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by **MagicBell** » Aug 5th, '08, 12:00

It can often be very difficult to understand the explanation of techniques from books. Even if the motions are explained well, the actual flow of it all is far too difficult to describe in a text. Thats where hundreds of pictures may come in handy. (while on the subject, theres an edition of Bobo's Modern Coin Magic that boasts of 510 illustrations - are these not in the normal edition?). Sometimes it just needs to be seen to be got. On the other hand, this difficulty may prevent many inexperienced attemptees from learning effects that are way above them. I imagine experience and previous knowledge would create additional images in your mind to accompany the text and clarify the explanations.

cymru1991 wrote: I also seem to have this idea that surely all magical texts should be books- old and dusty and crumbling- yes a very romantic ideal I know.

The same idea that I was expressing.

And on the topic of finding quality material in children's books, etc. I suppose its all in the presentation, isn't it? Even if the effect isn't all that impressive, I'm sure most of you could make it look so, and even make it look like a completely different trick, just through the presentation.
Although im not saying those books will all be full of c*** (not the best)...

by **bmat** » Aug 5th, '08, 18:03

greedoniz wrote:Books, books, books.....Well I am going to disagree with everyone here and in the process show my self up to be a right lil' philistine in the process.
I dont like books...there I said it

This is in regard to books of a magicial instructional content only of course as I very much enjoy reading books on magic theory, science, and other such stuff.

As far as magic instruction books go they actually bore me rigid as they are generally a list of instructions which I then find hard to follow.
The endless frustration of sitting there with a prop trying to decifer what the author of the effect is getting at with regards to a move almost always makes me get up and storm off whilst spitting out obscenities.
I always return however as I wish to learn the effect described and almost always succeed which is, I admit, very satisfying but watching the trick performed and explained on dvd would save me so much yelling and killing.
Yes dvd's are less economical but I reckon if two people of the same level of skill were given the same trick to learn but one gets it from a book and one from a dvd then the dvd person is going to learn it faster. I see a dvd as like taking a personal lesson with the effects creator.

Duck and cover

My only issue with this is a great many people just tend to mimmick what they see on the DVD at some point during the reading process you have to pull it off the page and in the process you make it your own. This is because you can't copy what you see because there really is nothing to see.

Frankly I'm the opposite, the minute I put in a DVD I just fall asleep they are mostly so incredibly boring. Especially when they drone on and on about stuff you really don't give a rats bottom about. I watched one DVD which will remain nameless but the first 20 minute artsy introduction had absolutly nothing to do with the effect. I think the magician or production company was trying to break out into short dramatic films and this was their forey into it. And it was bad.

However I do find on the sleights themselves you cannot compare, it is far easier to learn them by watching rather then reading. So a good compromise is both. Gary Oulett released a few books that were accompanied by a VHS now dvd. The DVD was performance only. I thought it should have been the other way around.

by **Part-Timer** » Aug 5th, '08, 21:06

FairieSnuff wrote:How much is the material inside worth, how much value has it added to your act which inturn enables you to earn higher fee's?

Like any kind of value, it is subjective. For most magicians (I'd say all, but I am not so sure about some professionals), magic gives them pleasure. It's their hobby, even if they also perform for a career. The pleasure is the chief reward, which is why even amateurs pay lots of money for clever props. It's the pleasure of owning a nice prop or book, the pleasure of the rarity/expense (bit like people with flashy cars), the pleasure of performing something, or even the pleasure of a good read.

I have quite a few DVDs, and I've found many of them useful, but I really don't feel the same about them as I do about a nice book, especially if it's properly bound.

Do the more expensive books justify that cost for the "gems" that are inside, or is it just because they are rarer that they are higher in value?

Can be either, or both.

by **phoenixv** » Aug 6th, '08, 06:41

The same as most of the other posters here, I personally prefer to read a book.

However, for learning moves, DVDs are definitely better. Perhaps so for subtlety and nuances as well. Some things are just plain hard to describe. If you have language problems, this probably has an edge over books too.

As one progresses through magic, you can hopefully get ideas for presenting magic by looking at other things, and not just magic books. This is where books on presentation and entertainment come in handy, e.g. Ken Weber, Paul Harris, Darwin Ortiz etc. In this field, books are much better than DVDs. It was said that Slydini's students were obvious, as regardless of their race/nationality, they always performed in a certain way and spoke with an Italian accent, if memory serves me right, haha.

The value of books? Subjective, depending on what you want and can get from it.

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