorrow Never Dies\u003c\/i\u003e. He appeared regularly in the television series \u003ci\u003eDeadwood\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Unit\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFlash Forward\u003c\/i\u003e and has written and hosted his own specials for CBS, HBO, A\u0026amp;E, and the BBC. His consulting company, Deceptive Practices (with partner Michael Weber), has supplied ?Arcane Knowledge on a Need to Know Basis\" for theater, television, and more than a score of films, including \u003ci\u003eForrest Gump\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Illusionist\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eOceans 13\u003c\/i\u003e. He is the former curator of the Mulholland Library of Conjuring and the Allied Arts and has defined the terms of his profession for the \u003ci\u003eEncyclopedia Britannica\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eCambridge Guide to American Theater\u003c\/i\u003e. More information is available at rickyjay.com.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 112\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.65 x 9.8 x 9.2 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 24, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47564484018397,"sku":"9781936365036","price":28.08,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/PYv_DAYbT4rJJIIFzxH4vw.webp?v=1774247759","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/celebrations-of-curious-characters-hardcover","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}