McComb's Magic: 25 Years Wiser
by Billy McComb

From the introduction:

• Dedication
• Publisher's Introduction (by Edwin)
• Foreword
• The Dark Side of the Moon (Ken de Courcey)
• Extension to MIKO: A twist on a standard pocket effect to give it an extra sting in its tail
• Opening the Magic Society Show: An astonishing illusionette, Two sandwich boards and suddenly the 'Sandwich Board Man' is produced!
• The Bang Bomb: a nutty notion with a bomb! It's lit and suddenly explodes with a silent bang
• A Thought-of-Card Turns Up in a Cigarette: The classic trick explained in such detail that, no matter what goes wrong, you have a cast-iron trick which is good, solid entertainment
• The Ultimate Identification: Walk on to a stage, a newspaper in your hand and a top hat on your head. Go straight to a thin-topped table, show the hat empty, open the newspaper, place it over the hat, remove it and a rabbit pops its head over the brim!
• Rabbit From Scarf: Remove your white evening-dress scarf, bunch it up and a rabbit appears
• The Half-Dyed Colour-Changing Silk: The professional version of the Colour Changing Silk with a tremendous off-beat climax
• A Rotten Sneaky Deception Which Pleases Me: A great colour-changing idea that you'll enjoy using
• Frolics with the Hummer Whirling Card: A complete study of this intriguing flourish. It tells you how to do it and how to use it in your show.
• Years of Magical Angling...And Thoughts Thereon: A complete Magic Fishing act. Silks from silks; stack of glasses produced, then a large goldfish bowl. Water and a goldfish produced. A piece of carrot changes into a goldfish and many other effects in rapid succession. Fish are caught from the air and so on. Finally, the fish-bowl vanishes.
• How to Mix Two Tricks to Make One Good Presentation: The Thumb Tie and the Card in Wallet cleverly combined in an off-beat routine.
• Thoughts on the Thumb-Write and a Few Tips Thrown In: The best kind of thumb-writer to use. A Simple hold-out and, finally, a complete presentation.
• The Rigid Yo-Yo: a crazy idea that works. An outsize Yo-Yo which behaves in an abnormal way
• The Wine, the Water, and a Character: The Chris Van Bern Wine & Water, plus the Billy McComb version
• Again Sawing in Half ... Lengthwise: an old trick re-vamped
• The Reverse Cut Svengali Pack An Introduction: an accident leads to a novel comedy routine
• Chop Cups for All: an impromptu version of a classic effect using a crumpled bill and a wrapped tumbler
• We Go Mental: practical methods for the Dictionary or Telephone Directory Test
• An Off-Beat Rabbit Arrival: a bunny appears in a champagne bucket
• An Egg in the Magazine: An easy to make effect that's a winner. Egg is dropped in the pages of a magazine, a match waved underneath and then a fried egg is produced! No trace of the egg anywhere!
• On the Question of Dress: Billy theorises on the sort of appearance you should present. Tips and ideas.
• Thirty Years of Rings in Nests of Boxes: A practical routine for the Nest of Boxes, and the effects with led up to the evolution of it.
• The Clay Pipe: please note the singular. The classic effect but performed with one pipe only. Clouds and clouds of smoke produced at the climax too! The complete working and presentation.
• U.K. Note in the Polo Mints, or U.S.A. Bill in the Life Savers: A borrowed note turns up in an unlikely place
• Splashing In the Card Fountain: Methods and ideas for a spectacular effect
• Impromptu Hat Coils: A tip learned from Edgar Benyon
• Resurrected!: An oldie that's still good for a laugh
• A Face-Lifting of the Goodnight Banner: The Goodnight Banner streamlined and with an extra climax
• William Reminisces: Stories often with a moral you'll enjoy reading
• Assorted Gaglets of the William Brand:
  • Chopping the Aces: You cut to any Ace and then let the audience in on the secret
  • Flat Accordion: a handy prop gag
  • A Gag with the Wiggly Wand: the popular gag wand is used to good effect in a card trick
  • "P": The old pea can gets re-vamped and revitalized
  • Flying Moo: a 'cod' transportation of milk from one glass to another
  • Sucker Ghost: a new dressing and presentation for the Ghost Tube
  • Which Came First?: A 36" silk waved in the air, without steals or body loads, a live dove is produced
  • Please Shut The Gate: a clever continuity stunt to use throughout the show
  • A Clean Gag: a visual prop gag to get a smile
  • Light Humour: another crazy invention
  • Wee Tree: Cute ideas for the paper fir-tree
• Fish Sticks: variation on the Chinese Sticks and a few interesting gags too
• Hot Stuff: the red-hot paper but performed Jumbo-size on stage!
• Odds And Bits - And A Few Other Things: William talks on this and that. How to get your name across. On Art-work, on Pulls, a trick with a Ring, an idea for the Card Crystal, Impromptu Bunny, Shooting Combination-Flash Wand, Hydrostatic, Golf Ball.
• Putting The Act Together: the professional way of compiling programmes, taking the worry out of your packing!
• A Historical Gag: Abraham Lincoln's authentic Gettysburg Address
• Confidence: an advert, which tickled Billy's sense of humour
• Necessity is the Mother: Clever switch of decks for the rising card trick and an unusual off-beat climax
• The Williamised Spider Of Mr. Collins: Pips vanish from a playing card and appear inside a crumpled tissue paper. A streamlined version of the classic.
• The Williamised Close-Up Card Sword: a miniature version of Excalibur! A Card Sword for close-up shows.
• William Does The Card Sword: The original McComb presentation for this classic effect. No cards to pick up off the floor and all the worries have been eliminated.
• Yrutnec Hteitnewt: 20th Century in reverse! A delightful silk effect with three silks and a paper tube.
• The Travelling Card: A fascinating story and a spooky card flourish
• William Does The Hindu Needle Trick: Houdini made a sensation with the Needle Trick. The McComb version is easy to perform and all the worries and snags have been removed.
• The Five Rings Of William: A simple, direct Linking Ring routine that can be used under any conditions
• How To Wash Your Hands: Tips to ensure your hands are immaculate
• William And The Himber Ring: The most Direct routine ever. Three rings are borrowed and magically linked!
• Backword: It had to be! Billy has the last word!

1st edition 1972, 184 pages; 1st digital edition 2018, 194 pages.
word count: 59024 which is equivalent to 236 standard pages of text