The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

This forum is an ongoing, and evolving, discussion. Genii Forum members discuss opinions and trade notes on current and past magic books.
Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » April 29th, 2004, 1:45 am

Geez, I just noticed this was "Book of the Month" over a year and a half ago...

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » May 7th, 2004, 3:06 am

Yep! I was thinking of the same thing. hmmm... proof of synchronicity? ;-)

Then again, considering the book is The Amateur Magician's Handbook, I am not surprised... This book simply has to be the Book of the Month for all the months, for all the years, ever since it was written!

Btw, I wonder if we could post Book Reviews, et al here... Or is that to be posted in the sections pertaining to the topic genre of the book?

Nakul

PS: Dustin, that was one of the very best essays I have read in magic! The AMH has been my all-time favourite book... and remains so. Thank you so much for such an enlightening write-up.

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » March 3rd, 2005, 6:29 am

Wow . . . I'm glad Barrows Mussey is recognized somewhere in the magical universe. I read his Handbook when I was about twelve, and after I really got to talking to other magicians online, I thought it was odd that I never heard anything about him. I always hoped I could see him perform, but alas, it seems that he passed away when I was about a year old. He'll always be my favorite magician. I've searched relentlessly for information about him and his life, but very little information is available. Does anyone know where I could find a copy of the obituary Richard Hatch wrote for him in Genii? I don't even know what issue it was, and I'd like to read that.

Philippe Billot
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Philippe Billot » March 3rd, 2005, 9:38 am

You'll find Richard Hatch's tribute in Genii Vol 49, N5, Nov 1985, page 331 but Barrows Mussey is presented as Henry Hay (his pen name).

The Genii Open Index Project is not complete but it works ! You can find a lot of informations.

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » March 6th, 2005, 4:34 pm

Thanks, man. Knowing which issue, I was actually able to find a copy.

Richard Perrin
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Richard Perrin » March 16th, 2005, 3:15 am

Greeting y'all!

Honest to say that my english is my second language since I am deaf but this tread is awesome to read about "AMH" is something that I do have it (now it collect dust). I am going to find it and start read it. I did read that book (70's paperback) back in late '70.
Glad to share with y'all as well as you share your on "AMH"
Thanks for bringing me back to that book!
Richard

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » April 8th, 2007, 7:59 am

The wonderful The Amateur Magician\'s Handbook is now available as ebook (PDF downloadable).

Lybrary.com has reached an agreement with Mussey's widow to republish all of Henry Hay's books as ebooks.

I have also received letters Mussey wrote to T. Nelson Downs, letters he received (one from Mulholland), photos, and other interesting paraphernalia from Mussey's early period in magic. I am not yet sure what I will do with this material but it might end up in a separate ebook.

Best,
Chris....
www.lybrary.com

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Richard Kaufman » April 8th, 2007, 8:24 am

What you should do is include all the other material you've received along with the ebooks so people have a reason (you know, some incentive) to think about buying an ebook when they already have the real printed books on the shelf. All of Hay's books are easily available and cost very little.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Dustin Stinett » April 8th, 2007, 9:37 am

Yes! I would be all over that!

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » April 8th, 2007, 10:45 am

Did you get the eBook rights to Henrietta Hay's classic CLAY POT COOKING?

Guest

Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby Guest » May 16th, 2007, 2:18 pm

Did you get the eBook rights to Henrietta Hay's classic CLAY POT COOKING?
Now that brings back memories ... I was 8 years old ... trying to edge palm a spinach casserole ... good times.

Best,

DD

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TheFireEater
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby TheFireEater » February 6th, 2009, 7:35 am

... and THEN there was the night, at the Magic Castle about 30 years ago... down in the Haunted Wine Cellar, basically right 'under foot' from where Dai was sitting, I did his "Royal Marriages" one of THIS BOOKS many excellent effects, one that I had learned as a young teenager from it at the local Public Library.

One of the spectators who saw me do it was FLOORED ! What I didn't know was that he was considered to be one of the "Mucky-Mucks' of the Castle's "Inner Sanctum'... he RUDELY DEMANDED that I tell him where I had seen that trick (interestingly, he had assumed it wasn't original).

When I gave up trying to POLITELY 'put him off' I finally told him how it was "By The Professor..." to which he FUMED !

He SHOUTED: "I have read EVERYTHING that Vernon wrote, and I have NEVER seen anything like that in ANY of his books or manuscripts !"

At this point the kindly couple that I had been performing for, my GUESTS, decided that it had become Very Uncomfortable, and they TRIED to 'excuse themselves' and leave... but this brutish fellow 'pressed on'...

I told him that most certainly it WAS 'In Print' though I couldn't say for sure if it was in one of Dai's Books, but that it WAS in a famous book that DID say it was 'His' effect.

Then this fellow DEMANDED to know just "WHAT famous book is THAT ? I have read EVERY famous book on Cards !"

Well, of course that seemed kind of like a doubtful claim, but I again tried to be FRIEDNLY and told him: "Oh, it is a book by Henry Hay..." and he said: "IMPOSSIBLE ! I have read EVERY BOOK that he EVER wrote !"

I said: "Well, I am not sure WHAT PAGE it is on, but it IS in 'The Amatuer Magicians Handbook' and..."

To which he GLEEFULLY shouted out: "Oh ! No wonder ! I NEVER read ANY books meant for AMATURES !!!"

Of course, that was rather a silly 'explanation' but he did use it to storm off in a big huff... another member who had wandered over curious to find out what all the yelling was about looked at me and winked and said: "Yeah, I have read that book, too... it REALLY isn't just meant for amatures... not at ALL, in fact !"

Yep......I would say that it OUGHT TO BE 'required reading' for ALL Professionals,in fact.

How many copies have I owned, over the years ? Five ! Several of the various different Editions, which DID get some up-dating.

I have also given some copies away, or donated them for Magic Club Raffle Presents.

GREAT book... and, I too used it as my 'basic stext' for teaching Magic Classes... you simply can't go wrong with it...

And, IF anyone could master just a handful of different items from it, they ought to be able to pretty much build a career upon them !

For AMATURES ? No, Not Really ! DEFINITELY not !

So, I am glad to learn the 'why' that it did get titled that way !

That is an Interesting Story !

:-)
Matthew the Munificent

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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby 808 » January 25th, 2010, 11:37 am

I got tired of seeing the Fechter book on top of the heap. Nearly three months is enough.

AnthonyBrahams
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby AnthonyBrahams » January 25th, 2010, 12:15 pm

It's still a wonderful book! I was hoping others might point out some things I had missed or had not realised were good.

Readers should be sure and read the history ,events, biographical and other non-trick sectionsdon't miss them because the magic is so superb. "That's It" is one effect that was not in Magician Nitely and is a winner for the public.
Anthony

AnthonyBrahams
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Re: The Book of the Month: The Amateur Magician's Handbook

Postby AnthonyBrahams » January 25th, 2010, 1:02 pm

My last posting refers to Book-of-the-Month Fechter, not AM Handbook.
Anthony


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