What Are You Reading?

[Guest]

Car: (for reading in restaurants) Genii

Bathroom: From a Shuffled Deck in Use

Girlfriend's nightstand: On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

Girlfriend's bathroom: All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy

[Doomo]

Andrew, Stephenson is excellent. Ive been a fan of his for years. Him, William Gibson, Rudy Rucker, Greg Bear, Bruce Sterling and of course the Grandpa to the whole line... Phil Dick.

This whole summer was spent reviewing some of my favorite authors in my spare time.Last year was Harlan Ellisson (Hell, EVERY year is a Harlan Year) and Norman Spinrad and Phil Farmer.

Oh, here is a interesting bit for ya. Have you read "the Hacker Crackdown" by Bruce Sterling? Only available as a downloadable book.

[walkinoats]

"Art of Astonishment", Vol 1, 2, and 3 by Paul Harris

"Close up card magic", by Harry Lorayne

"Personal Collection", by Harry Lorayne

and some lecture notes from John Carney

[Sean Macfarlane]

Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
Theatre of the mind Barrie by Richardson
True and False By David Mamet

[Matthew Field]

I'm now reading "Carter Beats the Devil" which just came out in paperback, and a fantastic book titled "One Hundred Demons" by the unbelievable Lynda Barry.

Waiting for "The Paper Engine" (Aaron Fisher) which Stephen Minch tells me should be shipping momentarily.

Matt Field

[Bob Taxin]

Let me offer a high recommendation for "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay", by Michael Chabon. A great story; hard to put down.

Bob Taxin

[Guest]

David Acer said:

I agree, Alain, and I think Allerton's The Close-Up Magician should be required reading for anyone interested in walkaround and/or restaurant magic. Every trick has been reduced to its barest elements, both in effect and handling, and the result in many cases is an almost Zen-like beauty.

I whole-heartedly agree, David. I've been using Allerton's Two Card Trick for years now. Great routine that is very simple, makes its point and hits 'em right between the eyes.
Also, I'm glad Matthew mentioned that "Carter Beats the Devil" is out on paperback now. I've been waiting for the paperback edition which is cheaper since I've got other things that I'd like to pay money for (new routines, Simon Aronson's new book, Simon Aronson's old Books, etc)

Rick

[Guest]

Currently reading "The Magic of Micheal Ammar" and "Arcadia". Love the Ring on Band from Ammar's and the Twist Pass from Arcadia(book isn't in front of me...may have that wrong).

Otis

[Guest]

Just finished reading Moli & Roger what a great read.

Reesman

[Guest]

I thought it was Milo and Stitch? Wait, that's the movie about the alien and the magician...

[David Acer]

I finished off The Best of Benzais a few days ago (an interesting read, but too many sit down tricks for my taste, including a cut-and-restored rope trick that requires lapping? WHO THE HELL WOULD DO A CUT-AND RESTORED ROPE TRICK THAT REQUIRES LAPPING?!?). Im now about halfway through Frank Garcias Exclusive Card Miracles (1980). Im a Garcia fan (I loved Super Subtle Card Miracles, Million Dollar Card Secrets, etc), but this book strikes me as having a disproportionately high number of B tricks. On the other hand, The Miracle Speller is a killer, and perhaps more surprises await...

[Guest]

Originally posted by David Acer:
I finished off The Best of Benzais a few days ago (an interesting read, but too many sit down tricks for my taste, including a cut-and-restored rope trick that requires lapping? WHO THE HELL WOULD DO A CUT-AND RESTORED ROPE TRICK THAT REQUIRES LAPPING?!?).

At first glance, that surprises me, since I thought he refined a lot of his work while standing behind the counter at Tannen's. But then, I guess the entire floor behind the counter is essentially a giant lap servante.

[Guest]

Hi David,
Don't overlook "Poker Dream". Just remember to see it as a layman would. It could be filled with lots of stacking and hardcore technique, but it isn't. A very impressive EFFECT.

