3 comments about Sleight of Hand.

1. This book has been hard to find in the hardcover edition, since it was originally privately printed. Dover has done their usual great job in producing this edition, and making it available at a price well within the budget of every magic lover and performer.

   The book contains enough information to take the beginner through his/her paces to become a finger-flinger capable of amazing audiences of lay people (and some magicians, too) using borrowed props. Not only actual sleight of hand moves, but actual routines built on the sleights and subterfuge are explained, and in many cases, illustrated with clear diagrams.

   Not only is this an excellent introduction to the art of magic without gimmics (some call sleight of hand "pure" magic), but it will also serve as the cornerstone of the magician's working library. Ask a performer to name classic texts on magic, and this title will be one of the ones included. Magazine articles in the conjuring periodicals will often cite a particular sleight that appears within these pages. For that reason alone, a copy of Sachs' treatise is recommended.

   Submitted by: Brett McCarron (http://www.olywa.net/blame




2. I have bought this book in order to find a usfull guide in sleight of hand...instead I have gotten a lot of unusfull text with ONLY 57 illustration. Think twise before bying this book.



3. The amount of magic covered in this book is astonishing, a wide range of topics, that do not necasserily use sleight of hand.
   A great book to turn an ammateur into a proffesional. Loads of proffesional techniques are covered and the language, though perhaps a little dated is stil easily understood. The odd reference to half pennies reveals it's age, but it truly is an incredible buy at great value...... if you've ever been interested in magic then this is a must buy

5 comments about Street Magic: Great Tricks and Close-Up Secrets Revealed.

1. I predict that this book will become a classic for both beginning and intermediate magicians. Very little of the material is new and it won't make you the next David Blaine, but it does provide excellent handlings of classic tricks which require little or no set-up. The explanations and photos are clear and helpful.



2. This book not only contains great tricks but it also explains them in a way easily followed, with detailed color photographs and understandable text. Highly recommended!



3. This is easily one of the better books for beginners. Quite a few pictures and clear instructions make this a real winner. The author does a superb job of explaining how to present each illusion which in reality is far more important than the mechanics behind the trick. This is a nice change from many of the other magic books targeted at the novice. By the way, the tricks cover a wide range (e.g. cards, coins, mentalism) and are all of high quality.



4. The content is quite good, but the typeface is very small, about 6 point. If you have any eyesight problems at all, you will have problems reading this book.



5. There are some nice tricks.About 60 percent of the book are card tricks,which I thought were way to many.If you like doing card tricks and some illusion tricks using different objects this book is for you.Every trick is explained very well in detail.Most props that are used while performing magic tricks can be found around the house, but there are a couple of magic tricks you will need to purchace from any magic store which will cost no more than a couple of dollars.There was one trick that I recently performed that had everyone puzzled.It is wise to do a trick only once to a group.But this trick was so good that after doing it 5 times to the same group of people no one could guess how I did it.Just about everyone will ask you after performing a trick how the magic trick was done.The hard part is not telling them because they will keep asking.

5 comments about Self-Working Mental Magic.

1. The tricks in this book is so naive that the spectators will laugh at you if they are not SPED or under ten. But if you're a seven years old showoff/know-it-all then laugh you a#s off tricking yor friends



2. Karl Fulves has been putting out these kinds of books for what seems like an eternity. They are good books for kids and even a skilled performer can pull some good material from these books.
   [...]



3. Speaking for my husband, an amateur magician, this book has been a tremendous help. It has easy to understand instructions, relatively easy tricks, but plenty of WOW power. Great for the beginner and pro alike.



4. Like my title suggests i think this is more a book for children even though that is not who its ment for.
   The tricks in this book is often so simple I wouldnt even think of performing them.
   But it clearly states that it is not normal magic like you usually see, but mental magic.
   I regret that i didnt spend my money on something else related to magic instead.



5. In martial arts history, there have been noted times when the methods or secrets of a system were altered so that only a select few (closed-door) students were allowed to learn the real deal while others were left with only a partial or fake set of techniques. This was to keep some knowledge secret to be useful to the teacher and his favorite students.
   
   That's the kind of feeling I get as I've been reading through this book. And guess which set of techniques it feels like I got.
   
   The tricks seem like they use techniques that are too simple so as to only fool children (which has been pointed out in other reviews) or are so out of date so as to not be useful. There is actually one trick where the secret is to sneak a look into another room through a keyhole...? Don't know about you, but most modern buildings I spend time in don't have those old keyholes or similar devices where that kind of "secret" could work.
   
