talkmagic.co.uk

Raymond du Plessis wrote:Ok, thanks every one! I Think I'll go for 13 steps first.

Fine choice Raymond...you will not be disappointed. A gem on virtually every page! You will keep coming back this as a major resource.

I would just add one more comment regarding whether or not you are really a 'beginner' because clearly this is a pretty big spectrum of ability. I bought Corinda after doing magic for a couple of months and found it utterly bewildering. I found it was full of comments along the lines of 'use your favourite force to achieve X,Y,Z" which left me confused - "what's a force I thought to myself!" . A year and a half on (still a beginner) I can see this is an excellent book but in my opinion it is NOT a book for complete beginners.

As the chap above says. And get.... SELF WORKING MENTAL MAGIC as an intro too.

cragglecat wrote:I would just add one more comment regarding whether or not you are really a 'beginner' because clearly this is a pretty big spectrum of ability. I bought Corinda after doing magic for a couple of months and found it utterly bewildering. I found it was full of comments along the lines of 'use your favourite force to achieve X,Y,Z" which left me confused - "what's a force I thought to myself!" . A year and a half on (still a beginner) I can see this is an excellent book but in my opinion it is NOT a book for complete beginners.

I think this whole notion of beginner or not beginner is a bit misleading.

I passionately believe that anyone should be taught in the language of magic right from the start.

Since I started in magic (when I was eight) I always found magic descriptions of packet trick highly frustrating. For example, instead of simply writing that "you shuffle the selection to the top of the deck" the description would consist of half a page and 5 diagrams that in a step by step fashion explain (without really saying so) how one can shuffle a selection to the top of the deck. And WHAT WAS REALLY CRIMINAL they would not at any stage explain what - expressed in standard magical terms - what was happening.

A good magic/mentalist book (whether for beginners or the expert) should explain things that reflects how magician/mentalist think and talk about their art.

One of the things that annoys me a lot, is that even in magic reviews (and on-line magic discussions) often contains a lot of meaningless comments.

An effect where the spectator freely choose a card, and the selection is revealed inside a box, might be reviewed as "The magician put a card into a box and without ever touching the box when the box is opened by the spectator the card inside the box is the very same card the spectator though of. I really like this effect. It is a real killer"

Had the reviewer read books like 13 steps (that is written in good style), the meaningless description above, might have been more informative e.g. "The spectator is essentially asked to select one of 4 cards (a 4 way force deck can be used for this part) The effect uses not surprisingly multiple outs, however this is combined with a very clever electronic gadget (batteries not included) that really create an nice and strong effect"

The bottom line is: Please read 13 steps and possible some of the other classics (see list provided by Craig). Not only will it be good for you, but you will be doing the magic community a great favor by learning "the language of magic" rather than "the language of the half informed layperson"

I understand what you are saying about learning the 'language' of magic but surely a beginner needs to be taught, for example, HOW to force a card if it is an integral part of performing the effect. Simply telling a beginner to force a card tells them nothing of the mechanics of achieving this (e.g. it doesn't have the annoying 5 pages of a packet trick!). I'm not saying Corinda isn't essential reading I'm just saying that it assumes some prior knowledge in many areas and is therefore not (in my opinion) suitable for someone that is truly a beginner. I can also only speak from my own personal experience where I found that I didn't understand many of the terms until I'd come a bit further on in my learning. Now I can appreciate what a great book it is.

I agree that the beginner of course needs to be taught the basic concepts e.g what a force is. As far as I remember Corinda explains all such notions including various ways of forcing a card.

When it comes to teaching there is probably not a simple way that is best. Most people are sequential learners who essentially prefer to learn thing in a modular fashion where each step builds on already familiar material. Some people (this applies often to so-called gifted kids who often struggle in school because of their different learning style) are non-sequential learners who learn best by being merged into the area and simply picking it up from there.

But, yes the beginner need to be taught the basic concepts, but in special chapters rather than during the description of an effect like in the instructions for a packet trick.

cragglecat wrote:I would just add one more comment regarding whether or not you are really a 'beginner' because clearly this is a pretty big spectrum of ability. I bought Corinda after doing bi for a couple of months and found it utterly bewildering. I found it was full of comments along the lines of 'use your favourite force to achieve X,Y,Z" which left me confused - "what's a force I thought to myself!" . A year and a half on (still a beginner) I can see this is an excellent book but in my opinion it is NOT a book for complete beginners.

I'm a beginner when it comes to performing, but when I first got interested in magic, I spent at least 2 hours a day on the internet doing research on magic-for six months. (And no I didn't go to youtube for that!)
So I'm ok with terms and tricks, I just need to upgrade!

Thanks!

If you can afford it,get all three. They are all coming from slightly different directions but all heading the right way. I would also highly recommend Mind Myth and Magic by T.A .Waters as well .