India has a vibrant magic community, yet few of its magicians have achieved the same level of impact or fame as P.C. Sorcar. Born in 1913 into a family of magicians, Protul Chandra Sorcar discovered a passion for the field as a child. He attained international fame in the 1950s and 1960s, performing in many countries as well as on television.

This year, we’re getting a closer look at his career from a very well-informed source. Sorcar’s son, Prodip Chandra Sorcar, has followed in his father’s footsteps as an illusionist and as an author. He penned an upcoming biography titled P.C. Sorcar: The Maharaja of Magic. The book includes nearly 300 color photographs of one of India’s most important magicians.

Amazon is pegging the release date as March 26, and the book is available for pre-order. If you want to get an advanced look, though, Indian website Daily O has an excerpt of the book, offering a fascinating picture of how Sorcar’s career drew on his cultural experience to dazzle audiences:

Many of PC Sorcar’s acts have been picked up from Indian rituals and folklore. To the Western world, these appeared as utterly bizarre, unfathomable. Their magicians perfected sleight of hand tricks with coins and cards and billiard balls but Indian magic was in a league of its own. It seemed to defy rational science and the laws of nature. 

Read the whole excerpt here.