[Guest]

I am attempting to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, as well as Zen and the Art of Stand Up Comedy.

Noah Levine

[David Acer]

Hi Noah,

I may be biased, but I think Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy is the best book ever written on the subject. Some people, however, say they prefer a more textbook-style approach, and if you count yourself among these, you may want to try Judy Carter's Stand-Up Comedy: The Book. Alternatively, one night on stage at a comedy club (whether it goes well or poorly) is worth a hundred pages of theory, even if said theory is extremely sound.

[Guest]

I have heard the name Judy Carter in association with good books on comedy. I am not extremely interested in stand up comedy, I mainly bought the book for a lot of the good ideas it contains about writing and the theory of comedy. I will look into The Judy Carter book(does she have multiple books?).What you say about theory is very true, personally with magic sometimes I find that I occasionally use theory as an excuse for not just going out and doing. Jay Sankey says something about that in Zen and the Art of Stand up comedy.Thanks for the book reccomendation.

Noah LEvine

[Guest]

Noah:

Great books, and Z&AOMM will, I venture, help you more in your magic than the fine Jay Sankey book. It's one of my all time most recommended books, along with 100 Years of Solitude, All the Pretty Horses, Sometimes A Great Notion, The Great Gatsby, As I Lay Dying, Legends of the Fall, Great Expectations, Light Years, Still Life with Woodpecker, The Sun Also Rises, Catcher In the Rye, and Keep the Change.

For fiction, I'm currently reading Resusitation of a Hanged Man and Time Will Darken It. Non-fiction is The Theory of Everything and The Alphabet Versus the Goddess. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is being read aloud to my youngest.

Oh yeah, magic: Magic Menu collection (Years 1-5), Classic Secrets of Magic (shout out to my main man, D!), and the Scarne's Card Tricks.

--Randy Campbell, AADD sufferer

[Stefan Fisher]

I'm just about to finish "Stange Ceremonies" by Eugene Burger, and I've also been reading "Max Maven's Book of Fortune Telling". Finished "The Spiritualists" by Ruth Brandon a few days ago. All are very interesting and thought provoking. I like that when I read a book by Burger, even if I don't learn to do any of the tricks, I still learn things that improve my magic.

[Brian Marks]

Originally posted by David Acer:
Hi Noah,

I may be biased, but I think Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy is the best book ever written on the subject. Some people, however, say they prefer a more textbook-style approach, and if you count yourself among these, you may want to try Judy Carter's Stand-Up Comedy: The Book. Alternatively, one night on stage at a comedy club (whether it goes well or poorly) is worth a hundred pages of theory, even if said theory is extremely sound.

David do you really think any books in Stand Up Comedy are effective? I started doing stand up a couple of years back. I read several books including Jay's book but I had very little understanding until recently. I am improving from actually performing and writing. Now whenI go back and read those books, certain things make alot more sense. It applies to magic as well. I have to go back to books I read three or four years ago because my knowledge of magic was alot less.

[Alain Roy]

Recently I have been reading Sorceror's Apprentice by Tahir Shah. It's a thoroughly entertaining, well-written book about Mr. Shah's journey to learn magic from an India master. On the way, you will learn more than just magic, but will learn about drunken rampages by elephants, despised widows, the famous hangman of West Bengal, and more.

I definitely recommend it.

Amazon\'s web page for Sorcerer\'s Apprentice

-alain

[Lisa Cousins]

I just wrapped up "Devant's Delightful Delusions" by Sam Sharpe. I don't understand why the idea of the magical playlet died out (although my prime suspect is Dai Vernon and the changes that he brought to magic which made magical playlets appear old-school and cornball). There are so many pretty scenes described in this book. In "The Magician's Heart," for example, the magician knows that his heart (represented by a red silk heart-shaped pincushion) is his point of vulnerability, and so he attempts to hide it in out of the way places when speaking with women - and the heart is seen visibly throbbing in various places around the stage. What a great illustration of a magical tableau that no Fox special could ever destroy.

