talkmagic.co.uk

I'm interested to know how many people use books and how many use DVDs.

Personally I prefere a book any day. I can sit with a book on the train and come up with ideas or out in the garden in the summer. I also find books much nicer to just flick through when looking for a trick.

So what does everyone else think, are you book worms or DVD square eyes.

Option 3: Both.

Book worm, definitely. I like to annotate books with ideas of my own.

I agree with Charles as I too like both formats. Whilst I mainly now have DVD's as they are often the only available format for new releases, there is a certain sense of accomlishment when learning from a book that you just don't get from a DVD.

I wish I could get along with books but I just cant seem to get the hang of learning from them.
I have royal road to card magic which I appreciate is a cracking book but when I try and learn a routine with one I just get lost and cant seem to get my head around it. I have in the past gone onto you tube and typed in the name of the trick and seen it performed (sometimes quite badly) and then I'm fine and realise how straight forward it is.
So I buy nearly all DVDs which the snob part of me hates as it seems a cop out but learning from books drives me mad.
Perhaps I'm just terrible as visualising what the text says in my head. Yes that's what it is. I'm great at remembering facts and figure though...hmmmm

I much prefer books. You can carry the around and brush up on things anytime you want.
DVD's are handy and I have learnt some good things from them and if a books explantions are vague and lacking diagrams a visual presentation will leave you without any doubts as to whether you are doing it wrong.

I'd have to vote 'Both' as well. I too love flicking through a book, but depending on how technical the material is and/or how lazy I'm feeling, a DVD can be much clearer. I also like DVDs because you get a whole performance to watch as well, which is good for entertainment.

But, I guess, books just have it...

I deffinatly prefere books over DVDs. I can read my magic books right before I go to bed, or after sleeping in on the weekend . They are a great way to learn and a terrific way to start/end your day.

Books for me, every time. I'll buy a DVD if there's something that I definitely-really-specifically want from it (CUPS doesn't have a hold on me when buying DVDs!), but a collection of magic books is what I would love to own.

I'm not sure if it's because I prefer learning from books, if it's because I find it easier to create twists on effects if I learn them from a book, or if it's simply because the romantic image of a large collection of dusty magic books on a series of shelves when I'm 80 years old appeals to me.

DVDs because they demonstrate certain "moves" better and you can actually see it happening.

I have to vote 'Search Function' - I've lost count of how many times the books vs DVD/Video debate has been started. If I remember the general trend of the other threads, the ones where people didn't get angry, it was that books have significant advantages and so to DVDs/Videos. It all depends on circumstances, inclination and finance. Books are usually more comprehensive and cheaper but DVDs can show the routines easier than words on a page. The downside is that DVDs tend to be expensive and show only a relative few features whereas books can detail hundreds. Some DVDs fall short on promises and don't show clearly enough the tricky bits so may be a disappointment. It's all a matter of personal choice really.

i would have to say DVD bc you get more information on someone showing you how to do it i cant count the number of times i have tryed to learn a trick by book and i've got frustrated and then bought a magic trick with a dvd and i learned it easy

And also with a dvd you can learn about more pressintation on how you could perform the magic bc there actually performing it whilst you watch

Not really been a big book lover but if i have to use one i still would try learning but DVD definitly gets my vote!!

mccabe24 wrote:I deffinatly prefere books over DVDs. I can read my magic books right before I go to bed, or after sleeping in on the weekend . They are a great way to learn and a terrific way to start/end your day.

I can lie in bed anytime and slip my headphones on and watch a dvd to my hearts content.. safe in the knowledge I won't hear the wife complaining as long as I have the volume adjusted correctly ... you can't do that with a book huh?

Definitely books for me. I tend to do a lot of reading during my communte every day, so a good book is a great thing to have handy. I find you get more for your money out of them too. DVDs cost more and usually have fewer tricks. But I do admit the dvds can also be useful for the more complicated moves.

I also like books because it teaches you the method of the trick without teaching you the performance of it, so you can develop your own style instead of starting off by copying someone else.

This is interesting. I can imagine what Mandrake means about this debate surfacing often. Maybe there should be a bi-annual poll on this topic.

Anyway, I've been watching lectures all weekend(International Magic Convention) and I'm almost magicked out. There is a common trend towards talking about how good books are compared to DVDs. The Lecturer's would always talk about how they learned from books. And then, they bring out their DVD's to sell .

By the way, I like both. With books, I specifically like kids magic books. I like building a routine around them. Books that explain complicated moves tend to bore me. I'd rather watch them from a DVD. Bottom line for me is the value of the effect not the sleight. I'm not too good at sleights.