Introduction A Tip of the Hat It may be a magic spell in the dictionary, but in the mind of man all the world over it signifies the respect and consideration paid to great powers and noble qualities. -- Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1898) A moment of epiphany inspired this book -- a moment as dazzling, in its way, as a conjuror's most triumphant revelations. One Sunday evening, I had the privilege of witnessing a marvelous performance of the famous "die box" effect, at Hollywood's Magic Castle. Although the presentation of this classic trick was nothing short of expert, the performance seemed somehow to be lacking something. In the art of magic, nothing is more crucial than the level of involvement of the audience. And on this memorable occasion, it was the level of involvement of one particular audience member which triggered my insight into precisely what was missing from an otherwise flawless display. At the climax of the trick, the magician began to open the doors of his wooden box to reveal that the spectacularly oversized die inside had, evidently, vanished into thin air. Suddenly, a voice from the audience rang out across the hushed tension of the theatre. A heckler? No, not exactly -- though one could perhaps brand her a "kibitzer." What, then, was the content of her momentous interjection? It was merely one word: Voilà!