Stigmata by Wayne Houchin
100th Monkey by Chris Philpott
Social Prediction by Debjit Magic
Digital Force Bag

Trick: Sympathetic 10s. Got it used with all props including a lacquered box.

Book: Designing Miracles, Darwin Ortiz

Educational Experience: Master Class with Jeff McBride and Co. at the Magic and Mystery School

Entertainment Experience: The Magic Castle

Six different identically sized paperback books, which I then made into two different book tests. There is something satisfying in making your own effect; plus it's a lot cheaper at $0.75 per book.

The Nematode by John Riggs. It changed everything for me at the time.

I'm not sure if John does the Nematode anymore!

Designing Miracles, Darwin Ortiz

l am completely with you. Blank index cards of the right stiffness. Fireplace & screen for practice like you say. Living breathing Human Beings for the real work. ( you & I have something in common if I remember correct about you. We were both published by Al Mann)

Architect of the mind

I love books. I looked at what you rec'd and bought it. Rare impulse for me these nights.

Knowledge and contacts...
photoshop, lulu.com, gutenburg press, leather-worker, printshop...

currently, its two bespoke p**k cases and a sw*tching device made to my specifications, colour, quality, style etc...

P**k Wallet, blank business cards.

The knowledge and principles I have learned from books
that I can use the rest of my life.

A bus ticket to my first magic convention in 1969 where I met Willard the Wizard, Arnold Furst, Burt Easley and many others.

Hugo Shelley's Sixth Sense 3 with a magnetic coin, an expanded shell and a hooked coin to create a reverse of Docc Hilford's Confidence Man first act. Gets great rapport. It goes from a "Ooh, look what *I* did." to a "Ooh, look what *WE* did.".
Menny Lindenfeld's OX Bender with Luke Jermay's Faith Healer to create a souvenir with meaning.
Olivier Boes's 10S Star Sign Divination. You can use it for more than star sign divinations and it is worth much more than its small price.
A thumb tip plus a Sharpie nib ala Joshua Quinn's ParaLies for NW routines.
A pocket notepad, repositional tape, black carbon paper and The Informer for IP/billet routines.

I've recently purchased a place at the forthcoming MIND6 conference.

I already know that it's a most satisfying purchase!!

- Ross

I have to say that I've made great purchases over the years.

There are a lot of great books. The three that have had the biggest impact on what I do:

1) The Principals of Mentalism by Osterlind. I've read it through many times now. This wee book is the finest book on the performance of mentalism. Period.
2) The Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy Volume 2. It's a university course in the WORK of being a mentalist. It has an unfortunate title. There's nothing wrong with Volume 1. But 2 is where the goldmines are.
3) Maximum Entertainment by Ken W. Read it with a humble teachable heart and it will revolutionize every aspect of your performance.

There's only one DVD set that ranks above all others and that's Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism by Osterlind. It's the one that showed real mentalism to me for the first time and persuaded me to jump off of the magic battleship and into the mentalism dingy many years ago.

Three props/routines have consistently delighted me and are used in every show.

1) The Par*Pad.
2) RNW by Strivings
3) Target Number by Ted K.

Honorable mentions go to MD by ProMys*ic, the MindBus*er by Labco and Sixth Sens* by Shelly.

David

What is RNW by Strivings?

Lessons in card mastery, scams and fantasies, cardshark, designing miracles, strong magic, the classic magic of Michael Vincent, in order to amaze, confident Deceptions, game changer, expert card technique, mnemonica.

If I had to pick three:

• Psychological Subtleties
• The earl Cassidy stuff
• Derren Brown's published works

Strongly agree with #1 and #3. ( I have no experience with #2. )

Marc Paul's lecture has the best billet technique tutorial I know of.

Lots of good stuff mentioned in this post.
Just want to add Paralies by Joshua Quinn - great thinking! It's a great read and the book that completely changed how I viewed mentalism.

p.s Have just seen that Joshua posted a reply above but can assure you that is not what triggered my choice.