Read What Others Are Saying: page 4
136 ★★★★★ reviews
95 ★★★★★ reviews
62 ★★★★★ reviews
92 ★★★★★ reviews
Cold Reading Lecture 2012
reviewed by Marc Rehula (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 August, 2022)
This is the clearest, most practical discussion of cold reading I've ever read. Voodini teaches the why as much as the what, which means you'll get a stronger understanding of the dynamics involved. (Too much magic teaching undervalues the 'why's of what we do!)
Dai Vernon's Inner Secrets of Card Magic
reviewed by Christopher Reynolds (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 29 July, 2022)
It's hard to believe there was a time when Dai Vernon didn't exist, and his name still casts such a large shadow over card magic thirty years after his death.
I feel almost embarrassed about writing a review for Inner Secrets Of Card Magic. What could a ham-and-egger like myself possibly have to say about professor Dai Vernon that better men than me haven't already said? Is it even necessary to write another gushing puff piece extolling the genius of a man who many consider the Pablo Picasso of card magic?
The answer is yes, and I'll tell you why.
I never knew the man or currently know anyone who did know him. Nor have I ever studied under his former protegees like Ricky Jay or Richard Turner.
I've only read about him over the years, and his name pops up like a bad case of herpes in so many magic books that I started to loathe him. I've consciously gone out of my way to avoid anything related to him.
And this complete lack of hero-worshipping makes me the perfect candidate to look at Vernon's work with a fresh eye and give an unbiased review.
I've learned that if you try to take your skills with a pack of cards to the next level, steering clear of Dai Vernon is impossible. So, I decided it was finally time to wave the white flag of surrender and put my willful ignorance and prejudice aside. And brother, let me tell you, am I ever glad I did.
At first, I was a bit hesitant. Vernon's oeuvre has been so mythologized over the years that I was expecting a perplexing dissertation on quantum physics. No person wants to feel that they're too stupid to comprehend a card trick. But as I worked through the chapters, cards in hand, I realized that the only thing I had to fear was fear itself.
This ease of understanding is partly due to co-writer Lewis Ganson. I've read other works by Ganson, and all share a common trait: clear, unambiguous descriptions that leave the reader with a complete grasp of the text.
That's not to say that I didn't find many of the sleights difficult. I found myself regularly dropping cards all over the floor. Some of the moves might even take months to master. But you can safely dismiss any fears that the material in Inner Secrets Of Card Magic is too complex. In Chapter Two: A Little Thought Required, a few tricks require zero sleight-of-hand, relying instead on subtle moves and misdirection.
Even if you were to read this book and not practice one move in it, Vernon's sly sense of humor and breadth of historical knowledge turn what could have been a tedious exercise into something fun and enjoyable.
I've now read the book three days in a row. It's so full of exciting, inventive ideas and subtle touches that I experiment with the information at hand like a mad scientist until my hands begin to ache.
I feel like a guitar player discovering Jimi Hendrix for the first time.
Do I have anything negative to say about this book? No, I don't. But let me make a recommendation that may ruffle some feathers.
After reading Inner Secrets Of Card Magic cover to cover, I believe that only those with a high reading comprehension level will have an easy time grasping this work. While simple to understand, the text has complex sentence structures and is peppered with words like "commence" and "endeavor," which may be over a casual reader's head.
If a college freshman's reading level is too difficult for you, I suggest you purchase a DVD or download one of the many videos featuring Vernon's work. Otherwise, you'll be in for a frustrating time.
If forced to list any faults, it's this: the photos illustrating some sleights can be grainy. But a lack of hi-def photography is a minor, practically nonexistent point to quibble over.
This ebook is more than a bargain at the going price of $9.90. It's the year 2022, and inflation is at a record high. The other day ago, I spent almost eleven dollars on a loaf of bread and two dozen eggs. In the future, if I have to choose between spending my money on food or Dai Vernon, then I choose Vernon.
If you love card magic and take it seriously, buy this book. Now!
