Books are the “weapon of choice” for most experienced magicians. Currently there are many options besides reading a book but I would still recommend that you try reading books first. Here is why:
1. You get the most out of your money (a video effect might cost you 10 dollars while a book with the same price will probably have more than 10 effects). You can also sell the book later for a portion(or full) of the original price.
2. Books have things so old they are new. The art of magic has been around for millennia, so have books. Many effects, techniques and presentations already have been devised and lost through time. I can assure you that you spend time delving through old books, you will have the most original effects without having to invent a single one.
3. When watching a video there is a very present danger of emulating the teacher instead of actually making the sleights your own. This is a very common saying but there is a reason for that. When you are watching the exact performance you might end up copying the pacing, movement and missdirection. This will never work as well as you think. Everyone is different and what works wonderfully well for the performer won’t work for you.
You also have several brilliant options for free. If you don’t mind reading from yor computer/tablet there are several wonderful books that are the right place to start your journey.
(To get more recommendations and details visit the the Card Magic, Coin Magic, Mentalism, General Magic or Magic Theory section)
If you are interested in card magic, we recommend:
-The Royal Road to Card Magic by Frederick Braue & Jean Hugard
Everyone will recommend this book. So save some time from asking other people. It’s free, detailed, loads of essential techniques and beautiful effects to perform. It doesn’t get any better than this.
-Expert Card Technique by Jean Hugard
Another excellent book. Is there any card magician you admire? We can assure that he has read this book and loved it. Reading either this or Royal Road will already take you way further than the casual person “who does a trick or two”
-Expert at the card table
For many, this is the “bible” of card technique. If you are interested in gambling please don’t skip this one. If you are not, also give it a try. Many techniques are outdated so you shouldn’t start here but down the road you will want to have read it. It is crucial in card magic history.
For coin magic there is little doubt:
-Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic
A few pages into this book you will know enough to start performing. You have the fundamentals explained very well aswell as effects for you to work on. If Coin Magic is the question, Bobo’s is the answer.
Mentalism:
-Thirteen steps to Mentalism by Corinda
This book is not a light read. But it is also “the real deal“. There are many very advanced techniques explained in detail. Not everything will be for you, but if you go through the pages you will find it hard not to learn.
Magic Theory:
-Magic in Mind by Joshua Jay
This is the most recent book from this list and was compiled by Joshua Jay. Magic Theory is the most overlooked component by beginners. Here you have a huge collection of essays from several (not free) books. What we love the most about this book is that it is a free compilation from several different authors giving you different views on the same matter. You can get a taste of many different mindsets without having to buy a single book. If you are passionate about magic, you will love going through the pages of this book. Be ready to agree and disagree with the many quoted magicians but most of all, be ready to learn.
Miss conceptions about reading a book and how to do it:
When starting out with magic books, many lose their motivation because they find it hard to go through so many pages. Keep in mind that many professional magicians state than you don’t have to read from cover to cover. Read a little bit now and then. Take a sleight, play with it, go back to it, take an effect practice it a lot and go perform.
There is no right or wrong way to read a magic book. If you are learning, you are doing it right. Of course there are personal techniques to take the most of them, to improve or speed up but at the end of the day what works for you, doesn’t have to work for anyone else.
We will try to publish articles from several experienced magicians on how do they approach reading books and learning magic in general. Compare your methods with theirs, experiment different things and most of all, learning what you love is fun. If you are not having fun, take a break. The books will be there waiting for you.
What if I really don’t like learning from books?
There is absolutely no problem with that! Books are recommended because they have been around for a long time and have several advantages. Nowadays the industry is booming with dvd’s and downloads and you can even learn the exact same things in the books in a video format. Isn’t that wonderful?
You will be as much of a magician as anyone who learns from books, and who knows? You might even start liking books in a few months. The options spawn from classics to super modern takes on street magic. There is a world of good magic in dvd’s out there.
Also, keep in mind that not liking reading one magic book doesn’t mean you won’t like another one. Magic books are the same as any other book! They different when the author and subject change.
Now, let’s talk about dvd’s, downloads and youtube. Head over to our page on the subject!