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RevJohn Inner circle Oregon City Oregon, Oregon 2473 Posts |
Greetings.
Didn't know where else to post this, and it might be a question that has already been asked... But how do you go about reading your Magic Books? Do you read them cover to cover, or is there a specific "formula" you use? Thanks! John |
MarkFarrar Veteran user U.S.A. 376 Posts |
It depends on the type of book.
Books such as "The Royal Road To Card Magic" or "Card College" should be studied, section at a time. Books of tricks I tend to skim read until something specific catches my eye. If I have bought a book for a specific item (e.g. I bought Simon Aronson's "Bound To Please" for his Shuffle-Bored effect), then I would obviously start by heading for that one item. Books on theory / presentation / history, I read cover to cover.
Mark S. Farrar
Email: [email]MarkFarrar@TheMagicCircle.co.uk[/email] Web: www.MagicSquaresBook.com, www.RandMPublishing.com, www.TheDailyGoalMachine.com, www.ParvoBuster.com |
treysdaddy New user 92 Posts |
I go to what interests me, which changes every now and then. I can go back to an older book or lecture note and find something "brand new" and get into the book all over again. I usually scan through the whole book and make mental notes on what I want to work on.
Bill |
alexanderN New user the Netherlands 72 Posts |
I only study the clasics, and read them from cover!
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Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
I've got several trick books filled with highlighter marks and post-it notes. Talk about being studious! I was never this dedicated in high school.
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Gary Dayton Special user New Jersey 542 Posts |
I am guilty of highlighting my books, too, though I have a few older books that I take notes from, rather than mark up. I like to read through a book cover-to-cover, but that may take quite a while. Often, the way I read a book of tricks is to skim through each trick and method to get a general sense of the effect and the kinds of moves and presentation involved. This helps me to get a feel for how the writer thinks about magic, constructs and executes a trick, his performance, etc. When I do this, I try to image how the author would be doing the trick and how I might do it. Most of the time, I can't see myself doing the effect or don't care for the method, but find skimming the trick may be useful for something in the future, and I'll note that in the margin or highlight it. If something strikes my fancy I'll read it in more detail and if it seems worthwhile, I'll work with it a bit with whatever the required props are, and then maybe learn and practice it.
Gary |
Tony Venetico Loyal user Chicago, IL 238 Posts |
I read the summary and if the trick doesn't catch my eye by the description, I skip it and go back to read the effect later
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abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
For me it all depends on how the book is divided into chapters. If I am looking for something on cards then I will get a book on cards and look for what I want to know or do. It is always good to read thru everything when you get a book the 1st time because some efeects may assist you in improving something you are currently doing. As a beginner I read every book cover to cover and practied every trick from the 1st about 10 books I bought.
Good Luck. PS Highlighting and marking in a book if it is yours is a must. Read the book "Read and Grow rich" and you'll know why. |
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