[Guest]

I read Doug Brewer's "THE UNEXPECTED VISITOR"! This book is very well written and all, believe me, all material is for a real working magician.
I have no idea how often I have read this book, since I got it!
There is also a chapter about theory in the book, but when you read this itis not the copy from all this great books everyone should have, it is from and for the real world.
Only one routine in the book I can not do, the reason is, I don't have order the the miracle coin cup. If you read this routine you will known that every part is from a real performances.
His lecture note on card magic is great too.
There are two bad points after reading this book,
you need more Doug Brewer material and I wish, I could see him perform this wonderful things and learn more from him.
Thanks very much Doug!!

[Steve Bryant]

Pick up a copy of Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile. In addition to the title play there are two excellent one-act magic plays in the book. Re longer plays, Woody Allen had a hit with The Floating Light Bulb several years ago on Broadway. Doug Henning's The Magic Show and Merlin also fall into this category.

[Joe M. Turner]

I love the Picasso play.

I have bought Carter Beats the Devil in paperback and am just starting it.

JMT

[Lisa Cousins]

Now, a magical playlet is not a full-length or even a one-act play. The idea is that you go to see a conjuring entertainment, and David Devant is up there doing things with hats and eggs and rings and wands, and then there is a dramatic interlude. Devant appears as a character with a name, a costume, lines to speak, and there are other characters going around, such as a love interest and a constable. The magic forwards or resolves the plot. At the conclusion of the scene, it's back to borrowed watches and rising cards. The magical playlet was part of a complete variety magical entertainment. If anyone is out there doing this, I haven't seen it, but would love to.

[Steve Bryant]

For Joe Stevens' Gemini web site, I wrote just such a playlet (inspired by the Steve Martin one-acts) called Patter for Sawing a Naked Lady in Two. Gemini is gone, but I hope to see the routine published in The Little Egypt Book of Numbers (sometime AFTER the Darwin Ortiz book comes out).

[Dave Egleston]

I'm about 10 years behind with the magic books I have - Right now I'm reading KING KOKO by Professor Hoffmann - I think this may fall into the "Playlet" catagory Miss Cousins was decribing on an earlier post
Just started Shelby Foote's "THE CIVIL WAR" hope to finish that before I die!
I just received THE AWARD WINNING MAGIC OF JOHN CORNELIUS and THE PAPER ENGINE - Haven't opened them yet but hopefully before Christmas.
Right now the magic book I'm reading is THE COMPLETE JARRETT
My lunchtime books have been the RICHARD SHARPE SERIES by Bernard Cornwell
Dave

[David Acer]

I just finished off Garcia's "Exclusive Card Miracles," which yielded a few juicy treats, though none better than Mike Skinner's diabolical version of Ted Annemann's "The Miracle Speller." (this is WELL worth the price of the book) I'm now a halfway through "Exclusive Card Secrets" (which was released the same year), and I love Romaine's "Double Kicker" (an impromptu, no sleight transposition of a selected card from one packet to another, with an extra climax that'll fry magicians). Both of these Garcia books contain some eminently usable magic, but I must say, thank God for Richard's illustrations. The quality (or should I say clarity) of the writing is somewhat inconsistent.

Word has it that Aaron Fisher's "The Paper Engine" just arrived at the local shop. I'm sure when I get there tomorrow, there will be a line-up down the street...

[Matthew Field]

Just finishing "New Card Controls" by Neil Elias, published by Karl Fulves. It details his Twirl Pass.

Matt Field

[Guest]

Lisa, if you haven't seen them, there are a bunch of magical playlets on The Learned Pig Project web site. You can find some under "Sketches," plus you can find two absolutely dreadful ones written by Houdini, published in the March and July 2001 archived e-zines.

