Theory, Articles & Reviews in Magic & Mentalism: page 1

There is no argument about the dilemma faced by many newcomers to mentalism. Are mental effects best presented as natural phenomena of the mind, or as examples of rare paranormal or supernatural abilities?

Most of today's mentalists use the "mental skill" as opposed to the "psychic gift" approach, but only rarely are they particularly consistent about it. Even Joseph Dunninger, the pre-eminent mentalist of the twentieth century, sometimes made conflicting claims. While he stated that his thought reading skills were "scientific" and not those of a fortune-teller or psychic, his promotional materials often...

This is a new edition of the famous and unique magic dictionary by Bart Whaley. Bart has continued to correct entries in this dictionary until the present. We have converted everything to PDF and added bookmarks for each entry in the dictionary as well as inserted thousands of hyperlinked cross-references to make browsing and using this dictionary as convenient as possible.

There is simply no other such encyclopedia. Some have tried but nobody has achieved what Bart Whaley has. The depth and breadth is mind boggling. Almost 4000 terms are described. This is the absolute must have magic desk...

Paul Fleming wrote what some consider the best book reviews in magic ever. This is the collection of all three volumes, in total 167 book reviews. Many reviewers then and now chose to write largely very positive reviews, more like an ad rather than a critical review. Paul Fleming on the contrary wrote his true opinion and slammed a book if he thought it was garbage. That makes the reviews so valuable, because you get an honest and informed opinion.

The only danger in reading these reviews is that you will find many more books you will want to read.

1st edition 1942; PDF 273 pages.

Do you know the correct temperature for your library? What should the humidity be? Can you save rotting leather? What's the best method of storing playing cards? How do you recover computer disks that have been drowned? Just one reading of The Conservation of Magic will save you years of research and study in order to care for your artifacts so future collectors will find them in the best possible condition. Each chapter gives you the basics of understanding your magic collectibles, and then, step-by-step, how to care for them. You will learn how to look at your treasures like a professional,...

This is book two from Fitzkee's trilogy and is unlike any other book ever written on magic. It was the first book (and to my knowledge the only book) to attack magic methods from a scientific standpoint. Fitzkee develops here a classification of effects, from appearances to vanishes, and then describes a system to invent or develop new trick plots. This is an invention system. I would say it is one way to invent new trick plots. But even if you are not of the scientific sort, the classification and discussion of magic effects and methods is a tremendous resource to expand your horizon and think...

This volume, book three in the trilogy, is all about the psychology in magic. Mechanics alone, a sleight or move, are not sufficient to produce a strong magic effect. Dexterity by itself is more like juggling. Only if misdirection, the psychological aspect of deception, is added into the mix, will one be able to create a truly magic experience.

There aren't many good works on misdirection. This is one of the must read ebooks, a classic in the theory of magic. A shorter but modern discussion of misdirection can be read in Pocket Power by Jarle Leirpoll.

Paul Fleming wrote:

Dariel Fitzkee authored one of the best trilogies on magic theory. This volume, book one in the trilogy, primarily deals with theoretical aspects of a magic performance. This book has been cited numerous times and is one of the standard works every serious magician should read. Fitzkee has a very analytical mind and describes his thoughts clearly. As with any theory not everyone will agree with every detail and every suggestion. Regardless of if you fully subscribe to Fitzkee's thinking or not, there is plenty to learn from his writings.

Paul Fleming wrote:

This is a comprehensive guide to developing a restaurant magic repertoire, finding a suitable venue, strategies to help you keep your job and other practical information for the working professional.

Jim Sisti is a long time, experienced and professional restaurant magician. He was also the editor of The Magic Menu, a magic journal solely dedicated to bar and restaurant magic. You won't find any effects in this ebook, but you will find heaps of practical advice to build a career with restaurant magic. And most of the information, advice and suggestions you will receive apply in good part to other venues...

The original title is Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation et de la Magie. It was the collection of lessons and information Robert-Houdin intended to teach his sons to make them expert magicians. However, his sons did have other interests, mechanics and military, which led him to publish his recordings as book. Prof. Hoffmann has translated this masterpiece into English.

