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I'm have been actively doing magic for a year now and am looking for some suggestions in further reading and viewing, the reason being I am still finding my style. I am interested in close up, mentalist and stage. so basically any advice and further reading in developing and getting out there performing and finding a style would be welcomed.
I currently have read:
expert card technique
expert at the card table
card control
revolutionary card technique
how to develop a super power memory
PS1
Naked mentalism
13 steps to mentalism
mark wilson complete course in magic
strong magic
magic and showmanship
strong magic
the secrets of stage conjuring
tarbells series
modern coin magic

Many thanks.

Try Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber, it's a book on performing mentalism, which means it doens't teach you any tricks, but it tells you how to write a good show, and tells you how to behave and act in front of an audience.

A bit like "Strong Magic" which I can see you've already read twice

Fabula wrote:I am interested in close up, mentalist and stage.

Mentalism can be performed close-up, on stage and in various other formats. These won't make much difference to your style, I am sure. I mention this in passing.

For mentalism style, you could try Paul Brook's Alchemical Tools. There is at least one chapter related to the subject of 'persona'.

You've already got enough books to last a lifetime! However if you're desperate...to develop your act, I suggest Scripting Magic by Pete McCabe.

If you don't mind me saying the collection is a bit jumbled. A mixture of subjects and levels. You've got enough there to study for what you've said your interests are. The Tarbell alone will give you a good background for close-up and stage. The obvious omission from the list is practical mental magic. Your posts seem to of been dotting around a lot; a stage show, a close up act, needle swallow, pick pocketing, metal bending. It might not doing any harm to just sit down and work out exactly what you want to do. Within the books you've got you can find material for either a close-up, stage or mentalist act. Sit down, decide what you want and concentrate on one thing at a time and make that one thing good quality.

Wow! You must be an expert on card sleights. I've just submitted my order for the Expert Card Technique to an online book shop in UK and I live in Asia haha... it will be another 20 days before I can get my book.

Anyway, those books are great, Card Control by Arthur Buckley, I assume? It is a gem even some of them are pretty hard to follow. Perhaps due to the language or level of sleights.

Failed Magician wrote:Wow! You must be an expert on card sleights. I've just submitted my order for the Expert Card Technique to an online book shop in UK and I live in Asia haha... it will be another 20 days before I can get my book.

Don't they have online magic stores closer to you?

To the original poster, if you want to find and your own style then stop reading and start performing. You have more than enough books, more is not going to help you in your quest. You can read for years but when it comes to performance and style you are only going to know by performing. So find those effects you already like and start performing them, and there is more than enough in what you already have. If you haven't found your style or effects in what you already have, you are not going to find it by reading more. Style and routining takes time, trial and error.

The trick here is to find an effect you like, learn it and then start performing. Over time subtle changes will be made and pretty soon the effect becomes your own. Then string another effect along to the first and eventually you will see a routine, (if not an act) start to come into view and in that you will find your style.

So again, put down the books step away from the table, shove a deck of cards in your pocket and go somebody a trick.

You may already be showing people effects which would be a good thing, now keep showing.

I think the idea of 'persona' is miscast in many books. This should not be something that is different from you or like some 'x' man power...it should draw on your own characteristics and background, what you are interested in, and your own intellectual formation.

The essays in Metaphysical Magic cover these and other ideas about crafting a persona that is authentic to you and that works for you so that when you are performing there is not the problem of cognitive dissonance that will undermine your work.

If this line of reasoning interests you, then have a look here: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/drtoddlandman

Best wishes

Dr Todd

Todd and Paul's books both contain a chapter each on constructing (or rather, re-enforcing) a persona for performance. What do I mean by re-enforcement? Essentially both authors recommend that you take large chunks of your own personality and experience to build up the presentational 'you'. I agree with this approach. It seems to make a lot more sense than making up a completely new 'you', which is going to require tonnes more work and the result may be unconvincing, which will most likely also be repellent!

The books have quite different styles. Todd's has the style and feel of an academic work. The persona chapter includes survey statistics, for example. Paul's book is informal and has small tasks for the reader to perform. In that respect it is almost like a self-help book, although I can't claim to have read any of those types of book so I'll just say that if 'feels' that way!

I'm sure that either would provide enough useful information to help someone start to address the issues around creating a strong performance persona.

T.

I think that you have more than enough books to be going on with.
You need to stop, and maybe discover your persona by performing for people. Because i believe that the persona will only develop with an audience watching. Books can offer tips, but the tips are next to useless, if you dont try them out.

Ken Weber's maximum entertainment is very entertaining to read first of all. Secondly, I believe it gives professional advice regarding presentation and entertainment.
Props for reading Harry Lorayne's book. It really is helpful even in everyday life. You can also, combine the techniques in magic/mental effects to create impressive and highly improbable effects, if you give it a thought.

Since you already have Expert Card Technique you need purchase nothing else on the art of presentation of close up magic. Just go to the back section and read it carefully. It is the finest dissertation on the art of presenting magic I have ever read. And particularly take care to read the very first few pages where it advises you on which kind of character you should play. This is the most important aspect of being a good magician, even more important than the trick itself. If you always remember that it is the MAN, not the trick that is important you won't go far wrong. You don't present magic-you present YOURSELF doing magic. The trick is of secondary importance. The main thing is YOU. If you have a dull and colourless personality your magic will also be dull and colourless. Remember that a trick is merely a peg to hang your personality on.

mark lewis wrote:Since you already have Expert Card Technique you need purchase nothing else on the art of presentation of close up magic. Just go to the back section and read it carefully. It is the finest dissertation on the art of presenting magic I have ever read. And particularly take care to read the very first few pages where it advises you on which kind of character you should play. This is the most important aspect of being a good magician, even more important than the trick itself. If you always remember that it is the MAN, not the trick that is important you won't go far wrong. You don't present magic-you present YOURSELF doing magic. The trick is of secondary importance. The main thing is YOU. If you have a dull and colourless personality your magic will also be dull and colourless. Remember that a trick is merely a peg to hang your personality on.

Yes, A good performer is able to bring a trick to life with his personality. Any trick will do.

Nail Thru Finger will suffice if the performer has some way of magnetizing and hypnotizing the audience!

In that case, Paul, I suggest you get to work on nail through finger immediately. It will serve you far better than that long winded 3 part prediction you do. Did you do the show on Friday?