Even though the theory was better presented, the tone affected in these passages is quite distasteful from time to time. Both his magic books, Pure Effect and Absolute Magic, are outstanding reads that have completely changed my approach to magic. He readily admits that he can’t but he does admit to knowing people and knowing – in a manner similar to the methods of Dai Vernon – what they are saying by their movements and absence of movements. Brown describes an epiphany when he sat at a table and imagined what it would be like to be a typical diner being approached by one of us, a table-hopper. Nevertheless, this book is really about the state of our art—not in the sense of such a state being a finished and polished accomplishment, but rather as a vision and a work very much in progress.

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Most readers will, immediately upon being informed of those risks, move on to the next thing, in hopes of finding a sure thing. Recently, in my review of Barrie Richardson's Theater of the Mind (November 1999 Genii), I commented on a "new age of mentalism" and the trend of prominent sleight-of-hand workers taking up mentalism. Books on magic are hit and miss, and this is hardly the worst of the lot, but unfortunately due to Derren's success now, Pure Effect was built up to unattainable heights.

The tricks in the book are great for Table-hopping/ cocktail parties and a few but not many for stage magic. I don't use any of the tricks themselves in Pure Effect (although he has some tidy pieces in there), but the way he talks about turning tricks into magic is spot on.A lengthy series of card effects, performed with three cards and three spectators, provides an extended sequence of strong effects in a mystifying and commercial routine.

This is, stated baldly, unquestionably the most provocative magic book I have read in a very long time. The two effects left out were indeed 'Remin-something' (can't spell it) and also 'lift', which is were you control someone else's arm and the second your's lifts up so does theres.

Derren holds his arm in the same way, when Derren drops his arm, the particpants arm drops at the same time. If the 'professional' I saw in Vegas had just taken the advice that you should never make your volunteers the brunt of insulting jokes and you should treat them with respect seeing as they've come up on stage to be part of your performance, I might have walked away not feeling ripped off but a bitter old hack. As the author suggests, "I believe I earn [the audience's] respect by denouncing 'psychic power' as wooly guff and I challenge those lobotomized flower-fairies that believe in such non-sense, appealing to their intelligence and belief in themselves as skeptical creatures. There are hundreds of copyrighted card tricks and magical sleights available to "learn" on youtube, but that doesn't make it right.

I had Derren sign my copy the other week,he said and hoped I didn't pay to much for it, as far as iam aware the first editions were self produced , mine is a 3rd edition and is a hard backed copy, even if it is legit would you pay that for it, I know its a great book but. So, in a bid to combine fitness with frugality, I've rounded up 20 ways you can exercise and get fit without spending a penny, both outdoors and at home. The author's fundamental position is that conventional definitions of—and barriers between—magic and mentalism are in fact stodgy old constructs that exist only in the confines of the traditions of magic, and have no bearing on the actual potential of magical performance. However judging by the number completed auctions, it doesn't look like either of them do for legitimate copies of their books. Recently I've been reading books/essays and watching videos from a few contemporary young mentalists, and it was also interesting to see how this book seems to have influenced their approaches.

Regarding Stephen Long's posting; I have just checked and both "Pure Effect" and "Absolute Magic" are both available from my local Public Libraray!