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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
Until recently I used The HOY book test almost exclusively (from “The Bold and subtle Miracles of Dr Faust, David Hoy).
It is bold, subtle and impromptu (yes, done anywhere any time, no set up, just need a couple of books or magazines). Then, last spring, I wanted to flesh out one of my mental acts and have a good book test routine that I could carry with me, was logical, and had a fun but impactful presentation. I pulled out my old manuscript for Bob Farmer’s “Deja Voodoo”. I bought the instructions years ago at a magic flea Market for a buck (it cost $10.00 new from Hank Lee) in the early 80’s I read it, liked it but decided that it would be a royal pain to track down the right dictionary and put together the required stuff. Like most (if not all) people that bought Farmers manuscript, I put it aside as being to much trouble to build. It is said that every dark cloud has a silver lining. For me the dark cloud was several rainy weekends where I had no paying gigs!!! The silver lining was that I decided to build some new props and try out some new effects. I found the manuscript in my “good idea but…” box. I reread it and said, “WOW, this is good!” So I called a bookstore and got the latest edition of the necessary dictionary. (Farmers original Mss is almost 20 years old by now and the dictionary he used is out of print but has a later edition, expanded, but still exactly what you need!) I assembled the props (A dictionary and a deck of cards) and the necessary stuff to put it together (some invisible tape, a black Sharpie pen, and a pair of scissors). The construction time was about three hours. Not hard, just time consuming. I listened to some good gypsy music, drank a pot of coffee and totally lost myself in the construction process. Boy was it a beauty when it was done! OK, and what did I have when I was done? Well, friends, I have one of the best book tests available. Not just a book test, but also a good routine that is different in premise than other book tests. NO page number is chosen… The effect, you place a small (hard bound) dictionary and a deck of cards on the table. “I’m going to show you something IMPOSSIBLE.” You say. The spectator names ANY card (yes ANY card even a joker, a truly free choice). Lets say she selected the “Ace of Clubs.” You pick up the deck, fan it and remove the Ace of Clubs. The card is placed face-up in full view on the table. “Remember that I told you, before we started, before you even named a card, that I was going to show you something IMPOSSIBLE? “To make sure that there is no argument about just what the word IMPOSSIBLE means, I’ve brought along this dictionary.” Open the dictionary to the definition of IMPOSSIBLE and read the definition. You then turn the dictionary around so that the spectators can see the printed page. The Word IMPOSSIBLE has been outlined with a heavy black line! Written next to it, in thick black ink, is the name of the freely selected card: the Ace of Clubs! Flip through the rest of the book, there is no writing on any other pages! “But wait,” you say, “I’m not through.” Pick up the deck and show the faces and backs of the cards. There’s nothing to see, just faces and backs! Now pick up the Ace of Clubs and turn it over. On the back, in thick black letters is the word IMPOSSIBLE! And that card is the only card with any writing on it! One of the nice parts of this effect is that there is NO re-setting. This has played well the dozen times that I have performed it. It was more than worth the effort. The cost? Well, the dictionary cost $13.00, a roll of invisible tape $0.50, a black Sharpie pen, about $1.00, a deck of cards was $1.50 and the Manuscript cost me $1.00 (but will cost you $10.00). So for $17.00 ($26 to you), you have one of the strongest Book-Test routines available.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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Wallace Loyal user Bangor, Northern Ireland 208 Posts |
For a really ’cheeky’ book test try and find Sean Taylor of Australia’s simple and effective idea, provided that you have a few hours to spare!!
Oh yes and have good eyesight!! _________________ Wallace B
Wallace B
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Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Farmer's routine, great effect, not a book test, but who cares. It sounds like it plays.
That is crucially more important. :dancing: |
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rickmagic1 Inner circle MIddle Tennessee area 1544 Posts |
I've been doing Maven's Autome with great success. I've got a couple of different books that I've located with help that work just as well as the one he shows on the video.
I also have used the Whenever Anytime routine from Lee Earle's Syzygy's Best vol 2. Great routine, easy to do (if you put the work into it). Rick
Richard Green
The Modern Conjurer Coming soon: Victorian Secrets: An Evening With The Spirits! |
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Michael Peterson Inner circle is where I'm trapped, because of my 4071 Posts |
I have been doing a routine that combines the Maven test & the Hoy book test,I have gotten killer reactions from it.
The only time I have had any problem with it is when I showed it to our grammer hostess Mya. I should have known better than to try to fool the word lady(she is much too smart for any of us). |
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Wallace Loyal user Bangor, Northern Ireland 208 Posts |
Ah, be sure that your sins (of omission!)shall find you out!
Wallace B
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Steve Brooks Founder / Manager Northern California - United States 3780 Posts |
See Ichazod, now you know what I go through when I'm working on new effects.
It was nice to see someone else experience the 'ultimate' spectator...Copperfield's rep could be at stake if he were to choose Mya out of the audience! One good thing about it though, she keep's me on my toes and honest!
"Always be you because nobody else can" - Steve Brooks
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tctahoe V.I.P. Lakeland Fl. 731 Posts |
While reading a copy of “The Blackstone Chronicles” (no, not that Blackstone) by Jon Saul, I stumbled on a great page force.
