The Genii Forum

I have been getting a lot of advice lately as a beginner, to do some self working magic tricks. (Cards).

Can anyone recommend what the best self working tricks are and what books to find them in ?

-S

Check out Aldo Columbini's recent collection, the three Steve Beam books (Semi-Automatic Card Tricks), and the Fulves books by Dover. I still love SCARNE ON CARD TRICKS, a great compilation put together by Dr. Ben Braude for Scarne. Bob Longe has also put out several mainstream books in paperback.

Onward...

don't take the suggestion to do self working ones lightly. Since the mechanics are more or less taken care of, you can focus on presentation. the sleight dependent tricks will be there for you when you want them.
--sj

Make that FOUR Semi-Automatic Card Tricks books....

;)

Although it is not ALL self-working per se I would consider SHUFFLE BORED by Simon Aronson (In his book Bound to Please). This trick alone will fry evryone.

INCREDIBLE

Also Magic With Cards by Frank Garcia and George Schindler

This book is available as an inexpensive hardback at Barnes & Noble bookstores for less $ than most magic paperbacks.

Jon

Best one I have seen is "The Card Magic of Nick Trost " Fulves is good as well as Scarne also.
Rennie

...I'm a big believer in Videos or DVDs as an accessory to learning --- especially with a good teacher..... I've learned all my basics from Allan Ackerman's videos, and an awful lot of useful stuff from Michael Ammar, Daryl, John Carney, and Michael Close ..... Any time I can get a video to go with a book, like Richard Kaufman's "Secrets of Bro. Hamman" and DVD set that fortuitously matches it, it makes it all the easier to read, see, understand, and absorb......

...and thank you for having them, Mr. K - together they are spectacular learning tool:))

Another mention for Magic With Cards by Frank Garcia and George Schindler. There are many good effects. A lot of bang for the buck.

There is a classic book which I think is only available in the UK and even then it may be hard to obtain.
It is published by Faber and Faber and is called "Card Tricks Without Skill" by Paul Clive.
One of the really great books on self working card tricks.
The interesting thing is that Paul Clive had a joke and magic shop and when he sold his own book he hated anyone to know he was the author. He kept it quiet.
Another thing is that one of his non magic friends told me that he had never seen Paul ever do a card trick in the 30 years he had known him. It seems that Paul just went around with a notebook asking various magicians their favourite self working card tricks.
Classic book though. I think it is hardly known in the US.

Originally posted by ricky steele:
There is a classic book which I think is only available in the UK and even then it may be hard to obtain.
It is published by Faber and Faber and is called "Card Tricks Without Skill" by Paul Clive.
One of the really great books on self working card tricks.
The interesting thing is that Paul Clive had a joke and magic shop and when he sold his own book he hated anyone to know he was the author. He kept it quiet.
Another thing is that one of his non magic friends told me that he had never seen Paul ever do a card trick in the 30 years he had known him. It seems that Paul just went around with a notebook asking various magicians their favourite self working card tricks.
Classic book though. I think it is hardly known in the US.

This IS INDEED a classic book, and I second the reccommendation wholeheartedly! There is a wonderful trick by Charlie Miller and Jack McMillen called "The Key to the Draw" (Ron Bauer had a "fix" for this that Charlie and Jack were crazy about. It appeared in John Lukas' "L.I.N.T.", by L&L), as well as several versions of the "E.G. Brown Speller" that, by themselves, make the book worth whatever it is priced at. It was available in the U.S. in paperback for many years and, in fact, was a staple at the magic shop I worked in. Finding a used copy should be easy, there were literally thousands sold, and it went through at least a dozen printings.

My copy has a photo section that is fun to review, since many of the contributors are from "across the water" and I never had the pleasure of meeting them. If your interest is piqued try H&R. Richard will probably have an old copy hanging around, or know where to get one...

Best, PSC