Created: 01/11/2020
Updated: 03/07/2023
Jason England's 17 Card Books to Study
In September 2010 Theory 11 released a short video clip where Jason England introduced 17 books on card magic any serious card magician should read. It was titled "An instructional download on the things you can't download" (my emphasis). Well, I respect the talented guys at Theory 11, but they are a bit behind the curve when it comes to downloads because even back in 2010, 10 of the 17 books were available as download ebooks from Lybrary.com - and most of them for many years. Several more became available in the following years.I can second Jason England's selection. These are all great books worth your time. However, I do think that Roberto Giobbi's Card College series needs to be part of any 'best of' list on card books. It has become a modern classic. I also think that Mr. England could have mentioned one or two of the hidden gems which are typically not mentioned in any such lists but which are absolute gold and by the account of other experts much better than some of the books in Jason's list. I will mention here just two:
Ok, let's get to Jason's list and links to where you can get the ebooks:
- The Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard and Fred Braue
- Encyclopedia of Card Tricks by Jean Hugard
- Scarne on Card Tricks by John Scarne
- Expert Card Technique by Jean Hugard and Fred Braue
- Card Control by Arthur Buckley
- Card Magic of Paul LePaul by Paul LePaul
- Close Up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne
- Stars of Magic
- Complete Walton I & II by Roy Walton
- Dai Vernon's Inner Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
- Dai Vernon's More Inner Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
- Dai Vernon's Further Inner Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
- Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
- Revolutionary Card Techniques by Ed Marlo (While we do not yet have a full compilation several of the individual parts in the series are available: No 1: Miracle Card Changes, No 2: Action Palm, No 3: Fingertip Control, No 7: Faro Notes, No 12: Card Switches, No 13: Estimation)
- The Fine Art of Magic by George Kaplan
- The Expert at the Card Table by S. W. Erdnase