First, I should mention I bought the book used, so it was a little beat-up. Well, one of the pages had gotten wet. Just one page, whatever caused the water damage didn’t affect the pages on either side. This wet page, that is barely visible, acts as a little stop, when rifling through the book. It will always stop on the page just after the wet spot. I don’t know if anyone has ever played with this or not, but it was an unexpected prize. Just thought you (all) would like to know. _________________ When in doubt…drop an anvil |
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Steve Brooks Founder / Manager Northern California - United States 3780 Posts |
Veeeery interesting.
"Always be you because nobody else can" - Steve Brooks
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Ian Rowland Special user London 889 Posts |
I used Deja Voodoo for several years. It’s a strange one, for sure. It’s neither one thing nor the other - not quite a book test, not quite a card revelation - but a strange hybrid that knits the two effects together in an unprecedented way.
I found that audience reaction wasn’t as strong as I had hoped. Of course, you could put that down to me and my lack of ability at putting it across. Maybe, but I found other mentalists had similar misgivings about it. Maybe there’s such a thing as a routine being too clever. I still think it’s a gem, and a marvelous tribute to Farmer’s ingenuity. But for some reason it doesn’t seem to click with audiences as much as I’d hoped it would. _________________ The most amazing cards in the world and the famous Levitating Cat.
www.ianrowland.com . Working Magic.
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
Anyone know anything about Lee Earle's "Silver Bullet?" I've heard it's a killer, but have no firsthand knowledge of it.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
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Michael Peterson Inner circle is where I'm trapped, because of my 4071 Posts |
There is a post about it in the review section. Our metal bending mental master Kuffs seems to like it.
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
The Hoy book test has the very great advantage of being totally impromptu.
You could arrive at someone’s home naked and still do it. (Of course, WHY you’d arrive naked is a whole other question!). However, mumblepeas’ description of Deja Voodoo makes me lust after the solution (I think I have part of it), even though you have to bring along your own gimmick. cheers, Peter Marucci |
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Drewmcadam Inner circle Scotland 1239 Posts |
For a great book test, Out Of This Phone Book by Paul Curry takes the biscuit. Think about it – the Spec opens a phone book at random and clutches it to their chest. They fold it back, hold it up, select and note the name, address and phone number.
Before the Spec has even finished noting the details, you already know. You look away, snap the directory shut – and you reveal it. Cool, or what? |
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Michael Peterson Inner circle is where I'm trapped, because of my 4071 Posts |
Where can we find this Curry effect?
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
Out of this Phone Book originally appeared in Bruce Elliot’s "Phoenix" magazine (which can still be obtained in hardbound volumes, and is an excellent resource), and is also included in the recently released collection, "Paul Curry’s World’s Beyond" from Steve Minch at Hermetic Press, Inc.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
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Ian Rowland Special user London 889 Posts |
May I slightly hijack this thread to strongly recommend the Paul Curry compilation, 'Paul Curry's Worlds Beyond'. Stephen Minch has done a superb job on this, and the book is packed with superb material, much of it relevant to mentalism.
www.ianrowland.com . Working Magic.
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
I concur. If you don't have it, get it!
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
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crossroader New user 78 Posts |
Hi,
If you have Randi’s "The truth about Uri Geller", on page 185 you can find the description of a terrific book test. I contacted Mr.Randi a few months ago and he was kind enough to respond. In a few words he wrote: 1.He has 3 methods for this effect but he couldn’t remember which one he used (he also uses Canasta’s routine) 2.He didn’t turn it into a nail writer effect because he just can’t use nail writers(strange, isn’t it?) 3.I suggested that the description is from the spectator’s point of view and he responded that I was right. Now,I don’t ask for any secrets but this book test seems so direct and impossible that I wonder if something similar is available in magic literature (besides Canasta’s routine). Thank you, Christos P.S:For those who don’t have the book the effect in brief is: the spectator chooses a book among hundreds, opens to any page and selects any word (he opens the book only after the magician is away-nothing is written). I was most impressed by the fact that the spectator chooses any word, not the first word in the first line (as usual in improptu book tests). If you know similar approaches please let me know. |
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Magicduck Elite user Washington State 484 Posts |
In another segment of this discussion there was talk about Al Koran’s Master Gimmick.
I mentioned "A word in a thousand", a book test by Koran, from the Tarbell course. I can honestly say that I have only used this a couple of times, but, one time I used it, it created one of the strongest impacts I have ever witnesssed, And, to make it better, the other party was a magician. The impact was so great because of the situation. The fellow and I were talking about magic/mentalism and I said I was experimenting a bit with mentalism, but something that was different... where you really did try to determine what a person was thinking by subtle signals.. sort of like muscle reading. He says: so what are you learning. And I said, it is pretty early at this stage of study, but I will give it a try. I had previously made up 3 different books, Koran style. They were in my bookcase with 100 others. I asked if he was more in the mood for a book about Loretta Lynn, A mystery, or a science book. He picked the science book. Everything seemed so totally unprepared that when I recited the word, he was absolutely amazed. This is a good effect which should not be overlooked. And today I think you could find some items in office stores that could make this easily improved upon as far as reliability. You can make this from used hardcover books from a bookstore, as long as they have paper dust covers -- so that spells cheap. That and an exacto knife and you can, for almost nothing, make a book test that certainly warrants experimentation My only concern about it is "reliability". It is possible that you will not get a good clean "reading"... although this is no more of an issue than with a typical mentalists clipboard. If you have never read "Al Koran’s Legacy".. he had some great ideas. Room Service by Don Wayne, performed by DC, is a clone from his medallion trick. quack |
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