Thumb Tip Handling Masterclass
reviewed by Michael Braun (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 28 July, 2022)
Wow...I'm a Busker and use a large purple diamond cut silk to help gather a crowd, been doing this for a while...really cool when 8 quick videos can make an old dog change part of his game. Gonna be using the tip for more than just making 5 year old's jaws drop from now on. If you're a new magician this is a great little course, if you are an old dog you're not gonna learn anything earth-shattering but it'll make ya rethink the versatility of an old favorite. Well Done Hal!!! this is a great little course and I recommend it for both the Rookie and the Experienced Wizard.
Blue Book 1960
reviewed by Ben Van Aerde (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 28 July, 2022)
Very nice and easy way to download old books. Recommended.
Unfortunately, I bought it for a specific page under 'blue book supplement' which was included in the original version after page 40 printed on yellow paper. This supplement contained 5 or 6 additional pages which were not scanned in this version. So I bought it for nothing, unfortunately.
Encyclopedia of Cigarette Tricks
reviewed by Jim Keen (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 July, 2022)
There are not many books out on the unique branch of cigarette magic. But, this has to be the definitive guide.
Packed full of photos and illustrations, every sleight imaginable, vanishes of lit or unlit, single or multiple cigarettes, and any gimmicks used are revealed.
Even in the PC, woke crowd times we live in, the instructions in this book can be substituted and applied, practically, to any dowel-shaped item. Pencils, crayons (both great for children's magic), and more.
At 304 pages and the low download price you pay, (check and see how much a physical copy will cost you!), it's well worth adding this to your collection.
It's a Biddle Thing
reviewed by Enrico VarellaRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 25 July, 2022)
[I am a colleague of Paul and have received this ebook free of charge.]
The cover of Lelekis's latest book reflects its intention: It rocks! I was pleasantly pleased that this prolific author continues to write books on card magic and, more importantly, recognises the creators of sleights. This book is a tribute to Elmer Biddle. One of my favourite tricks by Alex Helmsley is "Fiddle With The Biddle In The Middle", and it is my workhorse routine due to the use of Biddle's sleight. Author Lelekis frames his extensive restaurant performing experience with two main sleights - Biddle Switch and Biddle Steal - into each of his routines. My favourites are "B-Fly" and "E-Z Cards Across", and they rock.
Nu Way Out Of This World
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
A fantastic addition to the standard Out of this World routine, fully eliminating any need to stack the deck beforehand, making this perfect for a borrowed deck!
The World's Best Psychic Book Tests
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
All sorts of interesting and useful stuff here, but also items of mainly historical interest. Recommended, although the price is a bit steep for this.
202 Methods of Forcing
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
As brilliant as you would expect -- forcing ideas and outright instructions for forces in almost every situation you're likely to need in designing your own routines.
Gems of Mental Magic
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
Good, old-fashioned effects ... but the emphasis is on the historical. Very, very entertaining, however!
Mentalism Masterclass 12: propless mentalism
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
I doubt I need to add anything here, as Turner is a god and this is one of his most helpful gospels! Buy this now.
Coffee Break Mental Magic #1: 3 Invisible Keys of Wonder
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
This is very entertainingly written, but best for those brand-new in the field. Still, at this price, I will be getting it every month.
Annemann's Buried Treasures
reviewed by Sean Hoade (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 July, 2022)
Great, great information and material here. You can also never go wrong with the versions offered by Lybrary.
Cy Endfield's Entertaining Card Magic
reviewed by Christopher Reynolds (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 July, 2022)
What makes a book on card magic underrated? Some will argue that most works are woefully under-read by much of the magic community, choosing instead to watch DVDs and YouTube videos to further their knowledge base. But even within the tiny bubble of hardcore card magic fanatics who read over every available card magic book word for word, some great books fall between the cracks or are ignored. Others are unfortunately not as admired as much as they should be or once were. They are either ranked below their value or not ranked highly enough.
