talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect
"Over 100 tricks that ANYONE can perform with simple, inexpensive props!"


Cost
£2.50 from www.cards4magic.co.uk


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)
1 - Shouldn't give anyone here any trouble



Review

I ordered some stuff a while ago from www.cards4magic.co.uk and decided for £2.50 this book was worth taking a chance on as even if a few of the effects were good it would justify the cost.

This is a beginners book really as nothing in here has any fancy sleights, and as it was written in 1953, some of the effects are dated but there are some nice things in here. Not groundbreaking stuff, but some amusing effects.

There are sections near the back that give a brief introduction to sleight of hand with cards and coins, ventriloquism and showmanship which are interesting to read even though I should imagine there is nothing new here for most of the members of this forum.

From what I can gather, this is a compendium of effects that were originally printed in a magazine called Magic is Fun! and although it would bore you senseless if I listed them all, here are a few of the better effects it contains:

The Soaring Cigarette : A cigarette rises out of the packet and through the air until it reaches your hand.

Coin In Orange: It can't be signed but an easy, basic method for this effect.

Book Magic: A basic book test style effect

Easy Cut and Restored Rope Trick

And loads more. There are some great effects in here and some rubbish, it's kind of like a basic Tarbell and a primer for more advanced magic.

Most of the props needed are easy to obtain and make and for £2.50 you can't go wrong, even if there are only two or three effects you will use.

The style is very 50's in the way it's written and the illustrations and it's the ideal book for a youngster who has an interest in learning magic but is not loved enough to spend more than a few quid on.


Overall
7/10

I am glad you like PM , Lord Freddie. I bought the original edition in 1953 from a newsagents in Cradley Heath, Worcs, where I was born.
Alas it went to some other magician and was never returned. Since then I am now on my 6th. copy! The others..same thing. Why do magicians never or almost never return borrowed books?
It is indeed a great little book from which many useful ideas & prompts for ideas still come. A good gift for a beginner. Robin Thomas sells it cheaply too, Deceptions Magical Supplies, Somerset.
You'll note that David Robins founded the world wide( supply to dealers) company D. Robins & Co. The catalogues contain a vast array of magic for retailers. Of course he publishes PM himself now.
Allen Tipton

Cheers Allen,
It's a great little book which will be overlooked by many as it would seem old fashioned, which is all the better for people like ourselves who can keep the little gems in there for our own use!
There's some nice little effects in there and all easy to perform and make and they are not things that have been over-performed or widely known.
As a primer, it is, as you said, a great book to give someone who is starting out in magic and it introduces them to sleight of hand and has effects that are simple to perform but effective to an audience.

For the price it's being sold for, I can't understand why anyone would pass this up as even if the effects themselves are not to someone's taste, you can take the ideas and principles as a base and make something that's completely your own from it.

nice. I dont even have to feel guilty about buying this one

It's a bargain!