|
|
markiquark Regular user 185 Posts |
Hi folks, I am thinking about buying this book by Karl Fulves on top of Annemann and Corinda. Has anyone read it, what do you think about it? Thanks, Mark
If you are going to Puerto Vallarta on your acations, let me know and write me a PM. I am interested in meeting magicians.
|
Bananafish Elite user Simon Shaw, Suffolk, England 415 Posts |
Well it's so cheap I suggest you buy it and review it for everyone else!
Seriously though, imo the book is worth having and fits in well as a good background to mentalism along with the Annemann and Corinda. All the Anneman I have read and Corinda's 13 steps are on a different level though, but even if you don't want to do any of the actual effects from Fulves I know just reading it will give you ideas, and it's that inspiration to creativity that makes it worth having. hope this helps. |
richpoyle Regular user UK 116 Posts |
Mmm ... Initially I was disappointed with this book but a few years on I recognise its value.
After all, its only a few pounds/dollars and contains a lot of routines. However, very few of them are presentable (as written) to a modern audience without a degree of tinkering. As a springboard for your own personality-fuelled routines, its great for the price. So, with reservations, it comes recommended - but only because its so cheap. |
Foucault Elite user New Jersey, USA 424 Posts |
Self-working Mental Magic is an excellent way for magicians to dip a toe in the waters of mentalism. There are many great tricks, but more importantly, you'll be learning a lot of different principles, which you'll be able to apply elsewhere.
It's true that some of the tricks seem to need a little "tweaking", but often it's because Fulves has removed the necessity for any fancy moves. Sometimes, I think he's gone a little too far. Still, I'm confident that you'll be able to use a lot of the material with little to no adjustment. |
Rennie Inner circle I think I have about 1822 Posts |
I have found any book by Karl Fulves has value. As someone else said the price is so reasonable just buy and see if you can use it. Karl Fulves actually makes the majority of the effects very easy to perform, but has impact. I would rate his work up there with Nick Trost and Peter Duffie for ease of execution and entertainment..
Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
|
sehrgut Regular user Augusta, GA 105 Posts |
I picked this up at a used book shop for three bucks, and it appears to be worth quite a bit more than even list price. What a deal! I'm going through, seeing effect after effect that I can use with little change but to the scripting. I'm definitely going to put a few of these in my impromptu repertoire.
This is the first book by Fulves I've purchased, but if his others are written this well, I heartily recommend all of them!
"It is February, and time to take ink and weep.
One must always write of February while weeping." -Boris Pasternak "That night something of youth and beauty died in the elder world." -H.P. Lovecraft |
Tom Jorgenson Inner circle LOOSE ANGLES, CALIFORNIA 4451 Posts |
Review: Mental Magic. Self Working. Lots of effects. Couple of bucks. Get it. The first trick in the book is a self working version of a trick they're getting hundreds for, gimmicked up. And it gets better from there.
We dance an invisible dance to music they cannot hear.
|
Phil C Special user Ontario, Canada 903 Posts |
This is a really good book to get an idea of mental magic and mentalism.
The effects are simple. Some are great and some are not. But it is without a doubt worth much more than the price! If you find the stuff interested. Then next step would be Annemann's Practical Mental Magic and Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism. These 3 book will keep you busy for a while |
chris_johnson_au Regular user Queensland, Australia 113 Posts |
Some of the routines also need updating. For example, Time Pool is one of the effects in it that will not work with today's current digital watches (although it will work with the digital watches of the late 1970's).
There are some things I'm working on at the moment, methods-wise, which I think can be adapted and this thinking is based on a discussion I participated in 10 years ago in a magic-related online digest. |
Gordon Special user Chicago 692 Posts |
This book is a good place to start, but if you've already digested Corinda and Annemann then you'll most likely want it only for the entertainment value. As others have said, the price makes it an easy decision.
|
Cain Inner circle Los Angeles, CA 1553 Posts |
I just picked this up from my local library for ten cents!
Ellusionst discussing the Arcane Playing cards: "Michaelangelo took four years to create the Sistine Chapel masterpiece... these took five."
Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes: "You know Einstein got bad grades as a kid? Well, mine are even worse!" |
Seth speaks Inner circle New Mexico 1250 Posts |
It's an excellent book, especially at the cheap Dover price, and many of the effects are absolute stunners. For instance, I do "Sleight of Mind" quite often, and it never fails to fry people. Much of the book contains professional quality material, even the simple pieces. Fulves is a well-respected author in magic, and this is an often overlooked gem, IMHO.
Seth |
boinko Elite user Illinois 427 Posts |
Use the "look in the book" feature on Amazon.com to decide for yourself. You can preview several pages, see the table of contents, and view the back cover. That should be enough info to make a decision.
|
John Nesbit Inner circle United States 1421 Posts |
This book is a valuable resource. It is in the libraries of many prominent mentalists and magicians. Because of it's price, it is too often over looked by new commers and novices. To the unexperienced, at first glance it appears overly simplistic and devoid of sophisticated routining. Therein lies it's true worth. It sometimes does require seasoned experience to get the most out the ideas put forth in this "little" book.
|
Jim-Callahan V.I.P. 5018 Posts |
Look Cats, the stuff in all of his books are from some of the best and brightest.
But as John points out sometimes expeirence is needed. Just to recognise it is great. Seth is correct also it is a gem in the mud of common book stores I say. Most of the guys posting here get it. Man the book is cheap buy it! J ack
“I can make Satan’s devils dance like fine gentlemen across the stage of reality”.
|
Cain Inner circle Los Angeles, CA 1553 Posts |
Heh, I didn't realize the comedy of this until now. So, as I said above when I bumped this thread, I bought this book from the library for ten cents. When I went to pay for it this old lady behind the counter read the title and instantly began gabbing. "Oh, my grandson auditioned at the Magic Castle for the junior program blah blah blah." I had the book in my hand and she stopped talking while I stood around. Finally she realized that she owed me fifteen cents. I'm such a ***.
Ellusionst discussing the Arcane Playing cards: "Michaelangelo took four years to create the Sistine Chapel masterpiece... these took five."
Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes: "You know Einstein got bad grades as a kid? Well, mine are even worse!" |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Books, Pamphlets & Lecture Notes » » Self-working mental magic - please write a review! (1 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |