Reviews: Read What Dr David T Williamson Is Saying
1 ★★★★★ reviews
2 ★★★★★ reviews
Encyclopedia of One-liners for Magicians
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David T Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 25 August, 2026)
You'll find something you can use, but don't count on being overwhelmed with a myriad of new material. Most of what I read in the first few pages contained slightly off-color, or better yet, derogatory remarks where so-called humor is delivered at someone's character. Other one-liners fall in the category of "no laughs because you'd have to explain the punchline." Is it worth $6? Absolutely. Will you gain new material? Yes. But when you come across the one-liners that do not fit your personality, style, or audience, allow those line items to be used to spark your ingenuity and creative thinking so you can adapt them to your style. I'm reminded of Carl Ballentine and Don Rickles.
103 Tips and Resources for Magicians
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David T Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 25 August, 2026)
There are a lot of great tips in Dustin's book, and a few not-so-great. For instance, #4 says to "Carry a deck of cards, coins etc. in your car. At red lights, practice the move. Do NOT practice while driving!!!" I would argue that you cannot get into the proper rhythm of practice and rehearsal while sitting at a red light. If you are picking up your wife from work and she is running late, sitting in the parking lot is a better time to practice. I have not tried the hyperlinks yet. I am hoping that they all still work. These tips and resources can help you move your performance level to higher heights. I've been around the field of magic since 1972 ... and I still need a mentor. In an indirect way, Dustin's tips fill that need. And at $4.95 - this is a steal (side steal?). ;-)
Linking Ring Manipulation
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David T Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 25 August, 2026)
Although Dariel starts this book with a reference to his rope magic book and Tarbell - and ends this book with a shameless plug to some of his other works, I was a bit surprised at how well this is written. It is fairly easy to follow, and even with "faint drawings", they are beneficial. I have no reservations in saying that this book is worth the $7. Combined with several other books on the market that focus on this ancient effect, you will find some overlap, but that is to be expected. I'm taking one star off because of the old-style drawings (someone should rewrite this book, and others like it, with better visuals!).
Tops Treasury of Ball Manipulation
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David T Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 25 August, 2026)
Although there is a wide variety of sleights, maneuvers, and routines, the majority of the content toward the back (using balls with props) requires other apparatus that the magi may not have lying around, thus making that content null. The hand-drawn illustrations are terrible. Not only should those be redrawn by someone other than a 3rd grader, there should be a lot more of them! If you are a visual learner you might have a difficult time following the narrative. But, all said, for $7 it's worth the purchase. You might have to look long and hard, but you'll get your money's worth.
A serious rewrite is warranted.
Lessons in Scripture
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 27 September, 2024)
If you have been doing gospel magic for very long, you will have noticed that the majority of effects focus on only a handful of narrative presentations. The value in this work is not so much in its repetition, but in its presentation of the effects that are most common in this field. Be confident that even if you are a seasoned professional in this field of magic that you will find at least a few golden nuggets of value that will help you not only entertain your audiences, but that will assist you in pointing those in attendance to the truths of Scripture. At a minimum, after reading Rev. Bodley’s approach and nuances you should at least be provided with food for thought in creating new routines and subtleties in handling, and at this price … you can’t go wrong.
Thimble Magic
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dr David Williamson (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 27 September, 2024)
While only one somewhat thorough treatise on thimble magic should suffice, the avid performer or purveyor of everything “thimble” will find something of value in each of the books/manuscripts on the topic of thimble-flicking. This one is no different, and for the price, you cannot go wrong. The nuances of handling are explained either in written and/or in pictorial form.
The question that I felt was left unanswered is, “Do people really care anymore about the appearance, vanish, and change of thimbles?” Stated another way, “Is the pursuit of thimble dexterity solely for my own enjoyment or for the purpose of showing off in front of my magi friends?”
To summarize: Know WHY you desire to become proficient in thimble manipulations before tackling this nearly lost art form. With this as your foundation, you’ll quickly see the value in having a multitude of works on everything thimble, for each of those that lybrary.com offers is worthy of your money … and your time.