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Book Title: Ultimate Street Magic: Amazing Tricks for the Urban Magician

Author: Gary Sumpter

Published: 2006


Synopsis

On the book flap:

"These days magicians have to work hard to keep their public happy. The traditional figure on stage, in sweeping tailcoats and top hats, has gone, usurped by a cooler and edgier trickster taking up their own brand of magic to the streets.

In Street Magic, Gary Sumpter offers readers a wide range of tricks that will wow the public up-close and personal. From impressive effects involving everyday objects, such as coins and rubber bands to playing cards, he moves on to mind magic and stunning illusions to confuse the steel-willed and scare the strong of stomach, with useful tips and thoughtful advice throughout.

Whereever you go - pubs, clubs, markets, restaurants - Street Magic will give you everything you need to entertain, perplex and baffle audiences everywhere."

Cost
£14.99
US$24.95
CAN$32.95


Difficulty
N/A



Review
I picked this one up on impulse while wandering through a local Toronto book store.

This book is ideal for people just getting into magic or even to the experienced magician who wants to add a few tricks to his or her show.

The best thing about the book is the sheer variety of tricks included. Card tricks, money tricks, rubber band tricks, fire tricks, levitation, mentalist tricks and random other kinds or combinations of all of the above. All of them are tailored to working on the street.

A lot of it is fairly basic and anyone who has been involved in magic for awhile will be familar with many of the tricks but there are also quite a few new ones that I have adopted for my routine.

The instructions are fairly clear and are accompanied with actual photographs of the magician doing the trick step by step, which I much prefer over small black and white sketches!

Occasionally, the instructions and the photographs didn't really match up or there weren't as many photographs as I would have liked for clarity.

Overall
8/10

It's a pretty good book, worth adding to any street magician's library or anyone who wants a few new tricks to try out.

Hey, thanks for the honest review!

Yes for all you guys, this book is INTENDED to be VERY basic, so you probably wont get anything out of it.

Nice looking though huh

Gary

Which store in Toronto? Have you been to Browsers?

I actually picked this one up in Chapters. It sort of surprised me that it was there. But then again, it also has Bobo's Modern Coin Magic and a bunch of Hugard books, so I guess it works out for them.

I go to Browser's Den all the time. Awesome store. Great way to lose a lot of money...