The other reviews are correct you are not going to find information in this book to walk onto the
street and perform. You may not even find something that you feel in todays world you will go out
and perform on stage
however
.as magicians we have all evolved. Our evolution can not ignore the
basics. This book gives a very nice look at some classics, some which can be modified for todays
stage AND the street if you put your mind to it. I knocked it down one star as I do not feel its a
must own, but still a great read if you are into magic for more than a passing fancy!
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
When I first got this book, I had MUCh higher hopes. Maybe it was because I purchased it looking for
one effect in particular. Maybe not.
Overall, the types of effects don't vary as much as
the effects actually do. The types of effects are really ones you might bring out after dinner or
for a friend or two. There isn't much in here that is practical for every day use and some of it is
a little dated.
Scarne is a fantastic teacher. He makes sure everything is in simplest form
and reduced to what is easy for MOST Magicians/beginners to learn from. I don't think this was
really pointed towards Magicians though. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this to someone JUST
beginning in magic though. I might lean towards Joshua Jay's book. But if you are like me and just
like to read through different things, you will probably find it somewhat interesting.
0 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
After reading the reviews for this book, I can't say I'm really surprised from them. This is a book
for a working stage magician, not a kid on the street. No, I do not use many effects from the book,
hell I've only performed some of them a few times, but for like , it's worth it. This book contains
the royal magic effect, "Vanishing Glass And Liquid", also it explains how to perform the strength
tests Criss Angel did on his special(a line of people push him, and he doesn't move).
This
book is worth having in your library, but don't expect a lot from it.
0 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
This is a great book if you were a magician in the fifties or sixties, wearing a tux every where you
go and if you smoked, this is not an insult to Penguin Magic, I recomend almost everything else on
the site EXCEPT THIS
0 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
I bought the book with BIG hopes, but its not all that goog, the desk levitation is interesting but
cheep. There are 2, mabe 3 good illusions in it.
Most of the stuff is for old timer
magicians, mors of it requires you to wear a formal suit, and have a smoke on hand....
Who
wears formal suits on the street, and there arnt a lot of people smoking nowdays.....
0 of 4 magicians found this helpful.