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$100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 29th, 2006, 9:10 pm
by Guest
Imagine some magician approaches you with the question what magic ebooks to buy for the $100 he has got. This person is fairly new to magic and has so far not purchased any magic ebooks. Otherwise you don't know which kind of magic he is most interested in. The Challenge is to assemble a set of ebooks from Lybrary.com to cover as wide and deep an area as possible. Ebooks you think are must read ones - ebooks you think give a good sampling of various forms of magic. Ebooks you think are just great and will provide value for a long time. What advice would you give this person?

If $100 is too big a restriction for you do the same for a limit of $500.

Whoever comes up with the 'best' list of ebooks from Lybrary.com will get his list of ebooks on a CD free of charge. There will be a winner for the $100 challenge and a winner for the $500 challenge. Potentially this could be the same person.

Rules:

1) Spending limit $100/$500
2) Only ebooks from Lybrary.com (you have more than 300 to choose from)
3) 'Best' is determined by my own subjective measure.
4) Submission deadline is Sep 4th.
5) Post here or send email

If you have any further questions, post here.

Best,
Chris....
Preserving magic one book at a time
http://www.lybrary.com/

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 29th, 2006, 10:43 pm
by Guest
Originally posted by Chris Wasshuber:
Whoever comes up with the 'best' list of ebooks from Lybrary.com will get his list of ebooks on a CD free of charge.
Forgive me Chris but I see a flaw in the logic here. If I actually know the material I recommend and make an honest list the prize is ebook copies of the material I already have (probably in hard copy).

How about a custom CD of $100.00 worth of EBooks I don't already have?

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 30th, 2006, 10:03 am
by Guest
Don't look a gift horse (or ebook) in the mouth.

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 30th, 2006, 11:49 am
by Dustin Stinett
Well I'll play! My lists are in alphabetical order:

$100:

202 Methods of Forcing - Annemann $2.00
Card Control - Buckley $5.00
Dai Vernon Book of Magic - Ganson $29.90
Expert Card Technique - Hugard & Braue $6.00
Gems of Mental Magic - Buckely & Cook $5.00
Modern Coin Magic - Bobo $8.50
Modern Magic - Hoffmann $7.50
Our Magic - Maskelyne & Devant $8.00
Principles and Deceptions - Buckley $7.00
Royal Road to Card Magic - Hugard & Braue $5.00
Sleight of Hand - Sachs $5.00
Victory Carton Illusions - Grant $9.00
Total: $97.90

$500:

202 Methods of Forcing - Annemann $2.00
Card College 1 - Giobbi $45.00
Card College 2 - Giobbi $45.00
Card Control - Buckley $5.00
Card Manipulations - Hugard $4.00
Dai Vernon Book of Magic - Ganson $29.90
Expert at the Card Table - Erdnase $5.00
Expert Card Technique - Hugard & Braue $6.00
Gems of Mental Magic - Buckely & Cook $5.00
Hocus Pocus Junior - Unknown $7.00
Hugard's Magic Monthly - Hugard $99.00
Later Magic - Hoffmann $9.00
Latest Magic - Hoffmann $6.00
Magicians' Tricks - Hatton & Plate $6.50
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin - Robert-Houdin $8.00
Modern Coin Magic - Bobo $8.50
Modern Coin Manipulation - Downs/Hilliar $4.50
Modern Magic - Hoffmann $7.50
More Magic - Hoffmann $6.50
New Era Card Tricks - Roterberg $25.00
Our Magic - Maskelyne & Devant $8.00
Practical Mental Effects - Annemann $6.00
Principles and Deceptions - Buckley $7.00
Royal Road to Card Magic - Hugard & Braue $5.00
Sleight of Hand - Sachs $5.00
Tarbell Course - Tarbell $39.00
The Modern Conjuror - Neil $6.00
Victory Carton Illusions - Grant $9.00
Workers Series - Close $80.00
Total: $499.40

Dustin

PS: I forgot my advice. "Read; Learn; Practice."

