Magic Tricks

Really good book! It is a combination biography with some detail about many of Harry's effects. While many of the effects are available for sale, Harry talks about how he made the needed props and you could too. Some of them involve props that you would really need to purchase, such as the needle through arm, but if you are interested in building a routine around that, you would benefit from buying the effect and reading the book. You can take his routines and make them more suitable for yourself or improve upon them. I have a needle through arm routine inspired by Harry's work that is a combination of the needle through balloon and needle through arm, with the needle inadvertently going through my neck "by accident". It is funny and dramatic. I really took a lot from Harry's presentation, inspiring me to play off the effect as if it is just an illusion, and not really "real". When that is combined with an apparent "mistake", it really adds drama, and ultimately comedy to the routine.
The book is a great source of inspiration to find an entertaining angle to what otherwise is just the same old magic effects. In today's age, even being technically good or great isn't good enough. It is better to be technically acceptable, but a great entertainer. Harry didn't do much particularly technically difficult magic, but he put a lot of thought into how to make something entertaining and there is much to be learned from his book. I strongly recommend the book.