I recently purchased the book "Mental Magic" - Al Baker from a book store. It is copyrighted 1949. It has a lot of interesting things listed. I do recommend it.

Any mentalism in there Mike?

Yes. It shows The Baker Switch, Center Tear and Secret Reading of Billets. Clairvoyance, mind reading techniques, over the phone mentalism, plus many more. It has 30 effects.

Wow, I need to hit some garage sales! Great stuff in the classics.

Hi, I just wanted to know, is this a different book from the Al Baker books 1 and 2?

Yes, they are different. Al Baker's books 1 & 2 were his first, earlier works.

Torkova

Thanks Torkova, now to start the hunt to track down a copy of the book

If you have the cash, get "The Secret Ways of Al Baker" from the Miracle Factory (http://www.miraclefactory.net/baker.htm). It's over 900 hundred pages and has EVERYTHING Al Baker wrote--his books, tricks, magazine articles, even letters. It's really the ultimate reference and has commentary and essays from Eugene Burger, Teller, Max Maven.

How much more is it without the commentary from Teller and Maven?

*jeep!
--Grandpa Chet

If you were going to buy Al baker's book or mind, myth and magik which one would you purchase..forget the price

Neither. Well, MMaM I think.

Why neither I've heard fantastic things about the Baker Book?

As Candin has noted, there are tons of great stuff in the classics. It's a shame that they are so often overlooked in favor of the "latest and greatest" which, more often than not is based on and/or derived from the material that is contained in the classics. And what you find in the classics often gives you a better understanding of the effect than newer derivations. Studying both usually gives you a deeper understanding and greater appreciation than either alone.

I agree the roots of most of today's effects are in the classics

"The Secret Ways of Al Baker" or "Mind, Myth and Magic?" Buy both. It doesn't matter in what order. If it helps, I'll tell you the Al Baker book is more expensive, but there's more practical material per page. MM&M is great fun to read.

Although MM&M is less expensive, a good spider monkey will cost you upwards of $3500.

FWIW, Annemann held Baker in the highest regard. They became great friends and some of Annemann's best work was based on Baker's ideas.

I fully agree with Dick. In a quest for the latest and the greatest, most overlook the past greats.

Some would argue that it's all "dated."

But to understand the brilliance of Annemann's Triple Telepathy, for example, you need to discover where it stemmed from... it's 100% Baker's, instead replacing cards with a number, a word and a picture.

I can tell you, from experience, that once you know the lineage of something, it tremendously helps you not only in the performance, but allows you grace to develop your own ideas and thoughts.

Todd Karr's book is by far the best value. I consult it on a regular basis and sold my "originals" long ago.

SC

"The secret ways of Al Baker" is loaded with great mentalist material.
A very happy purchase.

Kevin