   I'll keep reading to find one or two tricks I might be able to modify to work. But I've found more impressive and less complicated and/or dated tricks for free in online searches.
   
   Just glad I didn't spend a lot of money for this product.

5 comments about Card Control: Practical Methods and Forty Original Card Experiments.

1. This book by Arthur Buckley is amazing.

   It has loads of fantastic card sleights, whilst they do need a lot of practice it is worthwhile, as once you have them in your fingers they will never be forgotten.

   All of these slieghts are extremely useful. The book is divided into different sections of tricks.

   There are tricks for close up and for stage although some may need some imagination to update them, also there is a special section on crooked gambling.

   All in all a good book with lots of photographs of Buckleys hands, he was a great card worker.

   Buy it if you already know all the basics of card magic well.




2. I've yet to see a bad review for this book, and there's a reason. This book is terrific. There is however one issue to be addressed. This book is hard!!! Definitely not for beginners, it has some of what I believe are the greatest but hardest card manipulations out there. I definitely recommend it however to the serious card magic enthusiast. There are enough valuable ideas in here to last you a lifetime.



3. If you've mastered Hugard and Braue's stuff, if you can do 60 classic passes per minute, if you have all the time in the world to devote to card sleight of hand, then this is the book for you! Seriously, this is a truly excellent book. Buckley's sleights, though not for the faint of heart, are superb. (He must've been one heckuva cardician!) This is a serious, serious card magic book. But if you are serious yourself, you'll get it. Of course, you'll overlook the antiquated prose and Buckley's tremendous ego throughout. (When you read this material you'll forgive Buckley's self-congratulatory tone.) This is a splendid work for those who want to be the best...



4. When I unexpectedly came across a picture of Buckley on the first page of the book, and after hearing the other reviews of how difficult and advanced the techniques in the book were, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was surprised to see the face of a handsome teenager, of which my previous impression was COMPLETELY the opposite to the one I held in my hands. And this guy was a professional card magician at the age of 18, and able to do tricks infront of hundreds of people on-stage in 1908!

   I have a feeling that this guy's mystery and skill probably gained him significant success with girls his age. The mysterious effects of these difficult to execute sleights are priceless and dazzling beyond belief. If a 3 columns card trick can make girls believe in magic.. then Buckley's stuff probably knocked their socks off... literally! Believe me, this guy would be able to blow David Blaine out of the water and make him look like Bob Longe.

   That being said and out of the way, the book itself is amazing. There are very clearcut photos of Buckley's hands and very impressive card tricks, or as he calls them in the fourth section, "Card Experiments". Best of all, this book isn't like most others where the authors seem to purposely be vague (S.W. Erdnase) and not give the best descriptions. Mr. Buckley gives you every detail and is your friend throughout the book, showing you exactly how everything is done without any confusion.

   And there is SO much different good stuff in here, that you'll probably never need another book for advanced materials.

   It is a great book and a great reference to help you on your way to card excellence and showmanship. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.




5. Pretty good book with a variety of unique card sleights (palming, manipulating cards in the deck, etc.). These sleights are the 'real work', so it will take a little perseverance. Many of these utility sleights are ones that you ought to know if you want to be a card sleight-of-hand worker.

   The instructions are generally clear, but sometimes a detail here and there gets a little confusing. There's a fair number of photos showing how to do many of the sleights.

   Sometimes a sleight is a little more complicated than it needs to be. My recommendation is to follow the author's steps in slow-motion with a deck of cards in hand. After you are familiar with the overall effect, you can make adjustments based on what your comfortable with. There may also be other newer methods for learning these sleights if you want to invest in newer card sleight instruction (such as the Daryl Encyclopedia of Card Sleights videos, etc.).

   Right now, I'm working on the side steal sleight. He gives a T. Nelson Downs version which has some merit, but it is much more complicated than necessary. The author's own version is a little more do-able. But even the author's method becomes a little too fidgety, so I've made minor modifications to make it work well for me. I start in slow-motion, counting through the substeps to keep pace while I do the move (1..2..3..4). Then I repeat it until I can bring it up to full speed.

   If you want to learn sleights for cheap, try this book. You may have to pick and choose through the sleights, and there may be better methods to perform some of these sleights now, but it's not bad for under $10.

3 comments about The Magic of Alan Wakeling: The Works of a Master Magician.

1. This book is a MUST have for you magic book collection and since it is out of print the price of this book has been going up because its now a collectors item!



2. Orgiinally bought this because of the claim it teaches tricks, however the tricks are outdated and mostly bar room oriented. It's plus side is it reveals alot about the magician Alan Wakeling's life and magic inspiration.



