SKU: 46223789343

This is Not a Book - By Robert Neale

Sale price$41.40 Regular price$46.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $11.50 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 9 - Aug 14

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

This is Not a Book - By Robert NealeWonder and magic surround us, yet we need a guide to see them. Historically, that guide is the magician and Robert E. Neale is the celebrated mapmaker for this terra incognita. This new Neale collection explores the sphere of close up magic without playing cards. In the process, it expands the borders of magic in ways never before seen. Neale takes magicians at their word when they claim their job is to provoke wonder in their audiences. As he

Wonder and magic surround us, yet we need a guide to see them. Historically, that guide is the magician-and Robert E. Neale is the celebrated mapmaker for this terra incognita.

This new Neale collection explores the sphere of close-up magic without playing cards. In the process, it expands the borders of magic in ways never before seen. Neale takes magicians at their word when they claim their job is to provoke wonder in their audiences. As he explains in his introduction, "there are many effects ahead that are not tricks, because I am more interested in magic than I am in tricks."

Beginning with the title of his book, echoing René Magritte's famous comment on the deceptive quality of all art, "Ceci n'est pas une pipe," Neale begins to demonstrate how illusory our perception is and how fuzzy the borders are between the real and the unreal. Using uncomplicated sleights and props, he dares magicians to seek wonder in ways that are new and unexpected by both audiences and other magicians.

  • In Robin's Nest he recalls a youthful mistake and the miracle that resulted from it.
  • In Breaking Bread he resurrects an ancient Middle-Eastern ritual that produces an astonishing result and a humorous observation on the leaders of movements.
  • In The Treasure Hunt a woman makes a dream-journey to foreign lands that eventually leads her to just the right message to discover an elusive treasure.
  • In Countermanded someone receives a chilling message from the spirit world, and the unexpected ability to find humor in it.
  • In The First Mystery the true meaning of the events in the Garden of Eden is revealed with only six illustrated cards and an old sock.
  • An old puzzle, the Bashful Lock, becomes a metallic con game.
  • A color-changing knife becomes the instrument for telling a tale of love and tragedy.
  • Three coins bring together a collector with the ghost of Judas.

And further original mysteries are evoked from topological wonders such as the Hypercard, the Trapdoor Card and some amazing origami folds.

In all, This Is Not a Book guides the reader through a world of more than thirty excursions into wonder, surprise and mystery, with full presentations designed for close-up magicians and motivational speakers not afraid of mixing some meaning with their magic and entertainment. This is not a book-it is a blossoming of wonder and new places to find it.

