There will be many entrants in this type of catagory and topics along this line have been broached before, but how about this: If you could name just 'one' and only 'one' magic book as a favorite what would it be?

For me it Close-up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne. To this day I still do more routines I one form or another from this little green tome. Considering how long it's been about I still find it an amazing resource of solid commercial entertaining magic effects with cards. Flash Aces and Harry's Ambitious Card routine are stand outs, but the list could be as long as the table of contents.

Best,

Thanks for the kind words, Burt. And all re-written and updated in LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION. Best - HARRY L.

An almost impossible question to answer...

Oh, what the heck... I'll just say "13 Steps to Mentalism". After that everything else is simply refinement of technique!

Definitely Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. There is plenty to learn in nearly all branches of magic and the learning never truly stops.

I still like my Royal Road to Card Magic book. I need to read that one again -- I haven't looked through it in ages.

Two of my card staples come directly from that book.

Sorry to sound contrary, but it's in my nature. I have real problems with the very nature of this question. It's like asking what your favorite tool in a toolbox is. My favorite tool is the one I need for the job at hand. If I had to answer, it would be a toss up between "Tarbell" and "Mark Wilson's Complete Course..." mostly because, in my opinion, those two works are tool boxes, rather than tools.

Stars of Magic

My favorite tool in my toolbox is my hammer. Seriously. It's just the right weight and fits comfortably in my hand. I wouldn't use it to drive screws, but it's still my favorite tool.

///ark

Let me open my tool box hmmm...:

To master new sleights: Card College (5 volume set) by Giobbi

Cards-only book: Lorayne's Close-up Card Magic

Mixed-bag (cards, coins, etc.): Bannon's Smoke and Mirrors

As someone once said: "Different strokes for different folks."

For a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail

Ahh yes... indeed. Quite profound Andy-san. Sometimes writing and reading posts can be "wrenching" experiences .

Hi everyone,

I'm Nedim from Turkey. I love card magic and stage manipulation. My favourite magic book are Tarbell Courses, Jeff McBrides Mystery Book. Also Eugene Burger have some wonderful books. I didn't read Harry Lorayne before but I watched his Dvds. I think they are wonderful. I saw the best 3 card monte I ever saw.

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

Hey Nedim: Start reading the good stuff! hl

Hi Mr. Lorayne,

I'm always interested in reading and books. I always hear about yours. I will.But I think watching your Dvd is also a good start to learn your magic.?

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

If it has to be one book, I don't think Tarbell would qualify without a lot of glue. And the performance aspects and psychology aren't the best. But for tricks, you can't beat it.

If I had to base a career off one book, Wilson's would be the best rounded.

I think Strong Magic is the one I most universally apply.

If my library were on fire. I wouldn't risk singeing my knuckle hair to rescue:

The Great Book of Magic
Dunninger's Complete Encyclopedia of Magic
All of Karl Fulves' books (Clynim and Airship like them. Just not for me.)
Card Tricks Anyone Can Do
Blackstone's Tricks Anyone Can Do
The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Card & Magic Tricks
How to Entertain Children with Magic You Can Do
Houdini's Escapes and Magic
Magic with Everyday Objects
Scarne's Magic Tricks (Clynim likes this one as well)
Houdini on Magic
Dusheck's Thumb Tip Magic
Bell's Book of Tricks
Bell's Magic Book

The real issue is that once we master a book, it remains a sentimental value to us . . .

Tarbell Courses are the basic books of magic. I think every magician must get one of these series. There is 8 books. If you have a good library for magic you must have the Tarbell Course.

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

It is hard to pick only one book. It is easier to pick a book based on a subset of magic. For instance, Bobo's Modern Coin Magic would be my choice for coin magic. For learning card slights it would be a toss up between Royal Road or Card College. I also love Close-up Card Magic for tricks. It is almost impossible to pick just one book.

Being fairly new, I only have 3 books and 4 dvds, but of what I have Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic is the best overall... but my basics of sleeving DVD by Rocco Silano is a close second for favoirtes. (oops, that's not really a book is it?)

Between Stars of Magic, 13 Steps, AOA, Books of Wonder --I'd go with ...Stars
They're all brilliant, but Stars has the edge--all the effects are classics and not all that difficult to do.

AJ