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A Beautiful guide to card magic. Picked up vol.1 and 2 after finishing RRTCM and it helped immensely. If you have the spare cash, a must buy.

I have been doing magic for about a year and am wondering if i should start with volume 1 or go straight into volume 2.

That greatly depends on two main things: what you already know how to do and what other resources you already have.

Volume 1 contains detailed explanations on basic hand positions, the overhand hindu and riffle shuffles, false cuts, transfer cuts, card controls, card forces, the glide, the basics of the d/L, some basic flourishes, the spread cull, the top change, the key change, and "auxillary sleights" which include things such as the thumb count, the little-finger count, and the braue addition.

Even if you do know many of these sleights already, this book is an extremely good reference as it breaks down everything into good steps and emphasizes technique.

In addition, volume two doesn't necessarily contain more advanced sleights - it's a continuation of volume 1. I would suggest starting with volume 1 even if you know many of the basics, for it will strengthen your already established foundation and perhaps extend beyond that.

Lastly - the mods will tell you this if I don't anyway - you should go to the introductions section and tell us about yourself so we know more about you and can form more fitting answers to any questions you may have.

I think you will want to get them all eventually, as they really are the best course on cards, that I have found anyway.
I don't think it matters which one you start with. I would look through the descriptions and choose one which covers something you wanna learn...
No. 2 has a great section on the psychology behind card tricks...

I've settled a few arguements with these books with gentlemen that seem to be good card performers.They would say thats not the way to do the EC and when they were shown the illustration in Vol. 2 and it clearly showed the way it is performed from the mechanics grip. These books are not just for settleing arguements, but to help you improve your abilites as a card magiician. Start with Vol. 1 and work your way to Vol. 5, you will see things more clearly and pickup on the subtle observations by Giobbi.
Best
Al

I have all 5 but I am gritting my teeth to work through in order. Far better than the standards from the past, if only inthe detail of explanation.

Now if I just peek at 'Fantasist at the Card Table' in Book 5 ..........

Having recently purchased RRTCM I cannot believe how often it gets recommended to new members. It is truly horrific to understand in places. In my opinion Card College explains everything with crystal clarity and book one should be the first recommendation made to newbies over RRTCM every time.

I will have to concede, however, that RRTMC seems to have better tricks than CC (IMO - so please don't flame me down).

Also, obviously CC is vastly more expensive than RRTCM, but then it is far more comprehensive so I think is still extremely good value for money.

strep wrote:Having recently purchased RRTCM I cannot believe how often it gets recommended to new members. It is truly horrific to understand in places.

There is a discussion going on elsewhere on this site on RRTCM but some people feel that the effort in trying to understand the descriptions in RRTCM pays off bigtime, compared to say just watching a DVD. In most cases, there comes a time of "I see it now" which is worth the work of getting there.
I am not kncking CC, which I think is a fantastic compilation; just saying that the effort of working with RRTCM will probably be worth it.

This series is amazing, if read and re read each page, you can't go far wrong. Everything is explained with such clarity, the diagrams are superb and Giobbi has an excellent teaching style.
It really is a royal road on Steroids.

As for Light and Lighter, they both have some of the self workers that you didn't bother to learn, but through the way they are explained in Card College, can be really strong effects (TNT for example)

Well thats my rambling stuff done, Buy this...

I would agree with all the reviews that praise the card college series.

I have bought the first three, and intened on buying the other two soon.

I really can't sing it's praises enough. I got RRTCM, which I did learn bits and pieces from, but on certain things like palming and forces, it seemed hard to understand and was lacking much needed illustration in parts, but after reading a lot of card college volume 1, RRTCM seems much clearer now.

As a beginner myself, I would recommend the series to other beginners......start with reading card college vol.1, then RRTCM, then go on to card college volume 2. That's my opinion on the easiest and funniest way to grasp the basics.

I agree with the comments about RRTCM. I found it, and ECT, very heavy going.

I looked at Card College in the Magic Circle library last week and was impressed. But as I don't do much card magic it wouldn't be worth buying.

What I did buy, and which I can strongly recommend if you can't justify the expense of Card College, is Walter Gibson's "Complete Illustrated Book of Card Magic". This is a 400 page large format hardback, clearly written and well illustrated by photographs - and I've just picked up a second hand copy for £6 including postage.

Barry

I have been considering buying this series for some time, when funds allow!

There are 3 in the Light series also- Light, Lighter and Lightest which are supposedly mainly self working or very basic sleights anyway.
Hope to eventually get them all.

Barry, thanks for the tip, I will look for that book also.

I think the best advice for studying CC is to only buy one volume at a time. This will forestall any rushing ahead, it's cheaper, and it will ensure you develop a good foundation in the techniques.