talkmagic.co.uk

They say:

"Imagine handing out a small, official-looking book from the British Institute of Parapsychology.

You freely show each page to contain several different pieces of information: a word, a time, some different-coloured shapes and some random numbers between 10 and 999.

1. The book is handed to participant number one who opens it to any page and looks at a number. He uses that number to choose a country from a list printed at the front of the book. He is asked to think about that country, its capital and any famous landmarks.

2. Participant number two opens the book at any page and remembers the word printed there. He now turns to the back of the book and 'free associates' his word with any of the objects found there.

3. Participant three opens the book and remembers 2 shapes and their colours.

4. Participant four opens the book and remembers a 2 or 3 digit number.

5. The final participant opens the book and remembers a time.

Now, without touching or taking the book back, you can read the participant's minds and name all five items! Or you could write or draw one, two or all five of them! Or predict the final choice! The options are limitless.

This is absolutely incredible and can be performed on 1-5 participants yet is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket!


This custom-manufactured book will instantly become part of your working repertoire, ideal for walk-around, table-hopping or parlour and will even play for stage!

Easy-to-learn, in fact you will be performing this almost as soon as you open the package.

No peeks, sleights, cribs or 'memory work' is required. You can even be standing across the room when the choices are made and at no time during performance do you ever need to touch the book!"

Cost: £19.99

Difficulty: 2-3

This really is great. I don’t perform that much mentalism in my act, but I will now! The BIP Book is small and compact (ideal for table-hopping) and looks incredibly fair to the spectators when they handle it. The working principles are not all new, but don’t be put off – I’ve already fooled several magician friends with this book.

The construction of the book is extremely clever and does, refreshingly, play out in performance as described in the ‘hard sell’. Of course, like any other mentalist trick the impact of the effect on your audience is down to your presentation skills. However, the trick is easy to learn and the majority of it is virtually self working, leaving you to concentrate on the presentation.

You can use the BIP Book on any number of spectators, although a group/table of about 4 or 5 people would be absolutely ideal. This way, they can participate in a phase each and you can structure your reveals to maximise the impact on your audience. I personally finish on the ‘Time’ revelation. Before I start my performance I borrow a watch from a spectator. I openly change the time (without revealing what time I’ve set it to) and place the watch face down on the table. I go through the whole routine and have the person that I borrowed the watch from open the book at any page and look at the time printed. I then ask them to name the time they saw and turn over their watch – they’re watch is set to that time! Of course, this is just one way you could perform this as the whole routine is so flexible.
The actual book itself is quite tough and its life will be determined by how often you use it. I’ll be using this all the time from now – not because it is baffling and amazing, but because it is a lot of fun to perform too!


Overall: 8.5 out of 10

I totally agree with you. I have had the original BIP book for sometime now and I still use it quite frequently. The mark of an excellent product.

I don't think there is enough difference though to warrent upgrading to the BIP2, as as far as I know the main difference was to make it work better for our friends in America (who didn't know what Sterling was).

At the Ipswich Magical Society one day convention in October we have a lecture by Scott Creasy - the guy that came up with the BIP book - so as you can imagine I am very much looking forward to that.

I don't have the original BIP Book so I can't really comment on whether it is worth getting the upgrade or not! I suppose if your BIP book is getting a bit tired looking and you were going to buy a replacement, then you'd be aswell to buy the new version.
I am impressed with how much magic is fitted into such a small book though - it's so versatile!

The review of the first one was discussed quite a lot if I remember rightly.

And for those with access, it was also discussed in the Techniques room.

Thanks Bananafish - I'll check out the review of the first BIP and see if I can pick up any hints!

Anyone have any links?

Thanks!

Kati

No problem - just scroll down a few items...

http://www.alakazam.co.uk/acatalog/Hot_List_1.html

I 'upgraded'.

There are a few advantages with the new version.

1. The psychological number force duplication has gone. If you don't know what I mean, I don't think I can explain.

2. The anachronism has gone. One of the items on the back of the original book was a home computer. The booklet is supposed to stem from the 1960s. Someone called me on that once and I said that it must have been originally produced in the 60s, then updated, as my copy was bought recently.

3. There is an extra piece of information (the pages now show a time in addition to what was originally shown).

The Sterling thing doesn't really affect me!