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The Confidence Men

Book by Margalit Fox
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The Confidence Men

19.95 usd

Book by Margalit Fox ()

 In stock.

Our very own Joshua Jay could not put this book down once he started reading it. The Confidence Men is the captivating true story of how two World War I prisoners used their magic and mentalism skills, as well as their keen understanding of psychology and deception, to pull off quite possibly the most ingenious escape of all time.

Vanishing Inc. is so thrilled to have an exclusive opportunity to bring this book to you. The Confidence Men by Margalit Fox was named one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post and NPR, and was a finalist for the Edgar® Award.

Like a real-life movie, the story of The Confidence Men is a gripping nonfiction thriller that follows one of the only known con games that was played for a good cause. Two unlikely friends, an Oxford-educated son of a British lord and a mechanic on an Australian sheep ranch, formed a powerful emotional and intellectual alliance that saved both of their lives.

This story finds two British officers, Harry Jones and Cedric Hill joining forces in a Turkish POW camp during World War I. Brought together by the pain, loneliness, hunger, and isolation of “The Great War” after surviving a brutal two-month forced march and terrifying desert shootout, the two decided to join forces to deceive their captors.

After faking elaborate séances with a makeshift Ouija board to fellow prisoners, word started to spread that Jones could contact the dead. This lead an Ottoman official to approach him in an attempt to use the spirit world to find a vast treasure rumored to be buried nearby. Jones, a trained lawyer, and Hill, a brilliant magician, use the Ouija board to build a trap for their captors that will ultimately lead them to freedom. You won’t be able to pull yourself away from this tale of psychological strategy that is rife with cunning, danger, and moments of high farce.

“Fox unspools Jones and Hill’s delightfully elaborate scheme in nail-biting episodes that advance like a narrative Rube Goldberg machine.” The New York Times Book Review

This book is the perfect gift for a magician or mentalist. We have limited copies of The Confidence Men available. Grab yours today!

Paperback | 352 Pages

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Customer reviews for The Confidence Men

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Michael

I love stories of how magic has been used to Solve problems, outwit an enemy, or even save lives. This book has it all. An amazing story with a lot of history embedded within. This is a very exciting story and knowing it’s historically accurate makes it even more of a page turner!

 

Community questions about The Confidence Men

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  • Richard asks: This is based on an old book The Road to Endor. It was recently republished with an intro by fantasy author Neil Gaiman. I wonder how much of it is true? The problem is that skilled con artists will try to con the reader first. Catch me if you can is based on questionable events. Josh seems to have been fooled by that Panam faker. Nevertheless, I do hope there is a kernel of truth to the WW1 Ouija Tale. I will check the new book out.

    • 1. Margalit answers: If I may be so bold as to chime in with an answer: Indeed, in setting out to revisit this story, establishing its veracity was my first order of business as a journalist. Happily, I was able to find a number of memoirs by other British officers imprisoned in the same camp (but not involved in the con game), who wrote of sitting around Jones and Hill's homemade Ouija board at the many seances they gave for their fellow prisoners. At the time, these memoirists recount, they had no idea that the seances were actually the first step in an elaborate, top-secret escape plot; they simply regarded them as welcome entertainment. Only after the war, they write, did they learn their real purpose. Finding all of this independent confirmation (these sources are listed at the end of the book) gave me complete confidence in Jones and HIll's story ... and complete confidence in going ahead with mine!
    • 2. Daniel answers: My only question. Where did they get a quija board in WW 1 Turkey?
    • 3. Joan answers: From what I read in the above intro, it sounds like the two men made a Quiji board.
    • 4. Richard answers: Thanks. I will definitely buy a copy. The Insanity escape option reminds me of an episode in Colditz played by the late Michael Bryant. Feigning mental illness led to genuine mental illness.
    • 5. David Matkin answers: "Jones and Hill's homemade Ouija" kind of gives away where they got the Ouija board.
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  • Tom asks: My son loves all things around the theme of world war, is this book suitable for a nine year old? Thanks.

    • 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds: Absolutely!
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