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Hi all!

I have been looking for a cheap, relatively easy, and (mostly) ungimmicked book test (i.e. if there is a gaff I want to be able to do it myself to any book I want).

I've found two book tests which both look very good to me.

I'm on a rather strict budget so I do have to consider price (blame C.U.P.S.)...

Here are the two I've found:

• The Word by Mark Leveridge
  
• Val Andrews Unfaked Book Test by, you guessed it, Val Andrews.

Does anyone have any experience of these two - are they good?

Thanks in advance .

Kati

I know someone who used the word and they liked it. The one i used to use (before buying a much more expensive version) was 'word in a million' by N.einhorne. That is good but does use a certain something. If you want a cheap way to learn non-gimmick booktests then i recommend http://www.mreenterprises.co.uk/catalogue.htm you can get a free catologue. He has booklets describing booktests that are unfaked.

Hope that helps

I've heard very good things about Marc Paul's Book test too.
Having seen him perform it, and then know the method was quite humbling !
A great effect !
Piers.

Kati, this probably won't help you as you seem to know exactly what you're looking for, but for anyone else reading this thread and thinking about book tests...

Karl Fulves' Self-Working Mental Magic; 67 Foolproof Mind-Reading Tricks has a whole chapter on Book Tests - and as you can guess from the title of the book, they really aren't that difficult to do, either.

At £5.56, and with 8 other chapters on different areas of mental magic, including cards, ESP and even teleportation, this book is well worth a look. Not EVERY trick is brilliant, but there are enough real gems to warrant buying it.

Now, about that commission cheque, Mr Fulves...

Actually, that does look good .

Only problem is that mostof the reviewers on Amazon give just 2 or 3 stars - do you have this book and is it worth it?

Kati

Kati I've just found this review in amongst the 2/3 star ones; it's a 5 star, and I totally agree with him.

The comments about this book by other reviewers are not entirely deserved in my opinion... Most professional works (generally available only from magical dealers) cost many times the cost of this volume - and contain only a fraction of the effects. Besides, the important thing in a book on magic is the IDEA for an effect - which the performer then colours with his or her own personal style and themed setting. For me, the price of this book was redeemed by one effect alone (a visible mind-over-matter effect with a watch) worth TEN TIMES the cost of this whole book. No magic book is perfect - and this work is no exception. But look at the price you are paying for numerous top-class effects! One excellent effect alone at that price is worth the price of the book. Some people just moan about everything - what was the saying about looking a gift horse in the mouth???

Granted, it's basic, but you know as well as most of us, it's how you present it. I'm not sure which effect he is saying is worth the price alone, but there is one effect in particular that appeals to me.

It is a slightly simpler version of a trick that Michael Ammar showed us at his lecture involving two five pound notes and an impossible location - his involved peanuts, the one in the book involves envelopes, but is just as strong.

I'd say buy it. Six quid, and you can teleport paper money, with an effect that can be set up and left in your pocket for ages. Brilliant.

okie...

must have missed that one ...

This book will go on my list then.

Unfortunately, my list is rather too long .

Kati

I have a book test which was sent to me as a powerpoint.

Don't know who or what but it gives instruction on making your own book test.

It's basic but does the trick, will pm you a copy (when I find which folder I threw it in),

Vic

Actually, I've been considering the Mind 2 Mind DVD mentioned somewhere else on this forum. It looks great - the effects are good and it has a book test which sounds amazing .

The Word seems to require the speccy's writing down the word they are thinking of, which is a bit pointless as you can then just do a switch+peek to get at it...

Kati

The Val Andrews unfaked book test is just that, there are of course limitations. I don't want to say too much just incase some enterprising person gets the workings. Suffice to say it is very easy to learn how to do but will require Practice and Patience, you may also need to customize it depending on your circumstance. If in a dinner party situation you may find it helpful to get to know a little about the person(s) you will be performing to before hand, however if you are doing a stage version then this will not apply.

I think I paid about £5 for my copy, an absolute bargain. It's very convincing if handled correctly and naturally, for the price and ease of use it gets 5/5 from me.

There are many approaches that can be taken with ungimmicked books and magazines. I own one gaffed book system (INSIGHT) and yet, I do over a dozen different Booktests with great regularity, none of them using a gimmicked book. So if improvisation is your goal, I'd suggest you take look at the Hoy Book Test (revealed in Osterlind's Easy to Master Mental Mysteries CD collection along with a ton of other "basic" material everyone moving into mentalism should at least be familiar with.) There is Ted Karmilovich's impromtu version of his popular MoAB (Mother of All Book Tests) and of course Lee Earle's Silver Bullet... all of them are excellent bits.

You might also look at the Bob Cassidy DVD MENTALISM set with all his Principalia & Element thesis materials, etc. There are several very solid Book Tests in there as well as some very applicable thinking for those wanting to develope solid mentalism.

Hope this helps you out.

Llp, that was July and I still haven't got it! Beyond ESP II just shipped though so that's enough spending for this hour .

Kati

Kati,

Have sent you a copy of the ppt that someone sent me - hope this is useful,

V

Indeed, it was . Thank you.

The question is whether I will actually perform it now - I will have to work on it and see.

Kati

There is a book test in Kenton Kneppers book "Mind Reading" that can be done with any book in any impromptu situation. It is VERY ballsy though. I think it is also talked about in his S.E.C.R.E.T.S. book as well. It is not a word revilation though. I think it is something more interesting and if the right performer uses it, would be a very amazing feat.

Also, I got a book test out of Corindas 13 steps that I added a few touches to which could be done at any library (or friends house) (with a book on the shelf) that is very fair. The person gets the book themselves and everything. Any book can be used. It is alot less ballsy (and there is no option to fail). But you would still need to have good control and performance.

I just realized that I don't do enough book tests.