In this, the e-text of Harry Houdini's "Miracle Mongers and Their Methods", there lies an amazing account of the magic circuit, the people in it, and the secrets to some of their tricks. Although Houdini doesn't reveal any of his own methods, he describes -- either through learning from people or from figuring it out himself -- how magicians ate stones and molten lead, breathed fire, and cooked themselves in ovens. It shows quite clearly that if a magician is willing to go to great lengths to deceive an audience, that alone is often enough; most people won't believe that anyone would go through all the trouble of a day in the chemistry lab just to hold a hot iron in his hands. Best of all, Houdini gives his own impressions of the people themselves, and so we are treated to the rare and honest view from the perspective of one of the greatest showmen in history.  ¶ 12:52 PM