Items Similar to Growing Up With Houdini Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 18
David MullerGrowing Up With Houdini Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller2024
2024
About the Item
Signed and inscribed copy of “Growing Up With Houdini” by David J. Muller
10” x 10”, 90 pages.
Condition: New. See attached photos.
Prologue
On February 17, 1984, I interviewed in the bond trading department at Goldman Sachs in New York City for a summer job for the summer between my two years of graduate business school.
The way the interview day was structured was that I interviewed with each of eight partners individually first. Then at the end of the day was a group interview: the eight partners and me.
Since I had gone to business school straight out of college, I really had nothing on my resume to speak of.
However, at the bottom of my resume, it stated, “spent summers as a tour guide and resident magician at the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame, Niagara Falls, Canada.”
During the group interview, one of the partners, Jon Corzine (who later became governor of New Jersey) said, “I see it says on your resume that you are a magician. Show us some magic!” I responded, “Well, I am here for a job in bond trading; you don’t want to see magic now.” He retorted, “Yes, I do. Show us some magic!” I looked around at the other partners in the room and gave them a look as if to say, please tell this guy to drop that idea and let’s get on with the interview. Their response, however, was, “Yes, we would like to see magic too.” I said it again, “You want me to show you magic right here and now?” and by now they were all nodding their heads, “Yes!”
I said okay, and I put my hand in my pocket and pretended to take out an invisible deck of cards. I shuffled the invisible cards and then fanned out the deck. I asked that partner to choose one of the cards. He looked around, puzzled, and I reiterated, “Go ahead, take one!” He played along with it and “took” a card. I told him he had taken two cards and I “took” one back. Then I said to him, “Show everyone else your card but don’t show me.” He “showed” everyone else his card. Then I told him that I was turning the cards face up and I wanted him to put his card into the deck face down, which he “did,” after which I pretended to put the deck of invisible cards back in the box and put the box into my pocket.
I then took a real pack of cards out of my pocket and said, “This is the same deck of cards we were just using, but now the cards are visible.” Then I said to him, “Now before I open the box, please tell us all, what was the name of the card that you took?” He responded, “The jack of clubs.” I asked, “Now did I in any way, shape, or form force you to take the jack of clubs?” He said no. I said, “You could have chosen the ace of spades or the queen of diamonds, but you chose the jack of clubs. Now before we open the pack of cards, would you like to change your mind?” He said no. I asked, “Are you sure?” He said he was sure.
I then opened the real pack of cards and fanned them out. Sure enough, the cards were all face up except for one card that was face down. I asked him to take out the face down card and show it to everyone, and he responded, “If that card is the jack of clubs, you have the job!” Well, it was the jack of clubs and I got the job.
I have Hugo Furney and Ron Conley to thank for my getting that job at Goldman Sachs. This book explains the process by which that happened, and so much more. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.
Previous books by David include Trajectory, Please Don't Buy This Artwork, The Jew In The Mosque, What We Were Thinking, Stuck In My Head, and Vignettes, Lessons & Stories: Written by Members of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Class of 1985.

About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 1985
1stDibs seller since 2014
159 sales on 1stDibs
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Boca Raton, FL
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllTrajectory Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Signed and inscribed copy of “Trajectory” by David J. Muller
10” x 8”, 450 pages.
Condition: New. See attached photos.
Trajectory by David Muller
David Muller is President of Loho ...
Category
2010s Other Art Style More Art
Materials
Paper
Vignettes, Lessons & Stories Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Signed and inscribed copy of “Vignettes, Lessons & Stories” by David J. Muller
11” x 9”, 450 pages.
Condition: New. See attached photos.
Vignettes, Lessons & Stories: Written by Mem...
Category
2010s Other Art Style More Art
Materials
Paper
Please Don't Buy This Artwork! Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Signed and inscribed copy of “Please Don’t Buy This Artwork” by David J. Muller
11” x 9”, 450 pages.
Condition: New. See attached photos.
EXCERPTS FROM PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS ARTWORK! BY DAVID J. MULLER
As the owner of Photorealism, a wholesale art dealership, I have visited the front and back rooms of over 300 "art galleries" around North America, and in doing so, I learned a few things:
Most art galleries sell original paintings, and they also sell photocopies of paintings. There are many names for these photocopies. They can be called lithographs, serigraphs, giclees, embellished giclees, prints, posters, limited editions...
