The Genii Forum

Hello all, my name is Alex and I was just looking for some help. I've been doing magic for quite a while now and I love money tricks and card tricks. But the thing is, I don't know that many good tricks. Could someone please tell me of some books I could get with good tricks in it about card or money magic?

Card College will keep you busy for the rest of your life as will Bobo's New Expanded Coin Magic. The folks here could go on and on about what is best, but it sounds like you are just getting started on your magical career so I gave you a couple of books that would be a good foundation for anyone. A word of caution, don't ask what the best tricks are in these books. That is a decision you will have to make once you get more experience as what works best for me may not be a trick that works for you.
Peace, Joe

Hey, thanks. I'll definitely check them out. Ive been doing magic for about five years just so you know.And who wrote card college?

Hockeyalex wrote:Hey, thanks. I'll definitely check them out. Ive been doing magic for about five years just so you know.And who wrote card college?

A chap called Robert Giobbi. There are 5 I think in the series, and they are excellent.

However, it might be worth starting on the Card College Lite series as you will find them less difficult to do.

Be handy if we knew more about what you were into and what your skill level is...What books on card and coins do you have now that you like?

Welcome to the forum. This is, bar none, the best magic forum on the internet with some of the best minds in magic. You chose wisely!

I actually don't have any books really, I just have learned tricks from other forums and DVDs. I would say i'm about intermediate.

OK, cool. What DVDs do you have. Which ones do you like? What is your favourite card/coin effect that you do currently?

These questions should help people be able to answer you more usefully.

I have the how to do street magic DVD by ellusionist and a bunch of random card magic books. My favorite tricks are the ambitious card or a trick that I think is called devils ashes where a chosen card appears on your arm from ashes. I also love doing tricks with my gaff deck.
Sorry, I have to go somewhere but I'll be back around five

Hockeyalex wrote:I actually don't have any books really...

Hockeyalex wrote:I have ... a bunch of random card magic books.

I think I know precisely the type of "books" you are referring to.

2 words. Not cool.

Haha, that's right. Worthless kids books with no good magic.

Hockeyalex wrote:Haha, that's right. Worthless kids books with no good magic.

He's suggesting you pirated a load of magic books, and hence aren't listing them.

I wouldn't think so badly of you.

So, ambitious card is a good start, as is the ashes trick.

What moves in ambitious card are you cool with? Double lift? Pass? Top change?

What sort of effect do you want to have on your audience? Do you want to make them laugh or [censored] their pants?

I don't have any pirated books. I was talking about books that aren't popular and you could find them at a library. Anyways, I'm good with mostly all tthe moves but double lift. And I really love tricks that just people say wow and freakout. I'm not really into comedy magic

does anyone know of any books or videos that explain the scarne aces trick? i dont know if this is the right place but oh well

"I was talking about books that aren't popular and you could find them at a library."

I'll bet a great many people here can remember going to the local library in their younger days to borrow, renew or reborrow a magic book. Libraries can have quality and classic magic books that many here would recommend.

Libraries can be great resources for magicians who want to read magic books but who don't have a lot of disposable cash. Now that catalogs are computerized, you can see all the books in your whole county (or perhaps a bigger area in some places) and anything that interests you can be sent to the library closest to you quickly. Interlibrary loans are even possible if you find a book in some other library inventory.

Yeah, I know that quality books can be found at the library, but I was just trying to make a point. But thanks for the tips and I'll definitely stop by the library soon.

You've done the right thing in coming here and asking suggestions from more advanced magicians. Many at you're point would continue on with the forums and DVDs, but it's obvious you're looking for more. Good for you!

I second Card College. There was a very funny video not too long ago on Youtube of this young, inexperienced kid complaining about Card College being boring and hard. This is not the type of person you want to be. It is an EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT resource to study. And for what it's worth, guys who've been in magic for decades still get useful information out of those books. Giobbi is a wonderful teacher and thinker. Plus, the tricks are just plain great.

From Card College, there's several avenues to take. You absolutely cannot go wrong with the Tarbell Course, and everything I just said about CC can also be said for Tarbell. Other great beginner's texts would be (off the top of my head and in no particular order):

Now You See It, Now You Don't by Bill Tarr
Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard & Braue
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks by Hugard (originally by Glenn Gravatt)
Mark Wilson's Cyclopedia of Magic (my first, near and dear to my heart)


There's certainly more that these guys could supply. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Good luck!

Is it an honorable goal if I want to make them laugh so hard that they [censored] their pants?

Just wondering...

I think Ortiz advised against that in Strong Magic.

Boy! What great suggestions here - plus some real class! HARRY LORAYNE. (Incidentally, doubt if you'll find any of my magic books in libraries, but doesn't look as if you want any of mine, anyway. Right? Right.)

I HATE the Lorayne books.

You can open ANY one of them to ANY random page and you find a good trick. Now THERE'S a good trick. And there's one, too!. And there's a GREAT trick!

There's so much great stuff in any of the Lorayne books that you'll end up with EHS (Exploding Head Syndrome). You end up in analysis paralysis and don't know where to start.

Thanks, Harry. ;-)

Chris

Thank YOU, Chris. But doubt if what's his name will pay attention. HL.

"Boy! What great suggestions here - plus some real class! HARRY LORAYNE. (Incidentally, doubt if you'll find any of my magic books in libraries, but doesn't look as if you want any of mine, anyway. Right? Right.)"

Actually there was some very good advice before the thread went South. I'm sure even you would agree that the Giobbi books are first class.