Vanishing powder magic is a type of illusion where a magician uses a special powder to make objects disappear. The magician presents the powder to the audience and then sprinkles it on the object he wants to vanish. As he sprinkles the powder, he utters magical words and waves his hand over the object. Miraculously, the object disappears into thin air, leaving the audience in awe and amazement. This type of magic trick requires skillful sleight of hand and a thorough understanding of misdirection. The magician must distract the audience's attention away from the object while he secretly removes it from sight.
Happy Halloween! For this day, it seems appropriate to talk about the Witch of Agnesi. Oooohhhhh! Spooky!
There seem at first to be lots of possible motives and suspects, but logic and clues narrow it down slowly until the resolution provides the desired Aha. Maria Gaetana Agnesi was a wicked smart woman who was born in Milan, Italy, in 1718, about 15 years after this curve was first studied by Pierre de Fermat and Guido Grandi.
The magician must distract the audience's attention away from the object while he secretly removes it from sight. The vanishing powder serves as a visual effect, creating the illusion that the object has literally vanished. The powder used in this type of magic trick is often made of a harmless substance, such as flash paper or confetti.
The witchcraft of algebra
My favorite thing about this book is the way that Bonnie Pinkwater and her boyfriend -- the middle school science teacher -- demonstrate the thought processes of mathematicians as they unravel the mystery. (For example, they say things like "Well, there are two cases. either she is telling the truth or she isn't. If she is telling the truth then. " ) The quirky romance itself (Pinkwater is a middle-aged widow and the science teacher just begins flirting with her in the school cafeteria towards the beginning of the book) is also quite charming. As for the mystery itself, I am quite picky about such things and must say that this one is pretty good. There seem at first to be lots of possible motives and suspects, but logic and clues narrow it down slowly until the resolution provides the desired "Aha!" moment.
Despite the title, there really is not much explicit mathematics in the book. As you may know, The Witch of Agnesi is the name of a geometric object, a parametric curve, named for the 18th century mathematician Maria Gaetana Agnesi. It was clever of the author to include two main characters in the story who would relate to Agnesi's biography: a young mathematics prodigy and his classmate who is literally a witch (in the sense of following the Wiccan religion). Several times early on in the book, Pinkwater gets close to telling her class Agnesi's life story, but it is not until the end of the book that she finally is able to do so. It is the telling of the story that finally prompts her to recognize the identity of the murderer, even though the murder mystery is not directly related to math in any way. (The blurb suggested that a mistranslated mathematics document was somehow related, and so I had thought that the murder itself might have been motivated by a mathematical result. but it is nothing like that.) The author supposedly has taught mathematics for more than a quarter of a century, and so he presumably knows quite a bit. As I've already said, the characters do demonstrate mathematical thought. But, aside from the description of the curve of the title towards the end, the book is pretty much mathematics-free.
I can highly recommend this book to adults who enjoy the mystery genre. (Like most good mysteries, this one is not written with beautiful prose, and it does not attempt to be particularly deep. Rather, it has a "gritty" style, introduces some likable characters, and presents a few simple life lessons while running us through an intriguing but violent puzzle.) There is only one thing that really troubles me about it. The cover identifies it as a "Young Adult Mystery". I am not sure who has identified this book as being appropriate for young adults, but I disagree with the classification. For one thing, I don't think teens would be very interested in reading it. Since it is told from the point of view of Bonnie Pinkwater, you would need to be able to identify with a person in her situation. Her feelings of guilt as she begins dating a new boyfriend less than two years after her husband's death, her affection for her students, and her insecurities about her own appearance as her body ages are unlikely to appeal to young audiences. The details of the relationship between two middle-aged teachers is likely to gross young readers out! Moreover, the comments about sex (both innuendo about their relationship and remarks about rape involving other characters) might not be what some parents want their children to be reading.
Apparently, this is the first in a series of Bonnie Pinkwater mysteries. Perhaps I am alone in hoping that the rest of the books are even more mathematical. But, in any case, I will read them and post information about them here on this Website as soon as I can.