Category
2010s Other Art Style More Art
Materials
Paper
The Jew In The Mosque Coffee Table Book by David J. Muller
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Signed and inscribed copy of “The Jew In The Mosque” by David J. Muller
10” x 0”, 90 pages.
Condition: New. See attached photos.
The Jew in the Mosque:
The Story of How an Orthodox...
Category
2010s Other Art Style More Art
Materials
Paper
Houdini Stamps First Day of Issue Collection
By Harry Houdini
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Collection of Nine Items
Five of them are USA Day of Issue Houdini stamp Covers July 3, 2002
One is USA Day of Issue The Art of Magic stamp August 7, 2018
One is The Hungary Day of...
Category
20th Century Photorealist More Art
Materials
Paper
Judaica Hand-Written Calendrical Manuscript from Władysławowie, 1837
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Exceedingly rare, one-of-a-kind handwritten Jewish calendrical manuscript from Władysławowie, 1837.
This book belongs in a museum.
Rebound beautifully by James MacDonald & Co. Photos are the actual photos of the book. See all photos.
The history of the Jewish calendar may be divided into three periods—the Biblical, the Talmudic, and the post-Talmudic. The first rested purely on the observation of the sun and the moon, the second on observation and reckoning, the third entirely on reckoning.
The study of astronomy was largely due to the need of fixing the dates of the festivals. The command (Deut. xvi. 1), "Keep the month of Abib," made it necessary to be acquainted with the position of the sun; and the command, "Also observe themoon and sanctify it," made it necessary to study the phases of the moon.
The oldest term in Hebrew for the science of the calendar is ("fixing of the month"); later ("sanctification of the new moon"); ("sanctification of the new moon by means of observation"); ("sanctification of the new moon by means of reckoning"); ("science of fixing the month"); ("rules for the sanctification of the new moon"). Among other names besides these we find (" the secret of intercalation"). The medieval and modern name is Babylonian Calendar.
The Babylonian year, which influenced the French time reckoning, seems to have consisted of 12 months of 30 days each, intercalary months being added by the priests when necessary. Two Babylonian calendars are preserved in the inscriptions, and in both each month has 30 days as far as can be learnt. In later times, however, months of 29 days alternated with those of 30. The method of intercalation is uncertain, and the practise seems to have varied.
The Babylonian years were soli-lunar; that is to say, the year of 12 months containing 354 days was bound to the solar year of 365 days by intercalating, as occasion required, a thirteenth month. Out of every 11 years there were 7 with 12 months and 4 with 13 months.
Strassmeier and Epping, in "Astronomisches aus Babylon," have shown that the ancient Babylonians...
Category
Early 20th Century Realist Mixed Media
Materials
Paper
$4,480 Sale Price
20% Off
You May Also Like
Stalk. Mixed Media Collage
By Roberto Fonfria
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Stalk, 2024 by Roberto Fonfría
Mixed Media Collage (acrylic transfer, archival polyester film, thread) on watercolor paper
Image size: 20 in. H x ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Mixed Media
Materials
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Thread
"Bamboo Sunset (Persimmon), " Mixed Media Kite
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera - including fragment...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Materials
Muslin, Wood, Paper
"Study in Red, " Mixed Media on Canvas
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique compositions of abstract painted elements and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels. In a departure from his split bamboo kite series, this work on stretched canvas entitled "Study in Red" layers textured paper and silken fragments within a rosy...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Materials
Wood, Rice Paper, Canvas, Silk, Acrylic
"Red Meander, " Mixed Media Kite
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera - including fragment...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Materials
Muslin, Wood, Paper
"Aeriform" Mixed Media Kite
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Materials
Muslin, Wood, Washi Paper, Pigment, Silk
"Joie de Vivre, " Mixed-Media Kite, 2023
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera - including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels.
In this kite entitled "Joie de Vivre," Thompson creates a delicate composition from antique wallpaper...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Mixed Media
Materials
Muslin, Wood, Paper