Writer and Magician,
the books are Mariano’s stage,
the pen his magic wand.

As a “wonder injector”, he deals every
day with the ingredient of Surprise:
his magic marvels, opens wide unusual perspectives and challenges the status quo.

This is his personal website.

5 May 2017

Mesmerized! in Warwick

From 5 to 12 May 2017 Mariano got a visiting fellowship by the University of Warwick (UK) for his researches on stage magic. In the behalf of the event “Mesmerized!”, he has presented five lectures on the topics of deception, belief, and enchantment.

People’s Magic Library

Eight centuries of open access books about magic: the largest collection of open access books about magic and conjuring, created and managed by Mariano Tomatis.

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Moleskine Hack

In 2013, together with Ferdinando Buscema, Mariano has hacked a Moleskine notebook into a meditation tool that demonstrates how Power and Love can influence the arts, business and society at large. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s statement in 1967 that “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic”.

Museum of Rennes-le-Château

Is there a treasure in Rennes-le-Château? Designed and created by Mariano Tomatis (Saunière Prix 2009), the Bérenger Saunière Museum tells the story and the mysteries of the French village to hundreds of visitors every day. This website offers just an extract of the live experience.

Stupire! The Festival of Wonders

From 19 to 21 May 2017, together with Francesco Busani, Mariano Tomatis organized Stupire! The Festival of Wonders: three days of surprising shows, workshops, experiments, meetings with mentalists and mad scientists. The purpose of the event is to spread culture in entertaining and unexpected ways, using the tools of illusionism.

The Art of Amazement

Together with Ferdinando Buscema, in 2014 Mariano published Amaze. David Pescovitz defined it “an empowering grimoire for hacking reality and giving the gift of magical experiences to others.” Preface by Derren Brown.

Women in Half

Do you know that the story of the “woman-in-half illusion” intertwines with the one of women’s suffrage? Mariano’s documentary on magic and femicide (English subtitles available.)

Chocolate out of nothing!

Mariano’s viral YouTube video tutorial teaching how to create chocolate out of nothing. More than 2 millions of views, hundreds of video-replies, a magic trick never completely explained.

12 january 2020

Doña Pedegache, the Lisbon lady with X-Rays eyes

On 10 January 2020 I attended a working meeting in Lisbon: it was hosted at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, designed by the architect Charles Correa at the point where the River Tejo meets th…

Since 2016 the Blog of Wonders is twinned with Ivan Cenzi’s blog “Bizzarro Bazar”, a refined (and intellectually stimulating) celebration of what is strange, macabre, and wonderful.