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Vlad_77 Inner circle The Netherlands 5829 Posts |
Hi all!
We have seen many lists of favorites, bests, magnaminousest (yep, it's my word you scoundrels ) but.... Let's try something fun. It will be painful and may ruffle some feathers (or scales since birds are actually more closely related to reptiles). What books have you bought that have made you feel less than excited yet you still won't part with them in hope that you will find something later on again that is feather and scale worthy? I will start with: Art and Ardor At The Card Table by Edward Marlo and Dr. James Nuzzo: This one left me thinking that I would much rather study Ortiz. Nothing in this really jumped out at me. It's a pretty book though and one that needs a closer reading to find the nuggets. It feels like "magician's magic" to me. Miracle Material by Michael Kaminskas: I bought this at a small shop in Garden City, MI a few years ago because I had everything else they had in stock and I felt guilty not buying something as the staff was so very cool. The book has a few interesting ideas, but, it left me feeling as intellectually satisfied overall as I imagine I would feel after a discussion of Hegelian dialectic with Lady Gaga - or the magician here who shall remain nameless who stated to me in a PM that The Beatles were no better than Lady Gaga . That frightened me. Namaste, Vlad |
crestfallenLyric Veteran user 307 Posts |
Hm I typically only buy books I'm sure I'll like, but one book I've had more trouble getting through is Encyclopedia of Cigarette Magic. I bought two fake cigarettes just to learn it, but I can only do one vanish! That book takes more out of me for some reason.
"It is better for a man to honor his profession, than to be honored by it." - Robert-Houdin
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muse Special user Scotland 925 Posts |
Well, mine is a pretty diabolical confession. I buy as many books as I can reasonably afford to, and I try to buy at a pace where I can actually read them, rather than just ending up with a book mountain. And I buy ones that I am either pretty much certain I'll like, or ones that might open up something new to be interested in. A few from the latter category haven't quite grabbed me, but that's okay, to be expected even, because the ones that hit from that category make up for it. But of the ones I've looked forward to, and checked out the reviews and that are more 'mainstream', the one I just haven't been able to get into was "The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley". And I'm still not certain why - it's not that I only like the latest 'bang-whizz' tricks and presentations, I enjoyed reading books about or by Stewart James and Roy Walton, for example. And I wouldn't sell it, as you say Vlad, I'm assuming that I'll return to it one day and it will click with me. Anyway...there it is.
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mumford Special user 652 Posts |
I enjoy magic biographies like Alexander, Carter, Henning, and historical ones like Hiding the Elephant. Recently read both the Secret World of Siegfried and Roy, a gossipy work by some of their former employees and Danid Copperfield by some French guy. I won't sell either but I got nothing out of them. Not sure if I'll ever read them again, but its possible.
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Jim Oliver Regular user Las Cruces, New Mexico 141 Posts |
Well Vlad,
I must admit that I have bought quite a few books recently and so I have the book mountain that MUSE was referring to. However I am continuing to dig myself out of this pile of books day by day. There are a few that seem to bother me and I don't really know why. Perhaps it's just my taste in magic. The first one is Concertos for Pasteboards. I'm not sure if it has to do with the way it was written or if the routines simply don't appeal to me or what, but I really just don't care for this particular book. Another book that I just don't like is Richard Kaufman's Cardmagic. I've owned that one for more years than I care to remember, but again I just don't care for the material. I could add a few more to the list but actually I would rather give some positive mentions to anything by Marlo, Racherbaumer, Jennings, Vernon and one other book in particular that I found to be utterly fascinating, and that is a book about Anna Eva Fay called The Indescribable Phenomenon, by Barry H. Wiley. I wasn't able to put this one down. It was just that fascinating. Jim
Ed Marlo rules
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Vlad_77 Inner circle The Netherlands 5829 Posts |
Great posts all!!
Note to Jim: I am a huge fan of Marlo, but, Art and Ardor just leaves me ... meh. Maybe because it is not a Marlo only book? Nonetheless, isn't it fun digging out of the mountain, especially KNOWING you WILL buy more? Namaste, Vlad |
magicfish Inner circle 7004 Posts |
Ingenuities. Its on my shelf, and I worked through the material and I don't do anything from the book, but I can't part with it because it's Ken Krenzel. And I just love the book, its weird.
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mstgracy Regular user United States 139 Posts |
Final Curtain so much information overwelmed me also seemed impracticle for my budget
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Rennie Inner circle I think I have about 1826 Posts |
Hi Vlad,
I do agree with you on this one, Miracle Material by Michael Kaminskas. Now the one I am going to get flack on, Dear Mr. Fantasy by John Bannon. I really got nothing out of it, and I really like Bannon's work, but not this one. But as stated,Ido not want to sell it either. You are right about this crazy thread you started, good going! Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
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diehards2080 Loyal user Brooklyn, New York 256 Posts |
I would also would say Art and Ardor. Im a huge Marlo fan myself but when I got this book I wasnt too thrilled going through the book. Nothing really jumped out at me.
