Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
very good insight., April 24, 2007
though the book is not the best written, anyone who is a fan of criss angel will probably find it enjoyable. you almost picture criss angel's voice when you read it if you have ever watched the show. for people interested in magic, or maybe insight into his life or passions, it is a very easy read.
also, the forty mindfreaks will prove invaluable to someone looking to get into magic. if you are an experienced magician you may not find much you don't know or much you could use, but it's still worth a look. and whether these tricks play big or not, they may inspire even bigger tricks from newcomers. anyone (maybe not literally) can learn these tricks but it is more important to know that where criss angel finds the largest impact is the presentation.
one thing i took away from it is that no matter what the trick, how good it is or how much it may cost or how big or small it might be, if you don't have the passion and the energy and time to put into practicing it and making it your own, you will not be successful with any kind of magic. anyone can do a trick. it takes even more to make people believe or at least leave them in wonder and confusion.
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53 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
He's A Magic Man, April 29, 2007
I pre-ordered this book on Amazon about a month ago and I just got it. Is it a good book? Well, put it this way, I finished it in one evening. I really liked the way it was written. Easy going. Open. Honest. Just like Criss. If one were to see Criss Angel on the street without knowing anything about him, one might see a Goth, or a rocker, or some other stereotype, but just like his magic, he goes beyond the appearances and reveals something more.
What I got from this book is that Criss Angel is one focused individual. He had a dream and he followed through on it no matter what it took. How many of us can say that? We have these dreams and then we give up on them as soon as there is struggle. I'm not saying to seek out struggle, but if struggle does come, work with it. In fact, put it out of your mind and just see the end result of your dream and keep doing everything in your power to bring that dream to pass, and eventually it will.
Criss Angel is so down to earth. It is so obvious that he loves his family, his friends', and what he does for a living. I guess that's part of his magic. I thought he was going to be this very complicated, misunderstood individual but he's actually quite simple...almost childlike...which also accounts for his ability to astound his audiences. He still has wonder, a passion for the mysterious, he still seeks joy in the unknown. Most of us learn to curb our enthusiasm, take things at face value, and stop being curious about life and then we wonder why our lives are so mediocre.
I doubt that I will do any of the magic tricks that he includes in section II of this book because I primarily got it for the biography. To me, the "real magic" Chriss performs is how he has learned to fully integrate his body, mind, and spirit into one collective whole and if one piece of the trinity is missing, his magic will not come together. This is the Greek ideal and oddly enough, Chriss is Greek, but it is a great example of why all of us need to incorporate all three aspects of being human into our daily lives. Most of us just think that we're a physical being; a body. A few of us use our minds and ocassionally some of us will access the soul or the spirit, but very few of us incorporate all three aspects into one cohesive whole and yet when we do, magic is bound to happen in our lives.
So am I recommending this book? Heck yeah. Criss is definitely a blessed angel who has help me to regain a deeper sense of wonder and excitement for life. The possibilities of life are endless...tap into them!
Peace and Blessings,
john, "the Light Coach"
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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worthy of The Loyal, April 27, 2007
Criss Angel is the Darling Child of the Magic World. Of course, he is on top because he works day and night to do that. He has earned his wings.
Reading Secret Revelations is like walking next to Criss and have him tell you about himself, his family and his passions. It is unconventional and it is entertaining -
As a second generation Greek American kid myself, I was proud and can relate to the closeness of Angel and his family - when Criss writes of his father, his Dad's cancer and death, it was hard because it made me miss my Dad, (whom I lost in 2003).
Angel can walk the talk and is living his dream - with the integrity his heritage instilled in him - At one point Criss wrote that he only wished his father was alive to see his success - Criss - your Dad is right there with you every step of the way - never forget that.
I see in my future trips to the Luxor to see Angel's new professional new home -
This book does not go into excruciatingly personal detail - what it does do is show you a very nice talented focused guy who is following his passion with his family's blessings. I am of The Loyal.
In the later part of the book, Criss shares his secrets on some tricks to dazzle your own friends and family.
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