• Editor's Preface
• Author's Preface
• Introduction
• Home of Robert-Houdin
• Conjuring and Its Professors
• Art of Conjuring
• Coin Conjuring
• General Principles
• Coin Tricks
• Card Conjuring
• Sundry Expedients
• Cups and Balls
• Various Tricks ...

Read and search all the reviews from Magic Magazine from 1995-2005. It contains almost 1400 pages of text, over 1500 books, videotapes, DVDs and tricks from the last 10 years.

Find out if that product on eBay is worth purchasing. Search for products from your favorite creators. Search on the term "highly recommended" to find out what should be in your magic library. You can search on products you already own to find the hidden gems.

This ebook is particularly useful in combination with Jamy Ian Swiss Book Reviews. It allows you to get a second opinion on many books both reviewers covered.

2nd edition 2005; 1379 pages....

Most magicians involve a part of their audience in some of their effects, be it the trivial act of picking a card, or a more involved on stage helper or assistant. We can call all of these people volunteers, because they volunteer to participate in one form or another. Jim Kleefeld has written the first detailed and thorough work on volunteers, how to pick them, treat them and plan accordingly. Since he is trained in theater and psychology, he is very qualified to understand the perspective of volunteers, how they feel, how they would like to be treated and how they might react.

You can find...

Unless you are exclusively performing for friends and family, you should have a contract for each engagement. Of course, the best is to have a lawyer in your home state write up a contract specifically tailored to your needs and circumstances. But before you contact your lawyer you should sit down and read this ebook to learn more about contracts. The better prepared you are and the clearer you can present your needs to your lawyer the less time it will take and the less money it will cost. Your lawyer will also respect you more if you have a better understanding and know what you want and why...

This ebook addresses in a fairly comprehensive and very thoughtful way, how should one approach a stranger with magic. I have not seen any other work which addresses this issue in such detail and with such practical advice. If you are looking to do some 'street magic', this is an ebook you should not ignore.

1st edition, 2005; 140 pages.

• Why the Public Approach?
• Reversing the Perspective
• Fundamental Human Nature
• People are Bored
• Personal Confidence
• The Freedom of Indifference
• Reframing Limiting Beliefs
• Performance Anxiety
• Practice Makes Perfect
• Testing the Waters
• It's Nothin' Personal ...

As the title suggests, this is a pure work about theory, but not old and dusty thoughts, instead a fresh and new look by Daniel Tyler. Certainly you will find topics which are as old as magic, such as 'the merit of gimmicks' and 'misdirection', but you will also find a chapter dealing with 'where to shop', which is up-to-date and includes places on the internet. This chapter alone can save you a multiple of the price of this ebook. Or what about 'getting the girl' or 'how to admire Blaine, but be yourself' - all topics that Daniel discusses. You might be shocked to hear that Daniel is just eighteen...

This ebook gives a very nice glimpse into the past. It describes the routines and effects of the programmes of famous magicians. You will find descriptions of programmes by Dai Vernon, Al Baker, Annemann, Cardini, Blackstone, Dante, Davenport, Hugard, Keating, and many more. Check the table of contents link further down for the complete list.

1st edition, 1937, Max Holden, New York City; 49 pages.

2. Percy Abbott
2. AMAC
3. Annemann
4. Al Baker
4. Roy Benson
5. Walter Baker & Co
5. McDonald Birch & Co
5. John Blackledge
5. John Booth
6. Harry Blackstone
7. The Late Herbert Brooks
7. Milbourne Christopher
7. The Great Carmo
7. Keith Clark
8. Cardini
8. Cortini
9. Chris Charlton
10. Judson Cole
10. Henry Clive ...

Dorny was a much liked and regarded magician of his time. One of the highlights of this book is the "Who's Who and Why" section which will tell you a lot about the colleagues of Dorny. There is also a good patter section and a number of tricks ranging from cards, coins, mentalism, most of them contributed by other magicians like Hugard, Blackstone, Jordan, Brema, Hilliar, ...

1st edition, 1921, W. Dornfeld, published by Arthur P. Felsman; 286 pages.

