David Berglas Book

[Matthew Field]

Just received my copy of the new David Berglas book published by Jim Steinmeyer, and it is a beauty. Embossed satin cover, lots of color photographs. I only had time to read some of the introductions last evening. Available from JimSteinmeyer.com

[Robert Kane]

Hi Matthew:

I picked up a copy last night from Byron Walker and then started to dig in immediately. I am not finished by any means, but I can say without hesitation that this is truly one awesome book.

Indeed, it is a fantastic combination of effect description, history and anecdotes about the life of Berglas. For the performers out there, the book is packed with reputation making magic and mentalism. It is truly not to be missed even with the hefty price tag, which is entirely reasonable considering the quality of the material and the high production value.

I fondly remember having the privilege of seeing Mr. Berglas lecture here in San Francisco around 1996. It was probably one of the best lectures I ever attended....when Mr. Berglas performed "The Berglas Effect" I can tell you that our jaws dropped to the floor. Utterly magical and incredibly entertaining. As the long-suffering magicians wife sitting next to me said, "Now that is magic."

Berglas is a true pro and his ability is staggering compared to most of the duffers we often see. Later that week I had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Berglas and his lovely wife at the home of a friend.

He told some wonderful stories about his career and was very kind to a neophyte magic geek...namely me. Cool :)

Do yourself a favor and buy this book before they are all gone.

[Guest]

The Berglas book is the Berglas book
and was written by Berglas.
The book is like Berglas : you know what he wants you to know. (And you won't learn the tricks that
you wanted to learn or just wanted to know how they were done).
And before Andy tell us to read between the lines...
It is a very good book but I wanted and waited
for something else.

Maxim

[Guest]

I too, just got the book, and I'm very happy with it. Re: Hanan's point, I think Michael Close put it very well, when he said "The definitive Berglas book should have been definitive." I'm going by memory, sorry if I misquoted.

[Richard Kaufman]

I think that Maxim seems to be a very hard guy to please.

[Guest]

My reaction to the items left out of the book is twofold. On the one hand, selfishly, I'm disappointed, because I'd love to learn them. On the other hand, as a creator, I fully respect Mr. Berglas's desire to keep certain items to himself (especially when out of a 566 page book with dozens of effects, one effect was left out by his choice, one due to an agreement with Mr. Copperfield, and one was explained but is suspected by many of us to not be the only method).

Much as we might complain about it, it's entirely Berglas's right to keep that material, and those who complain about it really have no solid basis for such complaints. It's his material, and he doesn't have to tip anything he doesn't want to. Instead of bitching about the few things he didn't explain, why don't we thank him for the dozens of incredible pieces he did share?

--Andy

P.S.-Hanan, David Britland wrote the book, not Berglas.

[Guest]

Andy makes a very good point. A magician is not obligated to give it all away. Whether it is David Berglas or Dai Vernon. It is nice when they do but regardless of the circumstances, it certainly isn't mandatory.

Then we have others that flood our magic market with crap nobody wants.

[David Alexander]

That the Berglas Effect is beyond the great majority of magicians is not something that eluded Berglas and Britland when they wrote the book. I thought the explanation, threaded throughout the book and not just in the one section, to be clear enough. Indeed, the approach is written on one page in large, bold letters.

Simply put: If you are looking for a simplistic instruction book that holds your hand, the Berglas book isnt for you. If you are an amateur who simply wants to collect secrets, then the Berglas book isnt for you. If you dont like being forced to think and analyze what youve read, then the Berglas book isnt for you. As it says in the front matter, the book is published in a limited edition of one-thousand copies for distribution to professional performers.

Theres the key. The true value of the book can only be realized by those with extensive stage experience because only with that level of experiential education can you understand what Berglas is saying: his insights, subtleties, and approach to performing. The amateur, absent this experience and education, might as well be reading ancient Greek or Swahili.

If you are a working professional and want routines that will add immeasurably to your repertoire; if you want to be exposed to the thinking that goes into the creation of a successful career; if you want a number of presentations that extract the absolute maximum in mystery and entertainment from the routine, then this is the book to buy. On that basis, the book priced far below its actual value. There are numerous items that are, easily, worth the price of the book, but they take stage presence and address to carry them off. This is high level material, not for the faint of heart.

Clearly, Berglas is a fan of Edgar Alan Poe for there are several highly valuable secrets that he has left in plain sight including one that obviously made him hundreds of thousand of pounds. That Berglas was as generous as he was is amazing to me.yet people complain about the lack of clarity in a silly card trick when other, far more valuable information is spelled out in detail.

The idea that the book is not definitive only exposes the short comings of the reviewer. This is nicely covered by a line delivered by Gene Hackman, playing Lex Luthor in the first Superman film: Why is it that some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it nothing more than a simple adventure story and someone else can read the ingredients on a gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the Universe?

[Guest]

Hard to please ??? me ???
I bought 32 books that you have published.
(and read 9 more from friends ;)
I always got what I paid for.
I didn't get what I wanted in the Berglas book.

On the other hand , for some people that book is worth 10 times the price it cost

Maxim

[John McDonald]

This book is brilliant!!

It only enhances David Berglas's reputation and skill as a magician and performer. He is a genius at psychological misdirection and performance.
If you buy this book for secrets you will get plenty, however if you think that you can perform them as Berglas performs them, it will be a tough call, akin to knowing which receiver is open downfield (like Kurt Warner) but also being able to whip that pass to him.

In the words of the pop group, Bananarama,
"it's not what you do, it's the way that you do it."

Best wishes to all

John

[Guest]

I was really pleased that the floating table wasn't tipped. I don't ever wish to know the real work on that effect, as I like to view it, and enjoy it's full power, as a layman. It's right up there with Blackstone's floating lightbulb for me. Enchanting.

The book reflects Mr Berglas perfectly. Elegance and quality.