Top 5 Beginner Magic Books to Try, Without Breaking the Bank! - Learn a new skill to impress everyone!
Happy World Book Day (for those of you in the UK at least!)
Have you ever wondered how a magician learns their tricks?
Many people are fascinated by the art of magic and want to learn how to perform their own tricks and I am often asked how I got started and where I learned my tricks. To be honest most of the tricks of my trade come from reading books. Nothing beats sitting down with a good book and a deck of cards. (Geek alert!)
So to celebrate the glory that is reading, I’ve put together a list of what I think are the top 5 magic books. These will teach you everything you need to know to impress your friends and family. These books are easy to understand, especially for a complete beginner.
Now, you might be thinking, “Why books? Aren’t they outdated?” But trust me, books are the foundation of magic, and you can’t go wrong with these classics. Plus, they’re super affordable, so you won’t have to break the bank either. Some of these books have been around for decades and the information is still golden.
Whether you’re curious about magic or want to become a magician one day, these books are an excellent place to start. They cover everything from cards and coin magic, to tricks you can perform on stage and everything in between. So grab a copy and let the magic begin! PS: I’ve included Amazon links for your convenience, but they’re not affiliate links. Happy reading and trick-making!
Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic – Mark Wilson
This monster book is quite regarded as a classic among beginner magic books, having been in print since 1975. Mark Wilson is a name that is synonymous with magic books. Born in 1929, he is regarded as one of the first, if not the first TV magician starting in 1955! This book teaches everything from card tricks, rope magic, and theory to even building basic illusions. This is a magician's Bible.
Magic – The Complete Course – Joshua Jay
Joshua Jay is well known in the magic community for his skill, but also now more in the wider community – having fooled Penn & Teller, getting a Guinness World Record for finding cards in a shuffled deck, as well performing for past presidents in private. Not bad for someone my age. Jealous? a bit maybe! He has now written some magic books for the general population and this is one of them. No need for a top hat and rabbit, this book will help you become a real modern magician, with not just tricks but resources and how to perform 5 complete shows.
The Royal Road to Card Magic – Frederick Braue & Jean Hugard
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Another classic book from way back… First published in 1949 by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue, this book concentrates on, as the title gives away, card magic. Step by step from basics such as shuffling the deck to a large collection of simple card tricks. This is rightly so a classic and should be read by those seriously wanting to amaze with a pack of cards.
Card College Collection – Roberto Giobbi
Like the last book this series concentrates on cards. As with Joshua Jay’s book – this is a more modern book and could be seen as the successor to the Royal Road.?Split over 5 volumes, this huge course takes you from total beginner to expert! Though it is a little pricier, it may put off people buying it. Maybe a good one to read after you have read the other books
Modern Coin Magic – J.B Bobo
A step away from cards now with a book about coin magic… If I do end up teaching a trick to someone who asks for something quick then a coin vanish is one of the first things I show them. Just think how many people have a coin on them at any time of the day??Coin magic I find is a particularly tricky beast to master so takes a fair amount of time and dedication. With this book though you have everything you need. I myself prefer to use American half-dollar coins or old English pennies to do their size and thus visual impact.
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Ok, so this list is not exhaustive but they are some good beginner magic books that will help you see what kind of world I live in and help you gain an interest in magic as a hobby. A lot of magic now is of course taught by online video downloads, replacing the DVD (oh how old I feel now) I still feel that with a book you get something out of it that you don’t with a video. Learning from a video can be a frustrating experience having to pause and rewind constantly. It also causes an effect that you see in magicians, in that they adopt the performing persona of the magician they see performing the trick – become essentially a carbon copy or tribute act to that performer. A book teaches you how to perform the trick then you can perform it your own way, in your own style.
Any that’s enough for now. I hope this inspires even one person to have a go and keep the magical art alive for the future.?Get in touch?if you want any hints or tips on starting out.