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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Books, Pamphlets & Lecture Notes » » Help with a few books. (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

Gilvado
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I have the opportunity to purchase a few used books that are out of print, but have very (VERY) limited cash. Does anyone care to comment on how good these books are (bear in mind I'm not a collector, I'm just looking for good material on magic.)

Barrie Richardson's Theatre of the Mind
Magic in Theory
Paul Curry's World's Beyond
Max Maven's Focus

Many Thanks
Johannes Pauw
Jay Elf
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Hello, Johannes,

What kind of effects do you want?
How many books can you afford?
Are you a beginner or not?
Gilvado
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Any type of effect (although generally the less set-up the better), I could afford them all, but don't want to get them all unless they're all really good, and I've been doing magic for about a year, so I'm not totally wet behind the ears, but I'm still pretty beginnerish. (Plus, I'm not only looking for books on effects, theory would be helpful as well.)
Jay Elf
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Hi,Johannes,

Now I am programmed.

"Theater of the mind" is for mentalists and higher level. So for you I do not recommend.

"Paul Curry's Worlds Beyond" is definitely a classic. This has real gems like "Out of This World (cards)",
"The Power of Thought (cards)", book test, and center tear. I recommend this.

"Focus" is all (well thought-out) card effects. If you like cards, go for it.

"Magic in Theory" : The title says it all. If you will be a magician, you have to read it someday. Besides this is currently out-of-print. So judge yourself on this book.

Hope this will help you.
Gilvado
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Many thanks, Jay.
David de Leon
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Quote:
On 2004-10-25 23:06, Jay Elf wrote:
"Magic in Theory" : The title says it all. If you will be a magician, you have to read it someday. Besides this is currently out-of-print. So judge yourself on this book.


"Magic in Theory" by Peter Lamont and Richard Wiseman is my least favorite of all my books on theory and performance. I don’t even think it’s intended readership is magicians, but people learning to spot fraud in parapsychological research (one of Wiseman’s research areas). There was one chapter on misdirection that I liked because it was well crafted; I could imagine it being a really excellent lecture for non-magicians or for beginner magicians. For the magician there are at least ten books on theory/performance I would recommend before getting this.
sethb
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I agree with David's assessment of the "Magic in Theory" book.

I've been doing magic for about 30 years, and purchased this in the hope of getting some new insights on misdirection. No such luck, I didn't even get any old insights from this book!

If you're a relative newcomer to magic, I would definitely take a pass on this book. And don't be impressed by the fact that the book is out of print -- some books go out of print for a good reason. SETH
"Watch the Professor!!" -- Al Flosso (1895-1976)
"The better you are, the closer they watch" -- Darwin Ortiz, STRONG MAGIC
Rennie
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Definitely purchase Paul Curry's Worlds Beyond and Max Maven's Focus. cannot go wrong with either of them.
Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
Turk
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Gilvado,

Of the books you mentioned, I only have "Theatre of the Mind" and "World's Beyond". Both are excellent. I generally agree with Jay Elf's comments on these two books.

However, I would add that "World's Beyond" uses A LOT of set-up effects---most of which uses a set-up and/or a gimmicked deck. These effects are strong and can be phased into your routine by switching in a set-up deck now and then when doing your "normal" routines with a normal deck.

"Theatre of the Mind" is a great book and most of the more advanced requirements regarding Barrie's book are more those of presentation than sleight of hand.

I love both of these books but for different reasons:

I love "World's Beyond" because the methodologies used really stretches your mind into thinking how you can apply such prinicples in other ways and in other effects. Most of the set-up are just pure genius and you will read this book with a sense of awe as you begin to appreciate how much of a genius Curry was.

I love "Theatre of the Mind" for the many varied effects and the presentation ideas. Barrie mixes mentalism (mostly mental-magic) with magic and each effect/routine has been performed by Barrie over and over (and honed to perfection by Barrie)in his act. As I read this book cover-to-cover it quickly shot up to being one of my favorite "top ten".

You will not be disappointed in either book, and, if you can afford both, I recommend both without reservation.

Mike
Magic is a vanishing Art.

This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto.

Eschew obfuscation.
Gilvado
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Once again, thanks everyone. Smile
Johannes Pauw
Mark Rough
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I have all four of the books you're looking at. I love three of them.

Magic in Theory is just so *** dry. Possibly one of the most boring books I own. At least to me. That's not to say you won't learn a thing or two in slogging through it.

Focus is packet tricks, if you're leaning towards mentalism, you might skip it, but it's just fun. Tough call.

Theater of the Mind. Brilliant book of mostly mentalism type mental magic and some straight magic.

Worlds Beyond. Another brilliant book from a very creative person. It does entail some setup in a lot of the effects.

Oh hell, just get them all.

Mark
What would Wavy do?
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