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I was doing a little Christmas shopping when I came across this book in Hawkins Bazaar. For a copper shy of 4 quid (why I didn't just say £3.99 there I don't know) you get a hardback 77 page book with 21 'experiments' in it.

Despite one or two of the tricks being ones that you learned when you were 8 (such as 'Tuning In' - Marc himself even admits that this trick is one favoured by drunken uncles) there are some real gems in there. Not only do you get the tricks but Marc also provides some good stylistic suggestions on how you could perform each one.

Whilst I won't cover every trick the gist of some of my favourites are as follows:

A Coin-Cidence

The spectator chooses one of three coins and you correctly predict which coin they would select (very similar to a Max Maven trick where he uses invisible coins).

Sense & Sensitivity

You ask a spectator to count the number of matches in a box and then to take some out. You correctly predict the number of matches still left in the box just by shaking it. This trick alone, in my opinion, is worth ten times the books' price. It's the kind of effect that I could imagine Derren Brown doing if he happened to be in my house and just happened to open my kitchen draw only to find a box of matches rather than a tube of smarties or every button that has ever fallen off my clothes. I digress.

Front to Back

Very weird mathmatical oddity - I have no idea how it works but it just does. The spectator cuts a deck of cards and turns the cut cards face up. They are counted and then shuffled back into the deck (still face up). The same number of cards are then counted off again (some face up, some face down). A very easy sleight (skill level 1 if from 1-5) occurs at this point . Now both piles have the same number of reversed cards. (Cue the twilight zone music).

Find a Friend

You casually point at photos of friends (possibly dead friends??) whilst a spectator silently spells through a randomly chosen name from a list. The spectator stops you when they have spelled out all the letters in the name. You turn the photo over and it has the name written on the back that the spectator mearly though of. I like this for its simplicity and the fact that the theme could be changed easily.

All told I was very impressed with this book. It is aimed at those just starting out on their mentalist path but has, as I mentioned previously, one or two gems that I'm sure can be used (and expanded upon) by the more seasoned amongst you. For £3.99 you can't really go wrong!

I agree. While not comprehensive, I think this is an excellent book for folks who are stating out with Mentalism.

Thanks,

Elliott

I have this book too. Although for beginners, has some nice effects in it but the only gripe is the way that the effects are written as stories which is a bit kiddie.

This was in my Christmas prezzies last year - a most excellent book and at the price above, good value for the money.

I've gto LeMezma's "Mind Magic". I think it was one of the first I got as I drifted from psychology into mentalism and it's got some nice effects in it. I appreciate a less cocky, more academic style of writing, but it's good nonetheless. And it's got a velvet cover, which makes it feel a bit more luxurious.

I got this book for Christmas a couple of years ago, and just dug it out after reading your post. I remember after getting it, I enjoyed performing a couple of the effects for my friends, but not really understanding most of them or seeing the point. However, I was only 13 (I think), and having now re-read the book can actually appreciate the material inside.

I really like Marc's style of writing, and some of the effects in the book are pretty fun. Well worth the money

Tomo wrote:I've gto LeMezma's "Mind Magic". I think it was one of the first I got as I drifted from psychology into mentalism and it's got some nice effects in it. I appreciate a less cocky, more academic style of writing, but it's good nonetheless. And it's got a velvet cover, which makes it feel a bit more luxurious.

Is this a completely different book to "Mind Magician"?
I've seen this on Amazon and have been tempted but as there were no indication as to what the contents were, I thought it may have been a repackaged version.

Ah, oh. I dunno, actually. The ISBN number on mine is 1-84330-467-7

The book I have is black and velvety (mmmm, nice!), the ISBN is 1843304767 and it looks like this:

Thanks.
What are the names of some of the effects in it?
I am tempted with this one but want to make sure that it's not too similar to the other one.
The reason why is the "How To Be A Mind Magician" is an exclusive to Hawkin's Bazaar and I thought it may be a repacked version or something.

I have a horrible feeling we're talking about two different books here, I'll bring my copy in after lunch and list some of the contents of Mind Magic so they can be cross-checked with How to be a Mind Magician.

Mandrake and I definitely have the same one. The tricks are "First steps into the unknown", "I know what you're thinking",. "Is somebody out there?", "Written in the stars", "Mind control", "A night that goes with a bump?", "and "Drop dead magic".

From memory, is the first routine set in a pub using a friend called Michael where the magish knows what Michael usually does each day (sad, sad, sad!) and predicts the 'freely cut to' card using one of the oldest forces ever invented, initial C followed by another C?

I saw this in hawkins the other day, but being my usual snobish self, didn't really pay it any attention. Might have a look at it at lunch time.

Mandrake wrote:From memory, is the first routine set in a pub using a friend called Michael where the magish knows what Michael usually does each day (sad, sad, sad!) and predicts the 'freely cut to' card using one of the oldest forces ever invented, initial C followed by another C?

Yup. It's the same one.