With that said, let me tell you about Cy Endfield's Entertaining Card Magic. Seeing that I'm not a copywriter trying to sell you soda pop or toothpaste, I won't insult your intelligence with over-the-top hyperbole: BEST EVER! GREATEST! OUT OF THIS WORLD!
But I will say this: Cy Endfield's Entertaining Card Magic is a superb book and deserves to be read by a wider audience.
I consider myself to be a professional hobbyist when it comes to card magic. I'm no master of the pasteboards but know enough sleight of hand to spice up any self-working trick. In my heart, though, I've always aspired to be a proficient finger-flinger. My bookshelves are lined with must-have classics like Expert At The Card Table and Greater Magic. I'll be honest with you: those books scare me. To quote movie icon Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force: "A man's got to know his limitations."
But Endfield's book was altogether something else. I never felt like I had just read a complicated textbook or technical manual. Instead, I felt like I had taken a private, one-on-one lesson from one of the forgotten greats of card magic, personally learning the best of his repertoire.
Initially published in 1955 in three separate parts, It's not the typical book of advanced card magic packed with complicated tricks and sleights that only other magicians can appreciate. Studying advanced sleight-of-hand from a book is a formidable task and can be about as dull as reading Marx's The Communist Manifesto, not to mention utterly confusing. But, writer Lewis Ganson uses his incomparable talent to simplify descriptions, step by step, to their utmost essentials.
From refreshing twists on classic tricks like the Ambitious Card to gambling effects like the three-card monte, Cy Endfield has created these routines to not only bewilder and amaze fellow performers but also to provide high-caliber entertainment to the lay public.
And he leaves nothing out, not only teaching you the routines and sleights but the psychology and motivation behind the moves.
Endfield was also a screenwriter and director of such classic action films as Zulu and its sequel, Zulu Dawn. So, it is no surprise that some of his effects highly emphasize storytelling and delivery. Tricks like Two To Divine, "Blackie Is With Us!" and Conjure Bones have plots that seem to have jumped from the pages of depression-era pulp magazines like Weird Tales or Adventure.
But don't just take my word for it. Endfield's legacy is hailed by none other than his former student and conjuring virtuoso, Michael Vincent. It's easy to assume that Vincent praises his former teacher's work out of a sense of loyalty or rose-colored nostalgia, but that would be a mistake. He praises the book because it's good.
Cy Endfields Entertaining Card Magic is a minor classic, but a classic nonetheless worthy of your attention (and your $19.00). Its title says it all. It's a guidebook for learning advanced magic that charms, delights, and entertains its audience. It should be read by every magician looking to add unique, tested material to their collection of tricks. From happy hobbyist to major-league move monkey, there's something in this book for everyone at every skill level.
Insomnia
reviewed by Rolf-Kenneth Herzog (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 July, 2022)
Very very nice. Even for beginners absolutely no problem.
Refining Vernon's 1-2-3
reviewed by hal barlow (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 July, 2022)
A simple clear plot finally gets a simple clear handling. This handling makes this wonderful trick easily accessible to most everyone with no loss of effect. Worth much more than the modest price of $4.
Four Told
reviewed by hal barlow (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 18 July, 2022)
Basically Al Mann's Ti-Id-El principle. This is a very good, more visual item. Very high level, believable, mentalism.
Best Tricks with Invisible Thread
reviewed by William Steele (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 18 July, 2022)
1-star review as no 0-star option - Ordered to expand my repertoire of options using IT which I have been working with for around a year now. This booklet contains no actual instructions whatsoever but only a very brief outline of each trick telling what it is but not how it’s done. Each outline is usually no more than a paragraph or a few sentences long. Utter waste of money and while it might cost only the equivalent of a cup of coffee. Go with the coffee as then at least you will get something for your money other than disappointment and a feeling of being ripped off!
Koran's Medallion Reminted
reviewed by Ian Fernandes (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 16 July, 2022)
I purchased this in 2014 and use this till today. It's as powerful as the lottery prediction if not better because of the engraving part. It's too cheap for the secret and should have cost a lot more.
