What an amazing concept! Actually trying to UNDERSTAND something before moving on! Keep it up, and good luck on your journey!
-b-

What an amazing concept! Actually trying to UNDERSTAND something before moving on! Keep it up, and good luck on your journey!
-b-

I tend to read magic books on the train, and Mark Wilson's the first tome that I've come across where that is an impossibility (that thing's a brick!) It's textbook sized, so readers-on-the-go, be aware!

Does Anyone have Mark Wilson's cyclopedia of Magic?

I want to know what's the difference between it and Complete Course...apart from its size and price

Wil

Sekhmet, Jolly,

Its a great book & I hope you'll both get a huge amount from it - I'm still impressed how many type of props it covers and the variety of effects.

Bought mine about 5 yrs ago and went back to its a few months ago. I'd forgotten what a great source it is!

all the best,
Mike

Sekhmet,
I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do. Like others have already said, it may not be the BEST book out there, but it's the perfect choice if you're just starting out. The routines in the book are pretty basic (such as the sponge balls and cups & balls), which is exactly what we need as beginners. It can get rather discouraging if you dive into the deep end right off the bat.

Best of luck!

I followed photius's advice and received my autographed copy today (the copy I already had will be saved for some deserving neophyte). Mark Wilson will join Dai Vernon, Ed Marlo, Harry Lorayne, Sid Lorraine, and Al Baker in my nascent collection.

///ark

I need a new deck of cards. =[

So I went and started looking at some of the coin tricks, but I really really gotta work on my sleights.

I have no finesse.

I was doing a lot of card tricks for the ladies at a bachelorette party. I messed up on the Double Turnover, but they were drunk so even one card turning over was really cool to them! Haha. I'm working on it, though. I'll get better eventually, haha.

I want to perform at a bachelorette party! gah it's not fair...
You will get better keep playing with it and do it your way it usually works better, I do the strike double which everyone hates at the Café, but they aint seen me do it. heh..

Have fun.

There's one very nice thing that can be said about Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. Professionals use methods described in it. I attended Magic Chicago last night, with four professional magicians doing some stunning tricks. And there were multiple times I performers using sleights/methods that were described in Wilson's book.

Wilson's book is not like a lot of beginner's book. There are a lot of beginner's books with really stupid tricks. (The archetypal bad trick in a beginner's book is the one where you showcase your amazing ability to turn a dollar bill upside down while in the process of folding and unfolding it.) But Wilson describes sleights and methods that professionals will practice extensively and use in their programs.

My goodness- so much interest in the acquisition of one book!

I'm curious - why do you call that a bad trick? It usually gets a great reaction. That's my definition of a good trick.

There are lots better, of course.

///ark

The way I twist that old trick into something really amazing is to, first, do the trick- George turns upside down. Then I teach it to the kiddies (for some reason I really don't mind "exposing" that one...) and I then use the 100$ bill switch to produce a mismade bill- while telling them to be careful that THIS doesn't happen to their bill!