13. Overture
19. Act One - "Chatter"
65. Intermission - "The Ne-Kro-Mancer Man"
73. Act Two - "Who's Who - and Why"
181. Intermission - "War Magic"
193. Act Three - "Trix"
272. Finale

Unless you have been hiding in the basement for the last decade, you know Jamy Ian Swiss has been writing insightful, well written, educational, funny, and opinionated book reviews for Genii magazine. Swiss, soon to begin his ninth year of book criticism, began reviewing books for Genii in June of 1994.

Now you can own the complete collection of book reviews, from 1994 through 2001, in one convenient ebook. In addition to 217 reviews, you’ll receive "A Millennium of Magic Literature," a special, comprehensive feature Swiss wrote for the January 2001 millennium issue of Genii, as well as an introduction...

Harry Leat presents a great selection of cartoons with a magical theme, many of which reveal a universal truth. They will make you think, just as they will make you laugh. Harry also continues his stories from Forty Years in & around Magic.

1st edition, 1927, Harry Leat, London; 95 pages.

3. Truth
7. Your Mirror
11. Introduction
15. A Good Opening
16. The First "Palm"
17. "See the Thread"
18. Not for Magicians
19. The Flying Candle
20. Apparatus and Books
22. Chemical Magic
24. New Apparatus
25. A Great Future
26. Fakirism
28. Dreams and Reality
29. Telepathy
30. Refined Magic
31. "Uncle"
32. Mr. Charles Conyers
34. Mr. Wilfrid Jonson
35. The Modern Conjurer
36. The Good Old Days
37. Circumstances...

Jarle Leirpoll is one of Norway's leading Stand-Up and Close-Up performers. He received the Norwegian magician of the year award in 1998. You will find effective and deceptive ways to switch, ditch and steal - using only the normal pockets and occasionally a Topit. Several original routines and lots of techniques and ideas are explained in detail, including more than one hundred illustrations. On top of that four video clips are embedded in the ebook which show 5 effects. The chapter about Choreographic Misdirection has been significantly increased over the paper version of this book from 1995. ...

Another great book from Arthur Buckley. He discusses some theoretical aspects of magic and then goes into detailed instructions of moves and routines with coins, cards, and billiard balls. I can highly recommend this book.

1st edition, 1948, Arthur Buckley; original 222 pages; PDF 185 pages.

• CHAPTER ONE
  3. Photograph of the Author
  9. Dedication
  10. Introduction by Theo Bamberg (Okito)
  11. Foreword by the Author
  22. The Principles of Magic
  25. Manipulation
  25. Substitution
  25. Duplication
  26. Camouflage
  26. Imitation
  26. False Partition
  26. Concealed Mechanism
  26. Falsification
  27. Arrangement
  27. Preparation
  27. Misdirection
  28. Concealment ...

Two things are noteworthy. One, it is a must read book for magic theory interested. Two, it has a 20 page bibliographical index of card tricks. This includes sleights as well. Anybody doing research on card moves or routines should have this index. It makes searching a lot easier. And this index might point you to interesting books you have not heard about or which are not in your possession.

Paul Fleming wrote:

Mysterious Mr. Yu or Haldane of the Secret Service is a story (film script) to one of Houdini's own movie creations. It features Houdini as Haldane, a secret service agent who fights an evil ring of counterfeiters, interwoven with a love story.

1st edition, 1921, Harry Houdini; 6 pages.

In 1997 The Art of Deception - The Affinity between Conjuring and Art was published. The 407-page, hardbound book was a limited edition of 500 signed and numbered copies. It was well-received and quickly went out of print. The book has never been reprinted, and probably never will be, because the cost would be too great. The Art of Deception originally sold for $110. Now you can have a copy of this fascinating book for a fraction of the original price. An errata page and addendum are also included in this ebook.

The book contains hundreds of illustrations, with many of them in full color....

Originally entitled Artifice Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table, is probably the most cited and referenced book about card gambling moves - a classic in the history of magic literature. A must read for any card magician or aspiring gambling expert and an indespensable reference book. While the authorship of this book is hotly debated we are convinced it was Edward Gallaway. (For a detailed work on the search for Erdnase see Hurt McDermott's Artifice, Ruse & Erdnase.)

[A copy of this book is also included in Michael McDougall's Card Mastery. This ebook is also available in a German translation.

Paul Fleming wrote: