I am considering buying either Mark Wilson's book or the complete Tarbell Course. If I buy the Tarbell course, I would be able to have all 8 volumes in about 3 - 4 months.

Would one would you reccomend for a beginner? I know a few tricks that use gimmicks, and I am working on learning Sponge balls.

Also, it is my understanding that the Tarbell course is available on CD, but it is somewhat different than the books. Besides layout, what is the difference?

Save up for Tarbell's you will NOT regret it. Get the hardbound books and not the CD.

Pick up Wilson's book in the bargain bin at Borders, probably for under $10 and you will have a great book, with a ton of info to go through while waiting for your Tarbell set

I second this. Definitely Tarbell, and the books not the CD. Plus with Tarbell you can save yourself a ton of money on all the "new" effects now on the market that were originally published there in the first place.

Tarbell, if the essays are read and you work through the material, is a great set of books. Wilsons is also very good and gives you a wide assortment of magic effects. I turn to Tarbell far more often than Wilson.

I have the CD and love it. It's the original course. What's wrong with it?

Mark Wilson course is great. Although I would have liked to have seen more crediting in the Wilson course.

Nothing wrong with the cd, but some folks prefer to have the books. Besides, it hurts when you fall asleep reading in bed, and the computer falls on your face. Books are softer. Seriously though, it's just a preference thing, for me. I just don't like reading books on the computer screen.

Anyway, back on topic, I prefer Tarbell's to Wilson's, though Wilson's is a good book. It's just the way I was brought up (in a magical sense).

There is much more in the books than what is found in the original version as found on the CD, I think there are 90 effects on the CD.

Hi, Magic Santa. There are a lot more than 90 effects on the CD.

I think that vol. 7 is not found at all on the CD. But wasn't that the volume edited by H. Lorayne? Although I could be wrong...

Neither, get card college. That's the way to go friend.

Cameron, are you talking about Tarbell on CD as in the books or the original mailouts? I wasn't aware that Tarbell the books was on CD (and no one needs volume 8 unless they have a table that has a short let). If you don't mean just the original correspondance course then you are correct sir.

Tian, if he wants to learn magic overall why would he get Card College? If he asked what to get to learn card magic that would be the logical selection that that wasn't what he asked for.

I would suggest Mark Wilson course first. It doesn't have the complicated slights that are time consuming for a beginner. That book will give you plenty to present while you practice the tarbell routines.
Don

Just to keep the record straight, I didn't "edit" Tarbell #7 - I wrote it. And you know something? I'm biased, of course, but I'd recommend LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, but only if you want to learn card magic. HL

My suggestion is that you really should aim for both of them. Go for Wilson first as it will "feed the need". Then get Tarbell. Being a mentalist more than magician, I don't refer to Tarbell as much as other books, but I do still refer to it.

If you are already have a good basis in magic, pass on Wilson for now and get Tarbell as Wilson is aimed more toward beginners. It is still a good book though.

Wilson is very good for those new enough to not really be sure they want to learn magic. It is a very solid book. Get Harry's book cuz he asked you to.

MagicSanta, no it's just the original course and post graduate course. Vol. 7 is not included.

The CD from lbrary.com, which contains the original 60 lessons, is 1646 pages. Each lesson contains at least four tricks. So we're talking 240 tricks at the very least. But there are more. Not sure where your getting 90 from.

Although the real gold in these lessons aren't the tricks. It's the essays.

I get it from a faulty memory! I aften confuse 60 with 90!

No question - Tarbell

Tarbell also gets my vote. Eight volumes that have so much magic in them you will be embarrassed at the riches that await you.

The Mark Wilson course is good, but in my mind the Tarbell volumes are far more substantive and are not restricted to effects. Many of the essays are just as meaningful today as when Tarbell wrote them years ago.

By the way, get the BOOKS, NOT the CD. The CD is the original course. The books are the "new, expanded" course and the ones most referenced when people talk about the Tarbell course.

One last suggestion: check out Harry Lorayne's "The Magic Book".

Best,
Vlad

I believe he wants to learn more than just card magic.
Get Tarbell & The Mark Wilson Course as you will not regret it.
Rennie

They're both worth having. Assuming you can't have both, I'd say Tarbell. I'd rather go without Mark Wilson's book than the Tarbell series.