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 46223789343

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 9 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
D
Verified Purchase
Dr. Jeffrey Horelick
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Lee Smith’s “The China Matrix” Exposes the Urgent Battle for America’s Soul
Format: Audiobook, Format: Audiobook
Lee Smith, a veteran investigative journalist, has penned groundbreaking exposés on political intrigue. His recent works include The Permanent Coup (2020), detailing threats to the American presidency; The Plot Against the President (2019), uncovering efforts to undermine Trump; and The Strong Horse (2010), analyzing Middle Eastern power dynamics each revealing hidden forces shaping global events. In The China Matrix, Smith delivers what may be his most critical work yet, surpassing even his prior masterpieces in urgency amid rising geopolitical tensions. This meticulously researched tome guides readers through a chilling historical timeline, starting with Henry Kissinger’s shadowy overtures to Mao Zedong and Richard Nixon’s pivotal opening of China in the 1970s. Smith masterfully traces how subsequent presidents from Carter to Obama and beyond enabled Beijing’s insidious infiltration into American institutions, economy, and society. Their short sighted dealings, often driven by elite greed, paved the way for a “fifth column” of influencers loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), operating right under our noses. One of the book’s most eye opening revelations is the exploitation of U.S. visa systems, particularly through birth tourism. Smith details how Chinese nationals strategically have children on American soil, granting automatic citizenship that extends benefits to parents and facilitates deeper entrenchment. This is not mere opportunism, it is a calculated strategy to embed spies, influencers, and operatives who prioritize CCP interests over America’s. Enter Donald Trump, whom Smith portrays as the visionary disruptor who saw through the facade from the start. Having observed China’s maneuvers in business and politics for decades, Trump initiated bold reforms to dismantle this matrix from trade wars curbing economic exploitation to stricter visa enforcement and scrutiny of foreign influences. Smith argues convincingly that Trump’s actions are not just reactive but prophetic, addressing a rot that previous administrations ignored or exacerbated. What sets The China Matrix apart is its unassailable research, Smith’s evidence is ironclad, drawing from declassified documents, insider accounts, and historical records that brook no challenge. It is more than a book it is an education in espionage and betrayal. By the final page, readers grasp the severity of China’s infiltration, the “enormity of the surveillance” enabled by thousands of CCP loyal infiltrators in tech, academia, government, and beyond. Smith connects the dots with chilling precision, spotlighting cases like Dianne Feinstein’s longtime driver revealed as a Chinese spy, illustrating how even high level U.S. officials have been compromised. Yet, amid the dire warnings, Smith shines a hopeful light on Trump’s achievements. From exposing elite complicity in fentanyl flows and tech theft to rallying an “America First” agenda, Trump has begun unraveling the web and, as Smith projects, will continue this vital work over the next three plus years in office. The task is enormous, but understanding it through Smith’s lens makes clear why systemic change is essential for securing better lives for all Americans. The China Matrix is invaluable, bordering on mandatory reading for anyone seeking to comprehend the CCP’s deep entrenchment and the high stakes fight to reclaim our sovereignty. In an era of misinformation, Smith’s dot connecting narrative empowers readers to see the big picture. .
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2025
J
Verified Purchase
JBIRD
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
Fantastic Read
Format: Hardcover
Fantastic book. Another Incredible work by Lee Smith!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2026
L
Verified Purchase
Lisse
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
A great book by a great journalist
Format: Hardcover
The China Matrix is another great book by the great journalist Lee Smith. The book is written in a very easy to read format. I have learned so many things that I didn't know before, and I simply can't put it down. Lee opened my eyes about the way Washington D.C. works, and I really miss his Epoch TV show, Over the Target. I wish more shows invited him on because he has a great insight when it comes to domestic and international affairs. To whoever wants to learn more about the way the Chinese Community Party works, I recommend to get this book and read it.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2025
B
Verified Purchase
Brett Norton
Boise, US
★★★★★ 3
Misses some important context, but a solid book
Format: Audiobook
I can't give it the 3.5 stars it deserves. Smith is an outstanding writer and has long view China as an adversary that we intentionally do not pay attention to given the elites make large amounts of money working with the CCP. In this book he demonstrates that happened from the get go, starting with Kissinger. Rarely, if ever, were American interests ever viewed as the lens with which to see China, only as a way to make money for power brokers and businesses alike. He points to Trumps long standing opposition to the way the international trade system evolved and the way it harmed middle class Americans. All of this is outstanding, but the book loses many points trying to cover for terrible protectionist economic policies. We certainly may have gone too far in hollowing out the industrial base, but 100% of Americans benefitted from lower price and more selections. It is not the purpose of the book, but a look at overall US business policy has been to harm Amercians, one need look no further than mass immigration, legal and illegal that drive down wages at the lower/middle end. Nor does the book bother with looking at general business mindless following each other for yet another new fad, from six sigma to who moved my cheese. Again, not what the book is about, but he tries to make the claim that all of this is China and elite policy driving toward this outcome when that data is not supported. Overall, it is a better than worse book that one should read if for no other reason than to see how far we have actually bent over for China for gains that are mostly illusory for business access. That China still uses the elites to gain access not just to markets but US citizen minds is the real problem. Smith does a good job pointing that out
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2025
G
Verified Purchase
Grayfox41
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Yet, so many US consumers take a knee to Chinese imports.
Format: Kindle
My first response to Lee Smith's "The Chinese Matrix" is anger with the CCP. But, they did what treasonous US politicians and investors permitted in exchange for wealth and power. The current situation reminds me of the Chinese finger trap - a small tube of woven reeds just large enough to insert a finger into each end. When naturally trying to withdraw the fingers from opposite ends, the woven reeds constricted. Escape was contrary to natural instinct. Likewise, to extract our country from the Chinese Matrix will require unnatural sacrifice.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2026

recommand products