As a teenager, James Randi joined the circus and embarked on a career of magic and illusion, emulating his idol Harry Houdini. Starting in the 1970s, “The Amazing Randi” dedicated himself to exposing religious faith healers and self-proclaimed psychics who preyed on a gullible public. His zealous work caused him to clash with celebrity mentalist Uri Geller. Perpetrating his own hoaxes to prove a point, Randi was a controversial figure, not least of all when his own life came under scrutiny.

Illuminating the essential difference (and moral divide) between magician and conman, Randi spellbinds us with his relentless crusade to uncover deception and dishonesty. Despite damning evidence of an evangelist named Popoff conning his congregation, Randi still came under fire for attacking so-called “religion.” His intelligence and mischievous sense of humor shine through (despite some challenging personal hurdles) in this energetic, artful story of skepticism and showmanship.