--Ralph

[George Olson]

The gentleman that wrote Carter Beat the Devil, will be signing copies at Powell's Bookstore her in Portland this evening at 7:00PM, since I'll be working, I'm getting a copy so I csan read it on my Birthday tomorrow.

I'm currently working on "50 Tricks..." by WF Rufus Steele, great stuff by a wonderful mysterious man.

Just finished a Sommerset Maugham book "The Magician" Interesting read.

I am also thoughrily engrossed in The Royal Touch
by Cellini.

[David Acer]

Inspired by a comment on another thread, I just read Gary Ouellet's FULMINATIONS PLUS, VOLUME ONE, a collection of his first thirty Genii columns. Because the book is divided into clear-cut, bite-size morsels, it's ideal for bathroom reading, and chock full of fun (and funny) essays. It also contains some devious magic, including "The Mystery of the Red Herring" (worth the read if only for Obie O'Brien's terrific tip on getting a spectator to cut to a crimped card), Bob Farmer's wonderful (and potentially disturbing) "The Miracle of Life," Gary's ridiculously good idea for a Cups-and-Balls finale that I'm surprised wasn't included in Ammar's compendium, and Patrick Reymond's mind-blowing "Death By Cellophane," which will make you a demi-god at your next magic club meeting. I really enjoyed this.

[Larry Horowitz]

David,

I keep the collection of Fulminations withen easy reach in the magic library and go through them quite often during the year. I always find Gary's writing insightful for the performance of Magic.

Larry

[Lisa Cousins]

Originally posted by Ralph Bonheim:
you can find two absolutely dreadful ones written by Houdini

Ralph, I somehow managed to miss your post until just now, and so haven't looked at the site - but are we talking "Yar, The Primeval Man" here? Because oh MAN do I love "Yar, The Primeval Man." It transcends dreadful and becomes wonderful. Since you're married to a Bulwar-Lytton honoree, you know what I'm talking about. Come to think of it, if your wife ever runs low on ideas, "Yar" is definitely the place to turn for inspiration.

Darkly & stormily,

Lisa

[David Acer]

With regards to the Steve Martin portion of this thread, PURE DRIVEL, a collection of his short stories, is among the funnier books I've read lately.

[Guest]

I've never seen "Yar, the Primeval Man." Where can I find it? (I believe "Yar" is a reference to Ray Erdnase, younger brother of S.W.)

The two playlets on LPP are different titles (one "Walking Through a Brick Wall" and the other I can't remember off hand).

R

[Lisa Cousins]

Here's how "Yar" begins:

"The Strange People are happy. They dance with glee for they have the better position. They squirm in and out of the great boulders, and with mighty pushes send huge rocks tumbling down on their enemies, the Little People."

I got my copy through Marie Blood, Houdini's niece.

I'd love to know what Carrie's winning entries were, BTW!

[Tom Stone]

Today I'm reading Niel Gaiman's "American Gods" (again), Robert Rankin's "Raiders of the Lost Car Park" and the second book of Hugard's Monthly.
Tomorrow I'll probably start on Keith Johnstone's "Impro for Storytellers" and Jim Steinmeyer's "The Magic of Alan Wakeling".

[Lance Pierce]

Originally posted by David Acer:
I finished off The Best of Benzais a few days ago (an interesting read, but too many sit down tricks for my taste, including a cut-and-restored rope trick that requires lapping? WHO THE HELL WOULD DO A CUT-AND RESTORED ROPE TRICK THAT REQUIRES LAPPING?!?).

Man, I know I'm really going out on a limb here, but I think I'm going to go with...Benzais?

L-

[Matthew Field]

Originally posted by Ralph Bonheim:
(I believe "Yar" is a reference to Ray Erdnase, younger brother of S.W.)

Ya doesn't have to call me Yar. You can call me Yar, or you can call me J., or you can call me Yar J., or you can call me Yar J. Johnson, or you can call me Yar. J. Johnson, Jr. But ya doesn't have to call me Yar.

Matt Field