Books (printed) in Magic & Mentalism: page 1

This is the best and most exhaustive work on billets. It is a treatise on the history, methodology and technique on the use of torn billets in the mentalist’s art of thought reading. It starts with an in depth study of the history and evolution of the Center Tear and goes on to detail more work on billets than you could use in a lifetime. The Thirteen Chapters are:

• Initium
• Blue Ribbon Effects
• Facts
• Prophesy
• Qanda Central
• The Covert Tear
• Tear And Read Methods
• The Young Lions
• Pyramid Power
• Sans Tear Methods
• Pre-Torn Missives
• Sealed Messages
• The Day Of The Sit-Tores ...

Please keep in mind that you only get the instructions, not the Reader's Digest Enrich Your Word List booklet, not the ungimmicked Webster's New World Dictionary and no prompter cards. However, the instructions will allow you to adapt this effect to any dictionary in any language.

This 1976 Al Mann Exclusive is widely regarded as one of his most ingenious book tests. From an "Enrich your vocabulary" list inside the covers of a dictionary, two spectators secretly agree to think of one of 400 word pairs. Each thinks of one of the words, looking it up in the dictionary to be certain of its meaning....

Details a true story of Himber challenging Dunninger. Al takes this as inspiration to think about challenge type of effects where somebody challenges you to read his mind.

Note that this manuscript comes unbound in a package of loose sheets, the way Al Mann stored them. You can bind them anyway you like, or leave them unbound, perhaps only hole punch them and put them in a binder.

10 pages

A study in thought prints.

• Mastic Mysteries
• The RMS Principle
• The Deluxe Jupiter Gimmick
• The Gemini Slate
• Donovon's Dust
• Cero-Mentics
• Thought Prints
• The Fellow Traveller
• The Million Dollar Gimmick
• The Unseen Specter
• The Inverted Mark
• The Mediums Tablet...Plus A Bonus... The Book From Sumer! Which combines the elements of a books test with thought prints!

From the forward by Al Mann: "The true art of mentalism is not the illusion of the stage that enchants the eye but the illusion created in the mind that enchants the thought. The mentalist's greatest gimmick is hidden in the inner recesses of his mind and therefore invisible and unexposable. This manuscript expounds the illusive, seldom exploited and little known branch of magic where the spectator unknowingly executes the 'move' that creates the miracle to the full credit of the magician! The "Headline Prediction" is indeed a headline getter for the magician and mentalist. It is a haunting...

A clever way to read billets, invented by Al Mann.

Note that this manuscript comes unbound in a package of loose sheets, the way Al Mann stored them. You can bind them anyway you like, or leave them unbound, perhaps only hole punch them and put them in a binder.

11 pages

Effect: Mentalist displays a board with many designs and colors. Three persons are invited to secretly choose one design each. Mentalist passes out three pieces of art board and tells the three persons to secretly draw their chosen designs on the boards. They are then instructed to think of their designs and color. Mentalist divines all three designs and colors. That is the effect and that is exactly what happens. Mentalist can walk into any audience and do the test without any previous preparation.

Uncannily, the three persons code their thoughts to the mentalist through insignificant "body...

Card feats for the mentalist. This book has 14 effects that Al Mann judged sufficiently amazing enough, and plotted well enugh, as to be suitable for the mentalist to perform. Also included is a chapter of Olof Jonsson’s card mentalism stunts, 9 total, with full methodology. Jonsson was the Uri Geller of his day, so these additional 9 effects are also excellent fodder for the Mentalism show.

Table of Contents

• The Pros and Cons
• Do’s and Dont's
• The Flight of the Psycards. - Signed cards to wallet – Without touching the deck.
• Domination of Thought
• Caster and Pollux
• The Devastators ...

The first part in this four part series deals with effects done with ordinary slates, ungimmicked and without flaps, that anyone can do without having to invest in expensive trick slates.

Note that this manuscript comes unbound in a package of loose sheets, the way Al Mann stored them. You can bind them anyway you like, or leave them unbound, perhaps only hole punch them and put them in a binder.

27 pages

• Pyro-Sorcery - Eight methods for causing a borrowed newspaper to burst into flame!
• Arrested Oxidation - Commanding a piece of paper held in a flame not to burn!
• The Shattering Chalice -Smashing glass by thought! Devil's Tears; The Devil's Flask; The Iron Duchess; The Ghost Bullet; The Pulverised Window Pane; The Glass Key (by Ted Lesley)
• The Falling Block
• Cosmic Motion - Several brilliant new effects utilizing the Pendulum Principle, including movement at a distance!
• Bonus Section - The Cobra, 8 pages of how to do the snake charming act - for real! Plus, a very cool levitating doll trick ...

The book deals exclusively with living and dead tests. It gives a detailed history of the effect and how David Abbott was fooled by mediums doing this. Learn inner secrets from the mediums on how to reveal the names of dead relatives. Simply ingenious methods that will startle you with their cleverness. Mann goes into much detail on these tests and ways to learn the names of dead relatives. Some of these methods were later revamped by Mann and released as other effects but using the basic methods. Mann also teaches you a creepy effect, called Empty Graves, where a person writes the name of a...

