A Close-Up Question

[Guest]

I do stage magic and am interested in obtaining a few good books on general close-up magic. Any suggestions for some books in print? (sorry, this question belongs somewhere else but I thought I might as well ask here).

[Bill Mullins]

Ellie -- welcome to the Forum.

Two thoughts that might make your stay here more productive (and better received):

1. When a topic has been closed, don't try to reintroduce it in a sideways manner.

2. Put your posts in the proper category.

To answer your questions, try "The Dai Vernon Book of Magic", "The Royal Road to Card Magic", and "Stars of Magic". There is enough good material in those three books to keep you busy for a long time.

[CHRIS]

Ellie,

you might find the following FAQ of interest.

Chris Wasshuber
Lybrary.com preserving magic one book at a time.

[Guest]

Mr. Mullins: thanks a million for the advice on the close-up books!

Mr. Kaufman: why did you delete my topic heading and comment on Clay Shevlin's support (versus criticism) of David Copperfield? Did I say something wrong? For a moment there, it also looked like Mr. Shevlin wrote something in reply to me on this matter, but then is was gone (maybe I should say it "vanished" :) ) in a flash. I didn't think I said anything wrong and wasn't trying to offend anybody, but don't understand the censorship of my comment.

[Jim Maloney_dup1]

Originally posted by Ellie:
I didn't think I said anything wrong and wasn't trying to offend anybody, but don't understand the censorship of my comment.

Welcome to the Genii Forum. ;)

-Jim

[Richard Kaufman]

Hi Ellie, I did edit (not censor--but some people here don't seem to know the difference) your post because it related to a thread I had already deleted at the request of Mr. Shevlin. Once I close a thread, the discussion on that particular issue is usually over.
And, if Mr. Maloney doesn't like it, he can go over to the Magic Cafe or MagicTalk where Wesley James is spoken of in what he considers properly reverential tones. :)

[Guest]

For the record, the thread was deleted by mututal agreementr with Richard after he denied my request to respond to what I thought were his unfair and erroneous comments. It is indeed his forum I guess, and you, I and Jim Maloney can indeed go elsewhere if we don't like it.

[Guest]

P. S. Semantics aside, it is indeed censorship in my opinion.

[Jim Maloney_dup1]

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
And, if Mr. Maloney doesn't like it, he can go over to the Magic Cafe or MagicTalk where Wesley James is spoken of in what he considers properly reverential tones. :)

LOL!

Fair enough. ;)

-Jim

[Jonathan Townsend]

Speaking of him. He does have a referential tome and so deserves some reverential tones.

On the cafe there is come comment about his releasing material that's been kept quiet for the last twenty five years. Also interesting to read of people trying some of the material.

Not to worry, there are folks there who praise CoinMagic and Out of Control.

[Dale Shrimpton]

As far as books go i would thoroughly recomend both volumes of the Art of close up magic by Lewis Ganson. Most of the clasic close up effects are covered here. Another book well worth looking at, is " come a little closer" which contains work by many of the great names in close up magic from the last 70 years including Roy Walton, John Derris, Jack Avis, Ted Danson, and Bobby Bernard.
Also, dont forget that Mark Wilson has a great deal of clasic magic that will fit into anyones programe.

[Guest]

To all who helped with my question on close-up books, thank you. I have enjoyed reading people's thoughts on this board in the past and really appreciate the responses to my rank amateur questions!

Unwittingly, I think I got caught in between a dispute between Richard and Clay. It was a truly innocent observation on my reading of his post on a collectors's duties. I was content to stay out of that dispute since Richard obviously didn't like what Clay had to say.

But I don't like being treated like a dummy, either. I know the difference between editing and censorship, Mr. Kaufman, and I don't like being told that I don't know the difference. I've taught English and Civics for 43 years.

For what it's worth, I found Clay's general question very interesting and refreshing--who cares about David Copperfield! It seems like he bent over backwards to say that he was defending Mr. Copperfield, not attacking him. And if my memory is correct, he even wrote that he hoped people would focus on the general question and not on Mr. Copperfield.

I wouldn't have stuck my nose in this mess had you not insulted me, Mr. Kaufman, and treated me like some sort of knucklehead. I don't understand the haughtiness, but I don't think it's a positive thing. And this is the way you treated Mr. Shevlin, I might add, by dismissing his topic as "assinine" and then basically telling him he was insincere and not giving him a chance to respond. It was rude and uncalled for.

As Clay wrote above, this is your board. But I wish you would exercise a bit less imperious of a touch. This is the last time I will visit this board.

[Richard Kaufman]

Ellie, there is no censorship in a private forum. I own the site and run the forum and the final say in what appears here is, quite simply, mine.
There is only censorship in a public forum.
I was not treating you "like a knucklehead," as you put it.
Regarding Clay Shevlin's other post, I find the very notion that one (ANYONE) has a "duty" to sell one's personal posessions so ridiculous that it is offensive to me and not worth discussion. Frankly, the idea is so bizarre that it's impossible for me to imagine anyone having such an opinion. Who in the world has the right to say that someone else should sell their personal stuff.
I meant no offense to Clay other than what I've written in the preceding paragraph.
End of story.
Since you started this topic and now chosen to leave the Forum, this thread is also closed.