3. ... is at all times crystal clear. His descriptions of performance and method are clear and concise and (to me at least) fascinating. A true magician in life and in his writing, he conjures performances from a half century ago that make the reader feel as if he has actually witnessed the work of the master magicians. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Mark Wilson's Cyclopedia Of Magic: A Complete Course.

1. This book is not good, great, or awesome, but it's UNBELIEVABLE. The illustrations are very descriptive. When I first got this book I could learn a trick just be looking at the illustrations. (Though you should still read). There are over 17 types of magic listed and taught in the book. Some of these are, Sponge ball magic, Card magic, Cups and balls (the FULL routine), Stage magic, illusions, and more. This is the book to start up on for beginning magic. If you had to get only ONE book of magic, I would suggest purchasing this one. God bless you, and may your future in magic go well.



2. I recommend without hesitation this book for beginners or intermediates alike. It contains card tricks, sponge balls, cups and balls and even some stage illusions that you might find suitable with a little creativity or modification. It has card tricks that are pretty much already 'public knolwedge' to layman, but you might use them too using the way Mark Wilson teaches you to present them. However, there are also some advanced sleights on cards that beginners can learn easily because of the illustrations and the amazingly, EASY to understand text. Mark Wilson's Cylopedia of Magic. 5 out of 5.



3. Mark Wilson is no doubt a master magician and a master of all magicians. This is reflected in this volume. The tricks in this book are a mixture of classical as well as new tricks....both entertaining and mystical. Mark Wilson has dealt with every possible branch of close up magic, conjuring and some basic stage illusions.They are easy to do. Some close up tricks require basic sleight of hands which are worth learning. If you are really serious about magic as a hobby, then this book should be in your book shelf. And if you are planning to take it up as your profession, then nothing can be a good book to start with. Some of the basic sleights are still used by many magicians. The illustrations are really gems. The copy which I got from Amazon was a brand new copy though I purchased a used one.
   I wish I got this book when I started out on the mystical world of magic 15 years ago.



4. Mark Wilson is certainly a name in magic and has been around for a very long time. It was on the strength of that name alone that I bought this book, but it wasn't really as comprehensive as I would have liked. Many of the presentations are useful to beginning and intermediate performers as they are. A full time professional like me can fall back on these presentations as well, but over all this is second string material for me.
   
   [...]



5. The book is clumsy to handle, due to its thickness and small pages. Nonetheless it contains innumerable card tricks, and a few mind-reading and illusion tricks as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover anything you're likely to see in Las Vegas.

5 comments about Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck.

1. I bought this deck based on the recommendations at amazon and I absolutely love it! It has given me very clear, powerful readings. The artwork is so vivid that it leaves an imprint on your imagination thereby making it easy to memorize the cards with very little effort. As other readers have said, the eyes of the characters almost come to life so their personalities are easier to read and remember. If you love the art, then I would go for it and buy it. I also like the Hanson-Roberts Tarot Companion which gives detailed descriptions of each card.



2. this was my first tarot deck, i think it is beautiful. the best thing about this deck for me is that its a bit smaller than regular tarot decks i ve seen. i have small hands and so the larger ones are akward for me. these ones seem to be about the same size as regular cards, but the pictures are still beautifully detailed. it comes with a little book that tells you the interpretatins and layouts. this will be the second time i bought them.



3. I originally bought this deck back in 1991. I was just discovering the Tarot, and I was attracted to the artwork. I immediately fell in love with it. The images are beautifully crafted, the colors are soothing, and it follows the Rider-Waite tradition which makes it easy to study (since most books out there on the subject of the Tarot follow the Rider-Waite tradition.) I know there are "flashier" decks out there, and I have purchased some of those; but I've never felt the same connection to those decks as I do to this one, and sadly they just lay dormant in my closet. Instead, this is my baby. When I decided to start doing psychic parties, the first thing I did was buy a new copy of this deck specifically for parties. I keep my original deck to myself. I recommend it whole-heartedly.



4. I own this deck for many years already; is very pretty and the images on it will speak to you easily even if you are a beginner. The more you study it the more this cards will make sense to you and the more you will see on it. I found it beautiful, easy to read and the images are just charming. I own several decks and this is the one I use every day. One of my daughters is already learning to read tarot and this too is her favorite because of the easy images to understand. Also the smaller size comes in very handy.



5. The cards in this deck are stunningly beautiful, and their illustrations are very much in keeping with the Rider-Waite tradition; however, the pleasing imagery is much more approachable than that of the Rider-Waite decks while lending itself to meditation.

