This antique book contains the memoirs of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, originally published in 1860 and translated by Frederick Charles Lascelles Wraxall. Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805 - 1871) was a renowned French magician, widely believed to be the father of the modern style of conjuring. A fascinating insight into the life and career of this most famous and influential magician, this text will be of great value to those interested in Robert-Houdin and in illusionary magic in general. The chapters of this book include: 'My Birth and Parentage', 'My Home', 'Paternal Ambition', 'My first Mechanical Attempts', 'Had I but a Rat!', 'A Prisoner's Industry', 'My Word of Honour', 'Farewell to my Darling Tools', 'The Sand-bag and the Stirrup Trick', 'A small Automaton', and more. We are proud to republish this antique text now complete with a new introduction on magic tricks.