There is telekinesis of all kinds within these pages from coins to nails. An effect that allows the mentalist/psychic to bring dead ants back to life! Levitation effects, abnormal lifts, teleportation, creating movement with your mind! Effects included:

• The Bends
• Permutation Of Matter - A Solid Through A Solid Effect
• The Spikes Of Asmodeus
• The Frankenstein Affair
• Imponderable Enrgy
• The Reach Of The Mind
• Merlin's Magic Marionettes
• The Secret Of The Ancients

• TRANS PHONE TEST: Mentalist asks anyone in the audience to use his cell phone to call home and ask anyone to choose a number (which is kept secret). Another person chooses a number secretly. These numbers combined secretly by the spectators to arrive at a page in a book. Mentalist reveals the passage in the book plus the two numbers thought of. You never approach the spectators.
• WEIRD PROPHESY: You write 6 digits on a card and give to anyone to hold. The digits are visible to the person holding them. Members of the audienc call out 4 digits while another person on the phone chooses 2 more....

From the forward by Al Mann: The Mag-Eye catapults the center-tear method of thought reading into the space-age! The technique given here makes obsolete most of the former writings on the center-tear. Including the author's own. Such is progress. But bear in mind that occasionally the mentalist will have need of resorting to the original method of stealing the folded center piece as some spectators write a message and fold it and bring it to you for a test. At this writing only two persons know the secret of the Mag-Eye move. Only three persons know the secrets of "Cistella" and only one has...

Part II from Al Mann Zodiac Series. You will find here several card techniques and a special card trick: how to deal five Aces to any seat at the poker table with a shuffled and cut deck. From the introduction, by Al Mann: I have been told by magicians who should know, that Poker demonstrations and Mentalism should not mix. I disagree with the above 100%... I have seen the amazed look in the eyes of a person when the Mentalist reads his mind... And I have also seen the terrible look in the eyes of the spectator after the miracle man deals five aces (4 aces and the joker), to any seat at the...

A collection of provocative mental effects. Includes:

• A Link With Eternity (An Object Lesson In The Art Of Mindreading)
• To Command The Elements (Weather Prediction)
• Thot-Prints 1 (Test By Fire)
• Thot-Prints Ii (Passing Thoughts)
• Mental-Kinesis (Spoon Bending)
• Dinner Table Yoga (Levitation)
• The Mystery Of The Triplets (Math Mentalism)
• The Sans Tear Center Method (Billets)
• The Unseen Tear
• Sealed And Torn Messages
• Gemel's Messages
• The Tretology Of Dionysus
• The Mystic Chalice
• Typhon's Tongs
• Herpicks' Tongs
• Psychic Feedback
• Suspended Animation
• The Pharaoh's Palm ...

Effects with the Himber of flip-over wallet.

• The Wallets
• Technique
• The Secret Thrust
• A History
• Richard Himber's Billfooled
• Page One
• The Coins From The Pocket
• Life From Space
• The Name In The Vault
• One Message
• Unknown Forces
• Homer
• The Noesis Of Nyx
• One Hundred Clams
• Instant Mindreading
• The Mounds Of Ashtoreth
• The Royal Album

26 pages

A volunteer consults The Delphian Oracle, and secretly writes a question of his or her choice. The psychic, who stands across the room from the person, answers the question.

8 pages

Included in this manuscript are effects that Al Mann himself calls "Spiritual Mentalism". Mind Reading, Future Prediction, Esp, Telepathy, Book Tests and much more are all included in this brilliant manuscript.

• Omar's Prognosis
• Outdone-Outdid
• Top Secret Ii
• Enchantment
• Bonus: A Discussion On "Lorant", Meaning Long Range Telepathy

16 pages

The Life and works of Axel Hellstrom. Contents include:

• Hellstrom's history
• Axel Hellstrom's mnemonic system
• other performers
• Hellstrom & Houdini & the S.A.M.

19 pages

Ted Annemann's writing in Jinx No. 19 alludes to an obscure Al Baker manuscript that Annemann had seen when he was 17 years of age, at which time the manuscript was already old. The manuscript contained some of the first writings by a well experienced and well informed magician. It was called Al Baker’s Mental Effects. This was a remarkable collection of ideas and fabulous routines aimed especially at the mentalist/magician. Although it featured Al Baker’s Billet Reading Extraordinary, each effect in the book was a feature item.

• Al Baker’s Billet Reading Extraordinary
• The Billet Test...

The manipulation of money is fascinating to everyone and probably always will be. Bills are common, pack small, and easy to borrow. This booklet describes in detail all the important moves, gimmicks and tricks with paper money. Great effects are taught, spanning the impromptu situation to the prepared performance from close-up to parlor or stage. This is a great book with very practical and strong effects.

1st edition, 1937 Max Holden, New York; 62 pages.

3. Introduction
4. Chapter 1: Preliminary Preparation
7. Chapter 2: Sleights, Switches
16. Chapter 3: Vanishes
19. Chapter 4: Impromptu Tricks with...

You will find 143 magnificent and entertaining uses of silks and handkerchiefs. Sleights, tricks, and the famous Stillwell Silk Act are explained in detail with 90 illustrations. Jean Hugard details vanishing methods, production techniques, color changes, knots, and flourishes. He also describes how to care for your silks to keep them in great shape for a long time.

Paul Fleming wrote:

Annemann describes a wealth of forty pieces in this wonderful booklet. The first, "Call me up sometime" is a beautifully direct telephone miracle. This is a prime example of Annemann's mantra of 'effect before method'.

I found the following line from Annemann's introduction funny:

1st edition 1934; 50 pages.

Table of Contents

5. Call Me Up Sometime
6. The Borrowed Deck Tragedy
7. Help Wanted...