3 comments about Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin: The World's Foremost Mentalist Reveals How You Can Expand Your Powers.

1. Kreskin offers another book. He is by far the most well know mentalist in the field today. After a over thirty year carrer of appearing on the top television shows of our time and crisscrossing the country appearing at colleges, etc. Kreskin is truly a professional and expert in his field.



2. I bought this book on a recomendation. The vast majority is entertaining,informative, & Honest. My only complaint is that after he has explained the mechanics of how he does his illusion, he sometimes tries to sell us on the idea that he occasionally can do feats that he can't explain. This is simply not true. He DOES know how these feats are done, as does every mentalist on the planet. My guess is that he has a following of " Believers " and so feels obligated to include just a little mysticism in the text. His section on hypnosis, and what actually occurs is lucid & revealing. One explanation on how to do an effect made me laugh out loud. Not because it was silly, but the explanation was so simple, I was caught off guard. Certainly worth the price of admission.



3. Really a well written book. Very insightful about the world of one the most well known mentalists. Easy to read and full of fun exercises. Recommended for anyone interested in tricks of the trade.

5 comments about The World's Best Simple Bar Tricks.

1. I purchased this book hoping to learn a few cool magic tricks I might be able to pull of in a bar. I was immediately interested by the cover of the book, which pictures an olive levitating over a martini glass. From this picture, and from the the words "Levitate an olive..." which also appear on the cover, I assumed there might be a trick inside to make an olive appear to levitate. There is, however, nothing of the sort. The olive trick turns out to be a pretty stupid bar bet that has nothing to do with even the appearance of levitation. And it only gets worse from there. Most of the tricks in this book are, as the cover does advertise, incredibly simple; the problem is most of them are so simple they are completely uninteresting. Personally I am glad I never met the author in a bar while he was researching material for this thing.

   My feeling after reading this is that it is a collection of trite gags that will cause the people around you to groan and leave you sitting alone at the bar, buying your own drinks and cursing the day you ever tusted the other reviewers on this one.




2. Haven't put this book to too much use as of yet, but i can tell ou that i find it a little disappointing. Don't get me wrong, they're cool tricks and will probably come in very helpful, but the tricks lack the mystifying appeal i was hoping for. FOr the most part, they're all cool tricks, but once you preform them for friends, you're giving away how it's done. I was anting soemthing that would leave my friends a little more mystified. I guess the tricks just lack the magical side i was looking for. Still impressive tricks, but they won't leave people in aww, unless they're really hammered i guess. I'd suggest combinign this book with The Complete Book of Beer CDrinking Games jsut for kicks. hope this was helpful for you. peace



3. There is a point where simplicity converts to banality, and this book treads that line a little too closely for my tastes. Those new to bar culture may find something to wonder over here, but anyone interested in magic probably won't.

   Having said that, I disagree, slightly, with others who've gone so far as to say that the book--and especially its cover--are misleading. The cover describes the tricks as "idiot-proof", and they are. The tricks are well-illustrated and competently explained. As the cover claims, you will learn how to pass a dollar bill though a lemon, and make a coin walk across the table. To be sure, there's nothing in the book that will teach you how to create the image of a levitating olive as depicted on the cover, but the cover is basically honest.

   If it oversells the book at all, it does so when it claims the tricks will "amaze" friends. It's best to say, as the back cover points out, that the tricks will help smooth over awkward conversational moments. Because of the lack of anything truly breathtaking, or even much that's subtle, this book is best previewed at a local library before purchase. IIt's probably not a smart impulse buy.




4. Do the stunts in this book and you're going to look thicker than a pound cake. The tricks don't ease awkward moments as it claims, instead it makes you feel more awkward than you did to begin with.

   I told my friends I'd levitate an olive for them and they all gathered around the bar. After 5 mins of trying to get the trick to work, it's still obvious to those watching that the olive isn't floating at all. Suddenly you become the butt of all jokes and your friends start calling you names like "spaz".

   I gave it two stars because there is one trick that is actually really good and is almost worth the price of the book. It's the one where you make a spectators finger ring link onto the stem of a borrowed bar wine glass.




5. I hate leaving bad reviews of things because I know someone is trying to make money and I don't want to hinder that.
   
   Truth is that the concept of this book was exactly what I was looking for, but it didn't have anything special in it. I might use a total of two tricks. Most of the things just come off as stupid or little clever games (i.e. with matches)... but very little magic or tricks.

No comments about Mysterio's Encyclopedia of Magic and Conjuring: A Complete Compendium of Astonishing Illusions.