From the introduction:
The ideal way of learning magic is, it almost goes without saying, to obtain lessons from a magician who is not only a skilful performer but who has also the gift of teaching. The number of such magicians is small. Skilful performers there are in plenty; but the gift of teaching is a rare one. Many a man knows his subject thoroughly, yet cannot impart his knowledge to others.
This ideal way is therefore a difficult one. The learner has first to find an efficient instructor. He may be able to do so if he lives in or near one of the great cities. But if not he will...
1st edition 1911, 96 pages; PDF 64 pages.
From the introduction:
This is an age in which, in order to succeed, one must specialise. One conjuror will specialise in thought-reading tricks, another in silent illusion acts, another in sleight-of-hand tricks, another in the presentation of what I may call “large apparatus” tricks. This book will appeal primarily to illusionists, but I fancy that other magicians will find that it is well worth perusal. I have heard of illusionists who have produced some of their best effects by merely enlarging small sleight-of-hand tricks, and I have no doubt that some sleight-of-hand performers...
From the introduction:
I will introduce this book by a little story told to me by a certain well-known conjurer. It concerns an experience of his while on tour in the north. By some mischance his luggage, including all the elaborate apparatus used by him in his tricks and illusions, went astray on the railway. He telegraphed for it up and down the line, but without result. For the time being it was hopelessly lost. What was to be done? The position was as awkward as it well could be. The bills announcing his performance had been out several days. Most of the reserved seats had already been...
This is a collection of cold reading methods including palm reading, astrology and preparing horoscopes. It also includes a collection of news reports about spirits, ghosts and other weird and unusual occurrences.
From the introduction:
If the vote of magicians and their men audiences could be taken there is no doubt that card tricks would come out on top as the most popular tricks in the world. Go where you will, you can be certain of finding a pack of cards, and with these in his hands a finished performer can entertain an audience for hours. Therefore, I am inclined to think that "More Modern Card Tricks" will have a warm welcome from my readers.
I have included a number of original tricks in this section and some which, although not entirely new, are not generally known. I would specially point...
Here you will find more than 50 card tricks including easy as well as difficult ones. The book includes a number of tricks from other prominent books. For example, we find tricks borrowed from Erdnase's Expert at the Card Table, and the last section is a partial translation of Kartenkünste by Ottokar Fischer.
From the introduction:
An interesting little story is told by one of the old French kings. He asked a courtier to join in a game of cards. "Sire," replied the courtier, "I do not play cards." The king shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Then you are preparing for yourself a sad old age."
There is truth in this dictum even at...
Stories and anecdotes of the Who's Who of magic in the early 20th century. Several are about Houdini.
An autobiographical history of magic, profusely illustrated with diagrams of magic tricks and photographs of Goldston's career.
From the foreword by J. C. Cannell:
The exposures he makes range from the most spectacular and elaborate illusions to the smallest pocket trick. His book, indeed, is the alpha and omega of magic. He conceals nothing, hides no secrets.
The careful researches which I had to make in order to tell the public exactly how Houdini achieved his escapes and performed illusions which seemed like miracles, led me to think that I had exhausted all the resources of magic. But,...
This book covers a mix of stage illusions, manipulations, and parlor tricks. It is very nicely illustrated even featuring a couple of photos.
Paul Fleming wrote:
Will Goldston has been writing books on magic for many years. He is probably the most popular of magical authors, judged by the number of books he has written and the extent of their sales; for his writings on the subject now number several dozen titles, and a good many of them have run through a number of printings. We are somewhat at a loss to account for this popularity, since we personally have never regarded Mr. Goldston as our best teacher...
This is the third volume in the famous series of locked books by Will Goldston.
1st edition 1927; original 362 pages; PDF 198 pages.
Table of Contents
Part I. Pocket Tricks
Part II. Sleight-of-Hand Pocket Tricks
This is the second volume in the famous series of locked books by Will Goldston.
1st edition 1921; original 492 pages; PDF 275 pages.
Table of Contents
Part I. Pocket Tricks
This is the first volume in the famous series of locked books by Will Goldston. He writes in his introduction about his motivation to publish this book: "My aim from the beginning has been to gather together from all sources everything new and big in magic that has not been fully explained before." And indeed we have contributions from the finest magicians living at that time: Chung Ling Soo, Harry Houdini, Servais Le Roy, Conradi, Chefalo, Oswald Williams and Chris Van Bern and others. And don't forget that Goldston himself was a prolific inventor of illusions, many of which are included in this work.
The contents spans...
This book has a broad range of contents, from stage juggling, to the history of playing cards (a really nice article), pocket tricks, illusions, biographical information, ... It is in the very same style as the other Magician Annuals. If you enjoyed those you will surely love this one, too.
1st edition, 1912, London; 99 pages.
This book is filled with a variety of interesting articles, from trick descriptions to patter suggestions, from biographical information to theory. Among others there is a trick contribution by Houdini. This book is layed out beautifully, almost like a magazine. Overall a very nice and interesting book to read.
1st edition, 1910, The Magician Limited, London; 106 pages.
This book describes quite a number of card tricks and has a wonderful account of some of Buatier de Kolta's illusions, for example his famous "de Kolta Chair". An interesting story evolves around the cartoon on page 62, which depicts a famous magician's wife in a not very favorable light. Goldston released later a new edition which had this cartoon removed. Goldston also tried to buy back all the first editions but was not quite successful.
1st edition, 1910, London; 100 pages.
This is the second volume in Goldston's Magician Annual series. It has a nice little section on Chapeaugraphy and a large section on patents. You will find there all kind of improvements to various apparatuses. And there is biographical information and recollections of famous magicians as well as a lot of photos of celebrities.
1st edition, 1909, London; 96 pages.
This was the first Magician Annual Will Goldston compiled and edited. It covers quite some ground. From juggling and optical illusions, to ventriloquism and palmistry. Of course you will find also magic illusions, tricks and patter. And if you want to read a little bit about hoop rolling, you can, too. These Magician Annuals are real fun to read. They are a great window into the past.
1st edition 1908, Gamage Ltd., London; 98 pages.
This is the last book in the 'Magician Annual' series of Goldston. It carries a slightly different title, 'Annual of Magic' instead of 'Magician Annual', but otherwise is kept in the very same style and type of contents as all the other books in this series. Beside tricks, illusions and patter, you will find a lot about magicians of this era. For example the "Who's Who and Why" is an interesting article.
1st edition, 1916, Will Goldston, London; 72 pages.
This book has an excellent illusion section, a decent chapter about escape artistry and also a fairly large trick section with all kinds of routines with cards, silks, ... The really good part are the illusions. You will find several clever ideas. Will Goldston was himself a craftsman and illusion builder. He can therefore write with authority.
1st edition, 1908?, George Routledge & Sons, London; 259 pages.