talkmagic.co.uk

Strong Magic is a book. It's about being creative and strengthening your magical presentation.

Darwin Ortiz is known as a card expert with a specialism in gambling routines, so most of the examples are card magic. But it's a great collection of general advice and concepts and an essential read no matter what your specialism.

Ian

If Mentalism, then I would go with 13 steps to mentalism. But I don't like suggesting starting magic with that particular book. I would suggest Mark Wilson Course in Magic. But don't just jump to the effects. Read the theories behind them.

It is hard for me to recomend a book because I really don't know at what level you are. For somebody who is serious I like to recomend along with Mark Wilson which is almost a must have, I like the first book in the Tarbel series as the first chapters tell you alot about magic.

Have you the basic effects? TT is a great example, You can learn so much about performing with such a simple prop. Cups and balls the same thing. Cups and balls is very basic or can get as complex as you wish. And the effects hits just about every aspect of magic. Yes you are interested in mentalism. But mentalism is just magic presented differently.

Thank you for your advise. And yes I have the basic effects. I'm not really into the whole cups and balls thing but I have done a few effects with it, just wasn't for me. I totally understand about mentalism and reading the theories behind it. Does Mark Wilson just specialise in mentalism?

The Mark Wilson Book covers all aspects of Magic, as others have said you need to be studying theory and presentation rather than individual tricks.in the end, like all of us you will realize that you were given excellent advice. You can spend a lot on tricks and end up highly disappointed and with a drawer full of items you don't use. Listen to the advice on here!

Ryan.A wrote:Thank you for your advise. And yes I have the basic effects. I'm not really into the whole cups and balls thing but I have done a few effects with it, just wasn't for me. I totally understand about mentalism and reading the theories behind it. Does Mark Wilson just specialise in mentalism?

As already explained, no Mark Wilson does not specialize. It is a book about magic. Each effect is designed to build the tools you need in order to perform like a professional. Once you have the tools you may apply them in anything you wish. Grand illusion, mentalism, bizarre, escape, whatever you desire.

Ryan, I think people really need to know exactly at what level you're at to be able to help you and suggest where you can go from here. How long have you been doing magic, what have you studied already, both magic and mentalism wise? Are you looking to perform pure mentalism or are you looking more at mental magic?

Ryan

My favourite magic books are not the books of tricks or sleights (Royal Road, Bobo, Mark Wilson and to a lesser extent Corinda) but rather the books I have that go into the thinking behind magic, the creative process behind magic and how to present it to greatest effect.

The Darwin Ortiz book I already mentioned, the 3 Fitzkee books, Henning Nelms' book (and Corinda up to a point, though I'm not a mentalist so have not studied that extensively). And I've got a number of ebooks from the Conjuring Arts Research Center summer reading list sitting on my virtual bookshelf just waiting for me to get to them. These are the sort of materials that will elevate your magic (whatever branch) from a collection of tricks to something more special, memorable and meaningful.

And can I also recommend that you search this forum for some of the advice from the late Allen Tipton - one of his last posts to the forum (and many of our off-forum chats) highlighted the importance of scripting everything - if you script everything then you can ad-lib around the script, but if you try to just wing it without the ground work you open yourself up to messing up.

Whatever you do in magic it will benefit from the application of some of the ideas in these books. Don't do tricks - perform magic (as a wise man once said).

Ian

Thank you Ian for all your advise. I will most certainly purchase the book(s) you mentioned.

You can get the 3 Fitzkee books and the Henning Nelms on kindle if you've got a reader. You have to read past the dated stuff in Fitzkee especially - apply the concepts in a more modern way. I hope you get something useful out of them.

Ian

Lady of Mystery wrote:Ryan, I think people really need to know exactly at what level you're at to be able to help you and suggest where you can go from here. How long have you been doing magic, what have you studied already, both magic and mentalism wise? Are you looking to perform pure mentalism or are you looking more at mental magic?

Quite agree Lady of Mystery

You seem to be asking an awful lot of question regarding how certain people perform certain tricks, and where does the card go, and what wallet does he use and I think he does that etc.

Maybe a nice introduction from yourself and let us all know what you have been up to over the last couple of years and I'm sure it will be appreciated by all.

Regards

Steve

deano0010 wrote:

Lady of Mystery wrote:Ryan, I think people really need to know exactly at what level you're at to be able to help you and suggest where you can go from here. How long have you been doing magic, what have you studied already, both magic and mentalism wise? Are you looking to perform pure mentalism or are you looking more at mental magic?

Quite agree Lady of Mystery

You seem to be asking an awful lot of question regarding how certain people perform certain tricks, and where does the card go, and what wallet does he use and I think he does that etc.

Maybe a nice introduction from yourself and let us all know what you have been up to over the last couple of years and I'm sure it will be appreciated by all.

Regards

Steve

I've been doing magic i.e sleight of hand, card tricks, money tricks for just over 2 years. I really enjoy it. The only book I have studied briefly is 13 Steps. I want to explore other areas such as mentalism and mental magic. I hope that answers your question?