Strong Magic

[Guest]

Card Trickster wrote:

The first few pages of the chapter on Presentation is particularly valuable where it advises on creating a character that you become known by.

Indeed, the online character that you've created is so recognizable, that even when you use a name like "Card Trickster" me thinks I know who you are.

-David L.

[Jim Maloney_dup1]

Originally posted by David L.:
Indeed, the online character that you've created is so recognizable, that even when you use a name like "Card Trickster" me thinks I know who you are.

-David L.

Ooh! I'm not the only one!

-Jim

[Guest]

Good. I am glad someone said it first because I was thinking the same thing.

[Steve Vaught]

In the book, Mr. Ortiz referred several times to the Juan Tamariz book "The Magic Way". Has anyone read this book? Is it covering the same ground as "Strong Magic". Is it comparable to the videos he has "Lessons in Magic"?
....oh by the way, I am on page 246 "Conveying the Character". I still hold true to my first statement. I love to learn!! I believe this is a book that helps you take the "tools" that are in your grasp and systematically begin to build a better understanding of "our job" as entertainers.

[Guest]

The Magic Way is a great book (as well as Juan's other books). There really isn't much overlap in the 2 books. Juan's focus is what he calls the theory of false solutions. He demonstrates a couple of different effects (ie - vanishing of a coin, oil and water, etc), and goes through the procedures of what he would do to eliminate questions that may come up such as "The coin is in your other hand" (he would show the other hand empty by using a subtlety for example).

There is a ton of great stuff in Juan's books. The problem is trying to find them. They are fetching pretty hefty prices on e-bay, but if you are able to track one down, they are well worth having.

[Steve Vaught]

Mark,
I'll start looking on ebay, thanks
Have you heard any reviews on the videos "Lessons in Magic"?
I have heard some suggest that "Brain Food" is a book to be compared to "Strong Magic".
...your thoughts?

[Guest]

I have Volumes 2 and 3 of "Lessons In Magic". They are OK. There is a mixture of very good stuff and some stuff I didn't care about. Personally I think his books are better and Juan is much better live than he is on the videos. I did like his video he did with Joe Stevens and on one of the A-1 compilation tapes, Juan does his memorized deck routine (15 minutes or so) and that is worth checking out.

I have not read "Brain Food" so I honestly couldn't tell you anything about it.