talkmagic.co.uk

Title 13 steps to mentalism by Corinda



Cost between £18 and £26 from various online suppliers



Difficulty throughout the book ranges from 2 to 5
(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)



Review the amount of stuff in this book should cost sooo many times more than the cover price, 13 chapters filled with all the material needed to help you become a mentalist

Chapter 1 Swami gimmick- covers different types of gimmick, techniques and offers 24 effects

Chapter 2 Pencil, Lip, Sound, Touch and Muscle reading- descriptions of the aforementioned reading techniques with effects for each

Chapter 3 Mnemonics and Mental systems-memory tests, calculations, magic squares, chess effects, card stacking systems and Mnemonic number codes are all covered in this chapter.

Chapter 4 Predictons- starts off with an introduction into predictions before offering techniques for all manner of prediction utilities (billet knives, pencils, card indexes, body indexes, envelopes).Then goes on to explain the workings for 8 "stage" type prediction effects and 12 "drawing room" effects

Chapter 5 Blindfolds and Xrays- details 8 types of blindfold and advises ontechniques before leading on to about a dozen routines

Chapter 6 Billets-offers many different types of billet manipulation techniques and 9 routines.

Chapter 7 Book tests-has a short intro into the genre before offering 10 effects (Zarkamorta II looks like an awesome effect for halloween!)

Chapter 8 2 person telepathy-Details both major and minor systems and explains 8 effects

Chapter 9 Mediumistic stunts-Goes about explaining technique and effects displayed by Mediums

Chapter 10 Card tricks- has about 20 or so Mentalist card effects

Chapter 11 Question and answers (Readings)-a lengthy chapter on the art of Readings and cold reading explaining techniques and effects that can convince even the most unbelieving

Chapter 12 Publicity stunts-Just as it says on the tin, ways of getting yourself known to the public

Chapter 13 Patter and presentation-covers "the essentials of good performance", "personal appearance", "manner and speech","Patter", "Good effects", "Handling", "Misdirection" and "coordination"




Overall I have simply listed the contents of each chapter to give an idea of what is included in this book, as i said at the start the cover price should be so much higher to justify all that is contained, but luckily for us its available cheapish. Even if you have no desire to be a mentalist i would advise getting this book as the little gems of wisdom that are apparent throughout are worthwhile to all performers

10/10

I'm so glad someone reviewed this - and if you didn't I would have done so myself in the next few weeks.

I bought it last week, and am still ploughing my way through. I thought I should read it from cover to cover first - and then use it as a reference book.

This is to mentalism what RRTCM is to Cards, and Bobo's MBOCM is to coins. In short this will go in the Review Index as a "Must buy Item".

If you have any interest whatsoever in Mentalism magic - then don't even think twice about buying this book. Not just for the numerous tricks - but for the discussions on the presentational side of mentalist magic.

If you already do any mentalism work This book will improve your presentation tenfold.

How about doing a sticky of "must Buys" since a very regular question is what book or video would you recommend, so we could have a book for card magic ie RRTCC a book for mentalism etc.

Then if we got really adventurous we could do some "must buy tricks", and since it's nearly always people new or newish to magic, they would need to be the easy ones to perform and preferably with a link for each trick to a review.

So it would end up being a post of the very best books and tricks in the opinion of Talk Magic regulars which then could be pointed to everytime someone asks what ***** would you recommend?

What do you think?

the point about must buy books and videos is a good one but for tricks then its going to end up just another review board with a list as long as your arm.... plus if we keep adding stickies there wont be any room left for reviews... hehe

Awesome book.

Although you're not likely to become the next Berger or Brown after reading this, you'll certainly be on your way.

It's a bit dated in parts, but hell - it's been a while since it was written.

There's MORE than a beach holiday's worth of reading here - and I find myself visiting it's pages time and time again.

Gem.

Ok how about the must buy section simply being added to the post Bananafish has already done in reviews. ie if after a vote a reviewed book or trick is decided to be a must buy, then on the index page there would be some kind of symbol next to it. In other words developing what has already been done with three items that have the word Classic after them.

What do people think about that?

As discussed elsewhere recently, the 'classic' badge could be overused in these situations.

Perhaps if we use the 'poll' function on reviews, like a voting system on what other people think of the effect being reviewed? This would build an instantly visible objective viewpoint from not only the reviewer, but a succession of other owners/users of the reviewed item.

Just a passing thought, don't 'ya know?

your wish is my command... hehe

Yea Seige anything like that. It's the general idea not the detail of how it's done that I'm trying to drive at.

It's working... 2 votes already!

In which case maybe there should be 4 catagories?

Poor
Mediocre
Good
Great
Classic

In which case maybe there should be 5 catagories?
(what did the romans ever do for us?)

ok... YOUR wish is my comand too.... but im not offering the same deal to mandrake!!!... hehe (not dressing up in tight rubber for noone!!!)

Banana since when is

Poor
Mediocre
Good
Great
Classic

four catagories?

It was 4 catagories when I started writing, by the time I finished writing I had added "Classic"

which is why I added.

In which case maybe there should be 5 catagories?
(what did the romans ever do for us?)

Hmm maybe I should read posts all the way to the end