Professional Magic for Amateurs

This book is for the amateur magician who wants to learn (and start performing) well-knowncard tricks that professionals use. Fifty easy, yet effective tricks arepresented, offering a well-rounded repertoire on which the beginner candraw while developing further interests and skills. 'To explain how magicis done is one thing,' Mr. Gibson says in his introduction,'to tell how to do it quite another.' In this volume you willbe taken through every stage of each trick-an overview, how the tricksappear to the audience, the mechanism behind the trick and finally thepresentation details that allow you to perform the trick in a completelyprofessional manner. By carefully following the few simple yet essentialtips, the tricks will soon be yours.Emphasis is on tricks thatcan be performed informally with a small group of friends. There arecard tricks of both the set-up and impromptu kind, there are tricks withstring, handkerchiefs, tumblers and other simple apparatus. And, thereare examples of mental magic where the purpose is 'to deceive themind rather than the eye.' A final section on well-known stageillusions shows how the same performance principles are carried to magicon a higher level.With this book the beginner will be able to perform professional tricks within hours, while even the more advanced magician will find new tricks and new ways of doing old ones. The author draws upon a lifetime in professional magic for his tricks. Not only is Mr. Gibson well-known as one of the best writers about magic, he was also long associated with Houdini, the Thurstons, and other great magicians of the past. Paperbound, 223 pages, 63 illustrations.