The Genii Forum

What is your favorite book or two of all of the titles that Harry Lorayne has written? I would like to get 2 or 3 this year after my budget rebuilds. (I couldn't resist the special that Richard Kaufman is running.) :)

Hands down, my favorite is "Close Up Card Magic". This book probably has more commercial card magic in it than any other book available.

Close-up Card Magic is my favorite book that he has written (although Personal Secrets and My Favorite Card Tricks were enjoyable too) but I also would never want to part with my collection of Appocalypse. While he never "wrote" all of it, he is responsible for it all as editor (OK Richard we know you were as well for a good while)and that always has something new to learn or one that you forgot about.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat http://www.bigfoot.com/~thoughtreader

I enjoy some of Harry's early small books (almost like booklets)... I am quite fond of "Personal Secrets."

-brad

Close Up Card Magic #1

Reputation Makers #2

Quantum Leaps #3

Not counting the collections and other magicician's books he has written

I just wanted to mention that they are running old Tonight Shows on cable and Harry Lorayne was on the show last night from 1975 or so. The memory act still held up.

It's safe to say that for most people, the two most popular Harry Lorayne books are:
- The Magic Book
- Close-Up Card Magic

Many of the previously mentioned titles have been completely rewritten, revised, and republished by Harry Lorayne as part of his Classic Collection series:
- Lorayne: The Classic Collection Vol. 1-5

In terms of his newer material, there's a couple of newer titles from the last couple of years that can be added:
- Jaw Droppers
- Jaw Droppers Two

I haven't seen either of the Jaw Droppers books, so I'm not qualified to compare them with the earlier material, but perhaps others can comment on that; I'd be interest to know whether they have overlapping content, and what they're like.