- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown (1 Jan 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0316724300
- ISBN-13: 978-0316724302
- Product Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 652,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Ireland on Sunday
'A great yarn'
Literary Review
'Entertaining . . . Lamont marshals the available evidence with an assured and light touch'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a genuinely weird and wonderful story. The birth of a hoax, the rise of a legend, and a load of bizarre characters and fascinating snippets of history. Incredibly clear writing and some wicked dry humour. Brilliant!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was given this book by a friend and was instantly sold on the title alone. The whole premise seemed entertaining, whimsical, potentially very interesting and something I wanted to know more about. In fact, though initially it was all of these things, I only finished it with an effort, because I am too stubborn to give up on a book part-way through.
The first half is really interesting, and tells how the mythos of the Indian Rope Trick arose, even showing pictures and diagrams of the variants along the way. They writing is cheekily humorous and entertaining, and a pleasure to read. However, somewhere between half and two thirds of the way through, the story runs out of substance and becomes a litany of examples of the rope trick was thought to exist and didn't. The problem is that we already know that, and to recount more times when it did not exist and more people who said it did or were reported to say it did or thought it did and were wrong really doesn't add to the book.
(That said, if Peter Lamont can find a reasonably harsh editor for his next book, his writing style is entertaining enough that I'd definitely have a look, at least.)
It may be harsh, but it reads to me as if the author originally wrote this as an essay or thesis - and it would have been an excellently written and interesting essay or thesis - and then when he decided to publish it, realised that it wasn't long enough and added a few thousand words' padding.
So would I suggest you buy it? Hmmm. Maybe, if it was cheap. Basically, the first bit is definitely worth the reading; but once it starts to get a bit same-ish, you might as well put it down because once you've had the investigation and the main argument, you've pretty much had the meat off the bones.
JAC.
The first half is really interesting, and tells how the mythos of the Indian Rope Trick arose, even showing pictures and diagrams of the variants along the way. They writing is cheekily humorous and entertaining, and a pleasure to read. However, somewhere between half and two thirds of the way through, the story runs out of substance and becomes a litany of examples of the rope trick was thought to exist and didn't. The problem is that we already know that, and to recount more times when it did not exist and more people who said it did or were reported to say it did or thought it did and were wrong really doesn't add to the book.
(That said, if Peter Lamont can find a reasonably harsh editor for his next book, his writing style is entertaining enough that I'd definitely have a look, at least.)
It may be harsh, but it reads to me as if the author originally wrote this as an essay or thesis - and it would have been an excellently written and interesting essay or thesis - and then when he decided to publish it, realised that it wasn't long enough and added a few thousand words' padding.
So would I suggest you buy it? Hmmm. Maybe, if it was cheap. Basically, the first bit is definitely worth the reading; but once it starts to get a bit same-ish, you might as well put it down because once you've had the investigation and the main argument, you've pretty much had the meat off the bones.
JAC.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Simply put this is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time! Expertly written in a style which draws the reader into both the story and establishes a form of rapport with the author. The content is extremely factual and covers the fascinating origins and history of this legendary hoax, it should appeal to most readers, even those who are not normally a fan of books with a historical content. I would happily recommend this book to anyone!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not enough content for a book, maybe a magazine article.
The title and the blurb makes it sound fascinating, unfortunately it doesn't deliver.
The author is (presumably) worried about offending his friends in the Magic Circle so he... Read more
The author is (presumably) worried about offending his friends in the Magic Circle so he... Read more
Published 1 month ago by R. R. Lambert
Entertaining
This is a very interesting little book. It's very well researched, but written in a humorous, easy to read way. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Pattycake
wonderfully quirky and eccentric but surprisingly scholarly read
This was an "other people who bought this also bought this" buy - frequently a late night route to disappointment - I was delighted to find an absorbing and frequently hilarious... Read more
Published 23 months ago by s munro
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