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 30th, 2006, 1:46 pm
by Guest
Ok, I will play too.
First I would recommend "The Tarbell Course" for a general formation in magic for $39.00. Next for a more specific formation into Card Magic, I would recommend "Royal Road to Card Magic" (Hugard), the best course in existence for $5.00. For a more specific formation into Coin Magic, the best buy is "Modern Coin Magic"(Bobo) for $8.50. For a more specific formation into Mental Magic, "Annemann's Practical Mental Effects" for $6.00. To enlarge the formation in general magic, classics such as "Modern Magic Manual" (Hugard)for $8.00, "The Modern Conjurer" (Lang Neil) for $6.00 and "The Art of Magic" (Downs) for $5.50. To enlarge the formation in Card Magic, classics such as "The Expert at the Card Table"(Erdnase) for $5.00, "Expert Card Technique" (Hugard) for $6.00, "Encyclopedia of Card Tricks"(Hugard) for $6.00, "Card Control" (Buckley) for $5.00. That makes exactly $100.00.

$100: :
That gives in alphabetical order:

"Annemann's Practical Mental Effects" $6.00
"Card Control" (Buckley) $5.00
"Encyclopedia of Card Tricks" (Hugard) $6.00
"Expert Card Technique" (Hugard) $6.00
"Modern Coin Magic"(Bobo) $8.50
"Modern Magic Manual" (Hugard) $8.00
"Tarbell Course" $39.00
"The Art of Magic" (Downs) $5.50
"The Expert at the Card Table"(Erdnase) $5.00
"The Modern Conjurer" (Lang Neil) $6.00
"Royal Road to Card Magic" (Hugard) $5.00
Total: $100.00

$500:
"Annemann's Practical Mental Effects" $6.00
"Card Control" (Buckley) $5.00
"Encyclopedia of Card Tricks" (Hugard) $6.00
"Expert Card Technique" (Hugard) $6.00
"Modern Coin Magic"(Bobo) $8.50
"Modern Magic Manual" (Hugard) $8.00
"Tarbell Course" $39.00
"The Art of Magic" (Downs) $5.50
"The Expert at the Card Table"(Erdnase) $5.00
"The Modern Conjurer" (Lang Neil) $6.00
"Royal Road to Card Magic" (Hugard) $5.00
"Hugard's Magic Monthly" $99.00
"The Dai Vernon Book of Magic" (Ganson) $29.90
"The Magic of Slydini" (Ganson) $29.90
"Workers Series" (Close) $80.00
"Card College 1" (Giobbi) $45.00
"Card College 2" (Giobbi) $45.00
"Showmanship for Magicians" (Fitzkee) $9.00
"The Trick Brain" (Fitzkee) $9.00
"Magic by Misdirection" (Fitzkee) $9.00
"Our Magic" (Devant) $8.00
"Hofzinser's Card Conjuring" $6.00
"Magician's Tricks" (Hatton) $6.50
"Modern Magic" (Hoffmann) $7.50
"Sleight of Hand" (Sachs) $5.00
"The Secrets of Conjuring" (Robert-Houdin) $9.00
"202 Methods of Forcing" (Annemann) $2.00
Total:$499.80

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: August 30th, 2006, 7:04 pm
by Guest
Ok makes sense, I change the prize into a $100/$500 credit at Lybrary.com.

Best,
Chris....

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: September 1st, 2006, 1:40 pm
by Guest
Here is my list:

$100 List

Annemann's Practical Mental Effects $6.00
Close-UP Magic--Hugard $5.00
Coin Magic--Hugard $3.00
Magic By Misdirection--Fitzkee $9.00
Modern Coin Magic--Bobo $8.50
Royal Road to Card Magic $5.00
Showmanship for Magicians--Fitzkee $9.00
Sleight of Hand--Sachs $5.00
Tarbell Course $39.00
The Art of Magic--Downs $5.50
The Expert at the Card Table--Erdnase $5.00