The Best of Slydini ... and more (Text & Photos)
reviewed by Piero Giani (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 13 July, 2022)
Fantastic, very well explained and with all the pictures A book like this cannot be missed by fans of the genre. It is written as if taken by the hand and shown and taught as a child, the beauty and tailor-made techniques of Slydini.
Diary of a Madman
reviewed by Chet Cox (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 12 July, 2022)
Jeff Stone IS a madman. Let there be no mistake about that. Only a madman would dream such dreams as his. Only one lost to reality would take random thoughts, undreamed dreams, and manipulate them into words and sentences on paper, then to present them as feats of the supernatural which he presents as harmless. So harmless.
You think this mad? First he gives a deck of cards to Alice. (Is he dreaming of the madness of Wonderland or the Land Behind the Looking Glass?) "Alice" looks through the deck, choosing a card, then cuts, shuffles, cuts and shuffles again, and you suddenly reveal which card she only thought of!! Why would you think him mad?
Then - or perhaps much later - he flatters a child, drawing a simple drawing to represent the child. He suggests that she is in disguise - indeed, that the youngster is a superhero and that he will prove this by revealing her secret identity. He drapes a cloth over the drawing and holds it tight to the table. The drawing begins to fly into the air, struggling to escape from the cloth!! As the cloth is pulled away, we see that he HAS revealed her secret identity, in costume, flying about the drawing of her civilian identity.
Madness! That there are at least six further demonstrations of shattering what we know to be real! And yet further ideas that, if worked out in one's own mind, can lead a person to an experiment in possibility, of the most successful man trapped in that possible reality where Life itself offered no further challenges. You may find a page from his diary, in which he lost his reason in an attempt to find some law of change, some rule of physics, which would cause him to win, and win, and win again.
These are the scrambled thoughts, disguised as several "magic tricks," which make up that page and more - from a Diary of a Madman.
Fifth-Business Monkey Business
reviewed by Dan Sherer (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 06 July, 2022)
As expected from Harry Anderson, it's full of good stuff. Well worth a read.
New Pentagram Magazine
reviewed by Dan Sherer (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 06 July, 2022)
There is so much good stuff in here that it's well worth the price.
The Secret Gate
reviewed by Joe Mckay (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 02 July, 2022)
This is a brilliant book.
I haven't been this excited by a magic book since I discovered the work of Andy (The Jerx). The book comes packed with superb bonus podcasts that make spending time with Dartagnan a real joy. I spent all of yesterday working through the ebook and the bonus content. It was one of the highlights of my life in magic (25 years and counting).
Dartagnan has performed thousands of shows as a street magician. And this has allowed him to see (first hand) the brutal indifference that most people have towards magic. This book is a record of his obsession with trying to find a way to tackle this problem head-on.
Nobody is more fooled by magic than magicians. They mistake tricks for magic and overlook the importance of meaning. This isn't some boring magic theory book. Dartagnan has dug deep into some of the best ideas from the world of cinema to help the reader understand how transformative the addition of meaning can be to your magic. Dartagnan has fused some of the most powerful ideas from the world's greatest storytellers with a key observation made by Henning Nelms back in the 1960s.
There is a giant blindspot in magic that 99.9% of magicians are seemingly unaware of. Just reading this book will show you where most magicians are going wrong when it comes to performing magic. Or rather - tricks, since most magicians today are actually tricksters rather than magicians (read the book to understand the difference).
This isn't a book. It is a revolution. Jump on board now and be part of the future.
Secrets to Winning Bridge #2: 2/1 Game Forcing
reviewed by Pat Up (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 02 July, 2022)
Okay. Describes very specifically 2/1 auctions and the rebids ONLY. But completely skips over 1NT Forcing, or how to show major suit raises with either 1NT Forcing, Bergen Raises, Jacoby 2NT or Splinters. How can you play 2/1 without knowing how to show a 3-card 10-point raise?