Customer Reviews

Be a Street Magician!

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Magic books are usually written by geniuses who can't put a good sentence together. They can deal a second with consummate ease, but don't take pity on their poor readers, who must slog through and read their words over and over again, trying to make sense of it all.

Groves is a former professional journalist and it shows. Also, he's a guy who's put in the work on the street, and that shows, too. Even the great Cellini didn't write a book like this, with chapters on how to attract a crowd, how to pitch for money, best venues around the world, and all the stuff that beginners and intermediates want to know.

I breezed through this book in three evenings, staying up later than I intended every night. He also mixes in anecdotes that enliven the how-to, talking about real street performers in real-life situations (using pseudonyms, unfortunately).

Oh, that Jamy Ian Swiss read as well as this, or any of the writers for Genii. Alas, they can't touch the hem of this guy's sought-after robe. Pity.

This book was informative and helpful. It is one of the first street performing magic books. The writing style is easy to read and gives a lot of useful advice. Good book!

Im not a Street Performer but as a result of this book I now make a six figure salary!!I know that sounds completely unbelievable but hear me out.Id been a full time Magician for about five years performing close up Magic but I was finding it really hard to pluck up the courage to take to the Stage and do a stand up Magic Act...Fortunately for me I was lucky enough to stumble across this book .
It made me realize that the street was the perfect place to start.Unlike taking to the stage of a comedy Club like a lamb to slaughter, Groves made me understand that The Street is the ultimate stage and when you step on it you're calling the shots.So one sunny day I decided to face my demons.I jumped in the car with a friend and drove to Galway - a city in Ireland rich in history and..rich in Tourists.(It was also far enough away from my home turf that all embarrassment could be left behind in a sea of strangers). We set up our pitch and got to work.On the last show of the day somebody threw us a five.It sounds like nothing but at the time you've no idea how delighted we were.We'd started that day with people walking past like we were invisible and by the end of it, the improvement was significant enough that the punters actually were "folding their money and dropping it in the Hat".I havent taken to the streets since but on the the courage the whole experience gave me I put together a stand up Comedy Magic Act that is now playing all over Uk & Ireland.Ive still got the Five and still got the book.Thanks Mr Groves

This is a very informative book on the art of Street Magic, but I couldn't give it five stars. First of all the book was very redundant, alot of name-dropping, over and over again. Same facts on these performers told and retold. Also for you guys/gals out there looking for tricks to do. Don't bother there are no tricks in the book. This is more for the business side of things. And in that aspect it is a great book.

I just finished reading David Groves tome on Street Magic. Not only is this a great book for anyone with a hankering to share their magical skills on the street; there is plenty of information for any street performer. Mr. Groves authored a quick read, but evidently well researched, and loaded with solid for a would-be street magician.

I've got quite a large library of magic books. I can say without a doubt this is the best written of the lot. You'll enjoy Mr. Grove's prose, wit, and wisdom, and learn about this topic -- inside and out! Magically, gpa

I am a professional street entertainer and have been for several years. While this book contains some useful information it is nearly useless because of the overabundance of pipe dreams and misinformation.
Unless you know what the useful information is you will never be able to separate the fact from the fiction in this pitiful piece of garbage.
The problem is the writer did not have enough useful information to fill a book so it appears as though he just made a lot of it up.
If I could have given this book zero stars I would have. Save your money.

I am a busker, and this is a great primer to the street. It is not for advanced buskers, but for beginners and intermediates.

Full-time buskers hate David's book because it basically says that you should use the street as a steppingstone, not a means to an end. Full-time lifelong buskers see the street as a lifestyle.

In one of his chapters, David infuriates full-time buskers by saying that busking doesn't lead anywhere, and that anyone pursuing that type of career is missing the boat.

I use the street for my own means--practicing stage magic, trying out lines, twisting my show this way and that--and it works well for me. David's book started me out, giving me great lines, fine strategies, and a way of thinking about the street.

This book is the classic of the genre.

There are much better books available on street performing written by real street performers, not some wannabe who's read the other books,seen the other videos and then added some dumb ideas of his own. This book is a total waste of time for anyone wanting to street perform.