Magic Library Books

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mrmagik68
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Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
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Magic Library Books

Postby mrmagik68 » May 15th, 2021, 1:07 pm

Hello all,

I have a few magic books I'm going to be donating to two nearby public libraries. Which got me thinking, I remember one book on magic I found in the NY Public Library when I was getting started in magic was an old book by Bill Tarr. I can't remember the title of the book. For those of you who started magic from books at your local libraries, what were some of the titles you came across? Thanks!



Roberto

Bob Farmer
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Bob Farmer » May 15th, 2021, 1:14 pm

One of the best, which I eventually purchase, was Greer Marechal's, Magic For The Millions.

jason156
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby jason156 » May 15th, 2021, 1:34 pm

The one I remember was Cub Scout Magic, which was in my elementary school library. It was published in 1960, and I saw it sometime around 1970. Interestingly, the only trick I remember from it (and it was more of a stunt), was how to pick up a empty coke bottle with a straw.

Dave Le Fevre
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Dave Le Fevre » May 15th, 2021, 1:37 pm

mrmagik68 wrote:book by Bill Tarr. I can't remember the title of the book.
Was it Now you see it, now you don't? That's the book that always comes to mind when I think of Bill Tarr.

PressureFan
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby PressureFan » May 15th, 2021, 1:54 pm

Dunningers Complete Encyclopedia Of Magic was the only magic book in our local library and the nearest magic shop was Jack's Joke Shop in Boston. When I was a teenager a friend gave me Bill Tarr's Now You See It, Now You Don't! and it moved me from little plastic box tricks to sleight of hand. A few years ago Barry Ross was selling some of the beautiful original illustrations he did for the book. I desperately wished I could afford one. Quelle dommage.

Joe Lyons
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Joe Lyons » May 15th, 2021, 2:35 pm

I remember keeping The Amateur Magician's Handbook perpetually checked out from the library of a larger nearby city.

Frank Yuen
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Frank Yuen » May 15th, 2021, 6:06 pm

I eventually purchased almost all of the books on magic that I used to check out as a kid when my library consolidated its branches. Some of my favorite titles were Joseph Leeming's Fun with Magic and More fun with Magic, Walter Gibson's The Master Magicians, Paul Curry's Magicians Magic and my absolute favorite Clayton Rawson aka The Great Merlini's The Golden Book of Magic.

I

Jack Shalom
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Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Jack Shalom » May 15th, 2021, 9:01 pm

The Leeming books, the Bill Severn books, and the book that enticed me to get an adult card: Professional Magic Made Easy by Bruce Elliott. Thank you, Brooklyn Public Library, Branch #48!

PressureFan
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby PressureFan » May 15th, 2021, 10:50 pm

Ah, good ol' 793.8! (Jeff Stone 793.8 Where is the Magic.)
How many times have we browsed libraries and used book stores? "Where is the hobby and game section? Got any books on magic, sleight-of-hand?"

Edward Pungot
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Edward Pungot » May 16th, 2021, 10:58 am

Three books I was very fond of at the library that were a surprise to me: [ 1 ] David Meyer
Wizard Exposed: Magic Tricks by and Interviews With Harry Houdini Howard Thurston and Other Past Masters of Magic [ I still have a photocopy of a section of that book with interviews and photos of Max Malini and Charles Bertram that I made when I first discovered that book back in high school ]

[ 2 ] T.A. Waters Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians [ This was doublely surprising because the author would later magically materialize every Sunday at the Magic Castle during the afternoon lectures that I attended religiously during my junior days ]

[ 3 ] Ricky Jay Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women [ I also remember making a photocopy of the Malini section in that book ]

[ If you're in the Southern California area these books can be found at the Cerritos Library which also has a Pepper's Ghost fireplace in the main sitting room in the lobby ]

pixsmith
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Location: Arlington, TX

Re: Magic Library Books

Postby pixsmith » May 16th, 2021, 1:33 pm

I'd like to add something here that sounds odd - from time to time, go check out those books, even if only for a week or so. Many, many of those books from my local library were deaccessioned/tossed due to their lack of circulation. I understand the thinking, but the library as a concept has changed so much over the years that finding copies of great 1920s books library bound and circulating, like I could when I was a kid, are gone. Still, the ones that you may see on the shelf when browsing ought to go home, just so they are there for some younger kid with interest who may prefer reading to the internet. Put a penny in the pot.

Anthony Vinson
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Anthony Vinson » May 16th, 2021, 3:50 pm

I, too, was partial to The Amateur Magician's Handbook, along with a for-the-public book by Pat Page that I don't readily recall the title of. And Harry Lorayne's The Magic Book should certainly be added to the list.

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Smurf
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Smurf » May 16th, 2021, 9:56 pm

A few that I remember enjoying from the library are

Hokus Pokus by Ib Permin
Pure Magic! by Henry Gross
The Master Magicians by Walter Gibson

Frank Yuen
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Frank Yuen » May 17th, 2021, 9:42 am

The Page book was The Big Book of Magic. If I recall correctly Patrick Page was expelled from the IBM because of this book.

mrmagik68
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby mrmagik68 » May 30th, 2021, 10:16 pm

Jack Shalom wrote:The Leeming books, the Bill Severn books, and the book that enticed me to get an adult card: Professional Magic Made Easy by Bruce Elliott. Thank you, Brooklyn Public Library, Branch #48!



Wow Jack! You really lucked out at that library! Great selection there.




Roberto

mrmagik68
Posts: 160
Joined: December 10th, 2013, 6:58 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: NYC

Re: Magic Library Books

Postby mrmagik68 » May 30th, 2021, 10:20 pm

Dave Le Fevre wrote:
mrmagik68 wrote:book by Bill Tarr. I can't remember the title of the book.
Was it Now you see it, now you don't? That's the book that always comes to mind when I think of Bill Tarr.



Dave,
Turns out the Bill Tarr book I came across at my local library was, 101 Easy-to-Learn Classic Magic Tricks. Later on I purchased, Now you see it, Now you don't.



Roberto

Bob Farmer
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Re: Magic Library Books

Postby Bob Farmer » May 31st, 2021, 10:05 am

What's New In Magic by Walter Gibson. I think I wore out the library copy. It's a great book and I now have my own copy.


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