- A Calculated Demise by Robert Spiller
- Irrational Numbers by Robert Spiller
- Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra by Wendy Lichtman
- Do the Math #2: The Writing on the Wall by Wendy Lichtman
- The Square Root of Murder by Paul Zindel
- An Invisible Sign of My Own by Aimee Bender
- Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
- Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano
- The Wright 3 by Blue Balliet
- The Unknowns: A Mystery by Benedict Carey
Exciting News: The 1,600th entry was recently added to this database of mathematical fiction! Also, for those of you interested in non-fictional math books let me (shamelessly) plug the recent release of the second edition of my soliton theory textbook.
I can highly recommend this book to adults who enjoy the mystery genre. (Like most good mysteries, this one is not written with beautiful prose, and it does not attempt to be particularly deep. Rather, it has a "gritty" style, introduces some likable characters, and presents a few simple life lessons while running us through an intriguing but violent puzzle.) There is only one thing that really troubles me about it. The cover identifies it as a "Young Adult Mystery". I am not sure who has identified this book as being appropriate for young adults, but I disagree with the classification. For one thing, I don't think teens would be very interested in reading it. Since it is told from the point of view of Bonnie Pinkwater, you would need to be able to identify with a person in her situation. Her feelings of guilt as she begins dating a new boyfriend less than two years after her husband's death, her affection for her students, and her insecurities about her own appearance as her body ages are unlikely to appeal to young audiences. The details of the relationship between two middle-aged teachers is likely to gross young readers out! Moreover, the comments about sex (both innuendo about their relationship and remarks about rape involving other characters) might not be what some parents want their children to be reading.
These materials burn quickly and produce a cloud of smoke or particles, creating a visual distraction that helps conceal the magician's actions. The magician carefully times the sprinkling of the powder with his hand movements and words, creating a seamless illusion of disappearance. One famous example of vanishing powder magic is the "vanishing handkerchief" trick. The magician takes a handkerchief and sprinkles the vanishing powder on it. As he waves his hand over the handkerchief, it seems to dissolve into thin air, leaving nothing behind. The magician can then make the handkerchief reappear in a different location or transform it into another object, further adding to the mystique of the trick. Vanishing powder magic requires meticulous practice and timing to create a seamless illusion. The magician must be skilled at misdirection and performing the trick without arousing suspicion. The use of props, such as a powder shaker or a special container, can help enhance the illusion and make the trick more convincing. Overall, vanishing powder magic is a captivating form of illusion that leaves spectators amazed and wondering how the magician made objects vanish. It requires skill, practice, and a touch of showmanship to create a truly magical experience..
Reviews for "The Magic of Vanishing Powder: How Illusionists Make Objects Disappear"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I found "Vanishing Powder Magic" to be quite underwhelming. The story lacked depth and the characters felt one-dimensional. The magical elements were poorly explained and left me feeling confused rather than intrigued. Additionally, the writing style was unengaging and failed to draw me into the story. Overall, I was disappointed and wouldn't recommend this book to fellow fantasy lovers.
2. Mark - 1 star - I have to say, "Vanishing Powder Magic" was a complete letdown for me. The plot was predictable and cliché, following the same tired formula of other fantasy novels. The characters were boring and lacked any real development. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard for me to connect with the story. Furthermore, the pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself struggling to stay interested. I was hoping for a captivating magical adventure, but instead, I got a dull and uninspiring read.
3. Emily - 2.5 stars - While "Vanishing Powder Magic" had an interesting concept, the execution fell flat. The writing style was erratic and inconsistent, making it hard to immerse myself in the story. The plot lacked coherence and didn't offer any surprising twists or turns. The characters were forgettable, and their motivations often felt forced or illogical. Overall, this book had potential, but it failed to deliver a captivating and well-crafted fantasy experience.
4. Jason - 2 stars - I found "Vanishing Powder Magic" to be quite underwhelming. The world-building was poorly executed, leaving me with more questions than answers. The magical system was confusing and poorly explained. The main characters were uninteresting and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to care about their journey. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with long stretches of tedious scenes that added little to the overall plot. Overall, I was disappointed with this book, as it failed to live up to its potential as a captivating fantasy read.
5. Rebecca - 1 star - "Vanishing Powder Magic" was a huge disappointment for me. The prose was clunky and awkward, and the author seemed to rely on tired clichés and tropes. The story lacked originality and failed to grab my attention. The characters were shallow and lacked any real development, making them forgettable. Moreover, the plot was predictable and left me feeling bored and uninterested. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and well-written fantasy novel.