Total $100 even

$500 List

202 Methods of Forcing--Annemann $2.00
Annemann's Practical Mental Effects $6.00
Card College 1--Giobbi $45.00
Card College 2--Giobbi $45.00
Card Control--Buckley $5.00
Close-UP Magic--Hugard $5.00
Coin Magic--Hugard $3.00
Dai Vernon Book of Magic $29.90
Encyclopedia of Card Magic--Hugard $6.00
Expert CArd Technique--$6.00
Faro Shuffle-Close $30.00
Hofzinser's Card Conjuring $6.00
Magic By Misdirection--Fitzkee $9.00
Modern Coin Magic--Bobo $8.50
Momma Mia--Colombini $15.00
New Era Card Tricks $25.00
Prepared Cards and Accessories-Miracle Methods No. 3--Hugard/Braue $4.00
Roth Memory Course--Roth $7.00
Royal Road to Card Magic $5.00
Showmanship for Magicians--Fitzkee $9.00
Skullduggery--$24.00
Sleight of Hand--Sachs $5.00
Steven Youell Teaches Advanced Card Techniques--$29.90
Tarbell Course $39.00
The Art of Magic--Downs $5.50
The Complete Workers--Close $80.00
The Expert at the Card Table--Erdnase $5.00
The Magic of Slydini $29.90
The Secrets of Conjuring $9.00

Total 498.70

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: September 2nd, 2006, 3:09 am
by Guest
Due to a trip I am taking next week, I am extending this competition until Sept 8th.

Best,
Chris....

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: September 11th, 2006, 10:25 am
by Guest
Hi Chris,
Have you already chosen the two "best" lists of ebooks?

Re: $100/$500 Challenge

Posted: September 15th, 2006, 3:39 am
by Guest
I have made my decision, which was very very hard to do. Lots of wonderful and very thoughtful submissions. Some even came with a thesis describing why certain choices have been made. Excellent stuff. And that is why selecting a winner is difficult, but I have made the hard decisions.

The winners are:
Jeff Bjorklund for the $100 contest
Hannes Freytag for the $500 contest

Jeff's $100 list is:

Modern Coin Magic
Expert Card Technique
Silken Sorcery
Magical Rope Ties & Escapes
Grant's Illusion Secrets
Magic by Misdirection
Our Magic
Showmanship for Magicians
Card Manipulations
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
Magical Experiments
Zufall's Memory Trix
Money Magic
202 Methods of Forcing
25 Lessons in Hypnotism
Annemann's Practical Mental Effects

What I liked in this list is that Jeff had many of the classics like "Mental Effects", "Modern Coin Magic" and some Hugard books, but also included very important theoretical books like "Our Magic" and "Magic by Misdirection" as well as some books which broaden the horizon like "Magic Experiments", "25 Lessons in Hypnotism" and "Zufall's Memory Trix".

The big question for the $100 contest was to include the Tarbell Course or not. Some of you have chosen the path to go with Tarbell. Not a bad choice at all, because Tarbell is by itself a wonderful introduction, a great reference and an increadible bargain as ebook. However the ones that have included Tarbell were not as creative in the rest of their choices.

And the winning list for $500 is

Buckely - Card Control
Erdnase - The Expert at the Card Table
Giobbi - Card College 1
Giobbi - Card College 2
Hofzinser - Hofzinser's Card Conjuring
Hugard - Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
Hugard - Expert Card Technique
Hugard - The Royal Road to Card Magic
Jordan - Charles T. Jordan
Roterberg - New Era Card Tricks
Ganson - The Magic of Slydini
Ganson - The Dai Vernon Book of Magic
Close - Workers
Bobo - Modern Coin Magic
Downs - Modern Coin Manipulation
Swiss - Jamy Ian Swiss Book Reviews
Devant - Our Magic
Houdin - Memoirs of Robert-Houdin
Houdin - The Secrets of Conjuring
Annemann - Annemann's Practical Mental Effects
Buckley - Gems of Mental Magic
Downs - The Art of Magic
Buckley - Principles and Deceptions
Fitzkee - Magic by Misdirection
Fitzkee - Showmanship for Magicians
Fitzkee - The Trick Brain
Hatton & Plate - Magicians' Tricks
Holden - Programmes of Famous Magicians
Hoffmann - Later Magic
Hoffmann - Modern Magic
Sachs - Sleight of Hand
Tarbell - Tarbell Course

I must say that I got only a few $500 submissions, which I did not quite understand, because I felt it should be easier to assemble a nice list with a larger budget. Although I like Hannes' list and he is the winner of the $500 contest, I think there is quite a bit of room to improve the list. And so other submissions would have had a good chance to trump the winning list. What I particularly liked was his inclusion of Jamy Ian Swiss Book Reviews, where he made the comment, that this will help to find other great books on magic, which I fully agree with.

Thank you for your participation and the time you took in assembling your lists.

Chris
www.lybrary.com