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The Effect
No one knew how to get excitement, applause and publicity out of a mental act better than David Hoy. Now, you can share in some of that exciting mentalism. Includes the Tossed Out Deck, a real reputation maker.

Cost
$9.00 from Hank Lee

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Ranging from around 1-3, I think.

Review
I'd like to start by saying that this is an excellent little booklet. The main purpose of my purchase was to obtain Hoy's book test, but after reading through the whole booklet, I can't see how the book is selling for a mere nine dollars! Included in the booklet is Hoy's book test, which is wonderful, along with several other "bold" routines. Each is excellent in its own right, and all the effects and routines are explained clearly, usually aided by diagrams.

I'm not going to be listing and commenting on each individual effect or routine, but I would like to generalise and say that they are all brilliant. If you aren't too interested in the effects listed, it is well worth reading the booklet if only to gain an insight into the thought process used to come up with such ingenious routines. Reading Hoy's book has really opened up my mind and allowed me to toy with many more ideas and approaches to different effects. For me, for want of a less used phrase, this alone is worth far more than the price of the book.

Personally, I have fallen in love with Hoy's Bold Book Test, it really did live up to my expectations. Hurling The Headlines is another incredible effect, and whilst only briefly explained, leads to many other possibilities and the potential to create real miracles. I also found reading Hoy's explanation of the Tossed Out Deck fascinating, and it gave me the chance to read about one of, in my opinions, the best effects in mentalism/mental magic.

Overall
Overall, I would probably give the booklet something like 9/10, the one point lost simply because I don't think anything is ever perfect

The book is well worth a read, if only to see Hoy's thought processes. At only $9.00, this is a steal.

Mooch,

Thank you very much for the review. I didn’t know this book was still around. Now, I may just have to pick it up.

Elliott

No problem at all Elliott, I'm just glad to have helped! I think it's well worth the nine dollars, and would make an excellent Christmas present (even if it is only to yourself from yourself )!

I just placed my order.

Thanks again,

Elliott

Brilliant! It's a great little book, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

On the subject of books, I'll probably be buying your eBook sometime after Christmas, I've heard nothing but praise for it

Thanks Mooch.

I’m looking forward to the day The Bold and Subtle Miracles of Dr. Faust arrives at my doorstep.

As far as my own book goes, I don’t think it can stand up to Hoy, but I did my best.

Thanks again,

Elliott

Still waiting for that book. I think it is being held because I ordered it together with Blindsight (which is apparently now on backorder.)

Oh, the suspense.

Good luck getting Blindsight - I'm STILL waiting for mine after 6 weeks.

Every email and call is met with "we've been waiting on Mr. Knight to replenish stock - we haven't heard from him". And yet - I see Blindsight in stock on tons of other sites. I find it hard to believe he forgot to ship stock to JUST Hank Lee.

Ironically, I only really wanted the Hoy book. I added Blindsight at the last minute because it seemed I needed a larger order to take advantage of a free shipping offer. Oh well, I guess it’s only a matter of time.

So, my booklet arrived today (no Blindsight, though.)

I haven’t read it yet, but it looks like a tremendous value.

I did notice one statement in the book that I found quite interesting.

Hoy said: “If you can’t do an effective Billet Switch (I’ve never seen it done effectively) don’t do it.”


Wow!! Times sure have changed. Even I can switch billets (quite effectively ) these days.


Elliott

Hi Elliot

Your billet switch is a good deal more natural than David Hoy's "nervy switcher", which seems distinctly OTT!

Barry

Thanks Barry. That Hoy switch really seems kind of odd; at least at first glance. Still. from what I have read so far, the rest of the book more than makes up for it.

Thanks again,

Elliott

mine came through last night, he looks a little like R. Paul Wilson doesnt he from the real hustle on the cover...

yeah, great book - though it did make me laugh when they said along the lines of "he mystifies with everyday objects..." then they show a picture of him with a gigantic spark plug...

Mine came from the late Val Andrew's library some years ago. It does contain some gems. Those of you who are interested in the Tossed Out Deck should get hold of Eddie Burke's ( Mr. E) 14 page booklet called 'Ultimate Telephoney'. This shows you 6 routines for doing the Tossed Out Deck & Books over a mobile phone and a version ( which works like a charm) using a Tossed Out Book. This is also done with a mobile phone.
Imagine: A lady freely chooses 3 out of 5 books and passes them to audience members. She calls out any number between 5 and 200 ( number of pages in the books) They look at the first word on that page.
Someone else, freely, phones up a friend. The magician asks the friend to name the first word. He writes it down on a clipboard. The phone owner asks the friend for a 2nd word. This is whispered to the magician who writes it down. The book holders are shown, one at a time, the words and asked to sit down if their word is there. All 3 sit.( one at a time)They could be shown the words all at once.That is the 5th. routine in the booklet. No preshow work. no stooges.
it does work...easily. I've performed it. About 3 of the routines were published in the Masgic Direct magazine ( Kent) before they went bust but have since been refined and added to.
Allen Tipton

The Effect
David Hoy outline's his 'bold approach to mentalism' and explains his repertoire.


Cost
Relativley cheap.


Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
The methods have little to entertain the sleight enthusiast, but are concerned more with performing skill. 2.


Review
I just thought I would give my two cents having read the book. I will begin by venting the negative points of the book in my mind.
The book reads, at times, like an advert for david hoy. Apparently he was an evangelist, which may seem irrelivant, but perhaps it's because of my ecperiences with evangelists, I found that the 'bold approach' which hoy describes is a list of rules to follow, half of which have little reason or logic behind them: 'let the bold approach be your approach' rang in my ears distastefully. The book did little to promote origionality and tayloring mentalism to fit personality.
Then the book goes onto explaining several effects from Dr Faust's repertoire (in fact, from what I believe, it was his entire repertoire). With the book starting on a bum note from my perspective I was wondering if this was another one of those hyped up books which history has looked too kindly upon and the general concensus of praise for the book pressuring reviews to speak kindly of it. Those books do exist, a lot of hype, but little practicality. Well, I cannot say how relieved I was when I realised this book has deserved it 's high praise. It is not a list of effects. Well it is, but it is not JUST a list of effects and their explanation. It's more than that- it is a series of principles which have been adapted and are now quite deeply engrained within mentalism. The Hoy book test, the tossed out deck are classics. But I think there are also some other overlooked gems in there aswell, the calander effect is a principle which can be adapted to perform some real miracles, 'By gosh it moved' was ingenius if not amusing, the 'hurling headlines' is something worth looking into and the list goes on.
Every single effect cries simplicity and is really evidence for the old idea that the simple methods are the best. I have to admit, I couldn't have got my hands on this book at any better time, because I was caught up with complicated sleights, elegant extravagant deceptions which could create some remarkable effects- but I was missing out by this often superflous complication, because simplicity is a great way of developing performing skill, charisma and focusing on the real stuff of magic. So, even if you don't want to perform any of the effects (which I don't really), or use any of the principles (which I do), then the book will still retain it's value because it will delight you and persuade you until you have to confess to a deep respect and love for simplicity in mentalism. Then the book will have served it's purpose.


Overall