Can somebody give a one or two sentence review of this book? I don't want a "copy and paste" from the internet. This is only for people who have the book.

Best,
msc455magic

I bought this from Lybrary.com and was disappointed. Although it's cheap the detail and diagramming are poor. I would not recommend it unless you are an avid coin man who wants to collect all possible texts.
The long and short of it is that if you are experienced and want a resource then I would stick with Bobo (stay away if you are inexperienced though). If you want technique go for Roth's video/DVD series (or possibly Ammar or Stone, though I haven't seen either these two).

I have studied with Futagawa-sensei for more than a year in Yokohama. Rest assured that Futagawa is one of the masters with coins. I think this ebook is a good introduction to coin magic but certainly does not compete with Bobo. If you want to know what a true master of coin magic suggests you to learn, then it is definitely something you want to get. However, I have to admit that coin magic is typically harder to do than say cards, and so one might be better off starting with a DVD. But this depends on your own style of learning.

Best,
Chris....

I happen to have a hard copy of this book.

This was not bad, but not the best either. It had some good ideas. As a collector, I am not complaining.

I agree with the posts above. As a collector I have the book, that's it.

I would start with a DVD perhaps with Michael Ammar's "Complete Introduction to Coin Magic" which I HIGHLY Recommend. It is also sold for a below average price for DVDs, around $20 I believe. With 80 minutes of video it has a lot on it to get you started!!

Then if still interested in coin magic, get a copy of Bobo's and then on to David Roth's wonderful DVDs.

regards,

M

I actually love this book. While introductory in nature, the illustrations are very simple and precise as is the language. And coin magic should be just that, simple with the requirement of perfected and precise simplicity. The most important movements are highlighted with multiple illustrations as compared to the real lack of illustrations in Bobos (as compared to Kaufman's beautifully illustrated coin books, for example.) Because of such, I think this is a better starting point than Bobos. In this book, every routine, vanish, etc. is illustrated, simply, but adequately so you get the general movement.

There's not much language in ITCM but the language and simple motions of the illustrations provide interesting insight. I have it on my desk right now as I was working on the finger clip and other vanishes. Some of the movement illustrated with a couple arrows improved my retention vanish, and you know how important each improvement is to such a movement. Several illustrated grasping motions during a finger clip vanish helped that as well.

This is an honorable book for someone interested in learning coin sleights. It is not a book you read for entertainment, but to gain insight and to learn. Pick up a hard copy though, as it's a book you want to have in front of you, easily accessible and usable. It's in my top four coin books which include:

Bobos
Coinmagic by Kaufman
David Roth's Expert Coin Magic by Kaufman
Introduction to Coin Magic by Shigeo Futagawa

I generally prefer books to DVDs so it's difficult to compare to Ammar's which I have and have viewed on occasion, but I tend to read the above books for coin work.

I love this book too: the title don't lies, is an introduction to coin magic. maybe it's not a 'Total' book about coin magic like the Bobo or Roth's books, but for the beguinner maybe it's better to learn a few techniques good, that not a lot of information. I buyed recently an used hardbound copy, the drawings are not spectaculars but are very clear, the text have good explanations, exercices to master each technique, and a lot of tips and advices for the apprentice. If you learn all the contents of the book, you are in the good way.


Best regards.

I have to agree with the two above posts......great book.
It's exactly what it says it is - An Introduction to Coin Magic.
Best,
J.

Guess, it rounds up the library nicely . . .

I have enjoyed it... and if for no other reason than the great photo of Pete Biro near the back!!!

RevJohn

I have had this for years and am a big fan. I use the material all the time.