Card Manipulations by Jean Hugard I havent absorbed anything from it yet but still reading it. Like the others I have been buying books as of late at my local shop. When I first picked up The Magic of Fred Robinson when I first picked it up was a book I wasnt to thrilled on for some reason. I picked it up to learn his version of the Greek taught by Darwin Ortiz. Now I cant put the book down. Mike |
panlives Inner circle 2087 Posts |
Vlad,
I love this thread…great concept! Oh, I intend to post some thoughts after I manage to stop laughing at the Hegelian dialectic with Lady Gaga jab. There I go again…
"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." "The dog did nothing in the night-time." "That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes. |
motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6127 Posts |
I really enjoyed Concerto's for Pasteboards. I like the varied thinking in it.
The books that turn me off the most are the ones that are poorly designed and layed out. They just weren't shown any love and it shows. Mark Leveridge's latest book is like that. It feels like a throw away item and I just can't get into it.
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
Simon Bakker Special user the Netherlands 587 Posts |
Interesting thread!
There's is one set of books that immediatly comes to mind.... The art of astonishment books by Paul Harris. (Please don't flame me...;-)) Let me elaborate a bit: There are a couple of things that I love in the books, my favourite being the essay on astonishment in the first book. I like twilight very much, but it's very impracticle, and I like a couple of other items as well. The thing is, I don't see myself using the items that I do like. And the rest, it didn't do a lot for me. Everybody's raving about these books and Paul Harris, and I'm serious when I say I still hope to discover someday why everybody is so enthousiastic about these books. Paul quirky wrting style is funny in the beginning, but it starts to get annoying to me when I read further. I don't think these are bad books, some idea's are nice, and it's a very good reference for routines and moves for me, but I can't see (atleast at this moment) why these are dubbed as the most wonderful set of books on close-up magic. Hope to discover one day, because I will not sell them! Simon |
panlives Inner circle 2087 Posts |
Hi All,
In a thread like this, no opinions should be censored. Fear not the flamers. Readers are highly idiosyncratic and as the ancient Romans used to say, “There is no argument for taste.” I suspect we have all felt what Vlad describes. Anticipation dashed by direct experience. Fro me, it was Mnemonica, by Tamariz. It was like admiring the beautifully symmetrical thinking of a particle physicist. Tamariz’s mnemonic exercises did not work for me and most of the effects left me cool. More cerebral, less visceral. It will remain on my shelf as the preeminent work to date on memorized stacks, a deeply layered and thoughtful work. Weeks, months or years from now, I may see my current reactions are grounded in my own deficiencies (no doubt) and Mnemonica will shine anew like a foolishly, unfairly ignored treasure. I second a good experience with The Indescribable Phenomenon, by Barry H. Wiley - Jim Oliver’s addition to this thread.
"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." "The dog did nothing in the night-time." "That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes. |
DomKabala Inner circle I've grown old after diggin' holes for 2827 Posts |
Quote: I felt the same way about AOA...glad I only bought the first volume...
On 2010-09-27 05:23, Simon Bakker wrote: Cardamagically, Dom
We don't stop playing when we grow old...we grow old when we stop playing.
God is enough, let go, let God. Gal 2:20 "Anything of value is not easily attained and those things which are easily attained are not of lasting value." |
Bietfriek Special user Bye, bye after 501 Posts |
I've got some stuff from Ben Harris and I never use it.....
Maybe I'm not spending enough time to it, or it's not my cup of tea but I'm not truly satisfied. From the other hand, there are many people who like it so I think it's just not the thing for me... Keep up the work Benny ! (for the people who DO use your work!) It's genious written but it doesn't work for me. |
Caleb Wiles Inner circle Indianapolis, IN 1132 Posts |
I can't believe you guys didn't like AOA. There's tons of usable stuff in there. Ah well, your entitled to your opinion. For me, it would have to be The Complete Walton. I heard so many good reviews, but I didn't get much out of it.
Caleb http://www.CalebWiles.com
Check out my Main Event project (DVD or Download).
"Magicians, stop what you're doing right now and pick this up!" - John Guastaferro "Caleb Wiles is the real deal!" - David Williamson "...my very highest recommendation." - John Carey |
muse Special user Scotland 925 Posts |
I find 'The Complete Walton' to be one of those books that I can't go through cover to cover, but I go back to it and read a small bit each time, and I appreciate something new each time. But the descriptions are a little on the dry side, and I keep waiting for, say, Peter Duffie to do an updated / reworked version. Or perhaps an annotated version like Darwin Ortiz did with Erdnase?
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Justin W Special user Lawrence, KS 929 Posts |
For Walton, you really have to look past the dryness... I mean, take the Smiling Mule. Incredibly terse description, but look at how effective that trick is? Same goes for about 95% of his material.
An underwhelming book? Hmmm... what immediately came to mind was A-Ha! by David Harkey and Eric Anderson. The worst part is, the book has promising moments. But overall, it just doesn't work. |
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