The Pocket Guide to Magic [Paperback]

Bart King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

Abracadabra ! Hocus-pocus! Allakazam! Happis crappis! Say it together now-magic! Take a peek inside the magician's secret wardrobe to discover the tricks of the trade, the tales of derring-do, and the people who made the magic happen.

Demystifying the mystical is the popular, raucous, ready-to-trick-his-own-mother Bart King! But what, you may ask, can Bart do? He can show the ways of the most secretive magicians in the world.

This guide includes ways to:

• Improve street cred with sneaky tricks.
• Discover how some of the most popular illusions were created.
• Saw a woman in half and then swallow the sword.

Bart King is the author of The Big Book of Boy Stuff, The Big Book of Girl Stuff, The Pocket Guide to Brilliance, The Pocket Guide to Mischief, The Pocket Guide to Games, The Pocket Guide to Boy Stuff, and The Pocket Guide to Girl Stuff. Bart lives in Portland, Oregon, where he stupefies his neighbors with his famous Balducci Levitation.

20 magic tricks, secrets of the trade, and the twisted tales of those who make them happen!

(20090422)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bart King is my new hero. On the surface, his books might look like they're getting by on being similar to the ubiquitous Dangerous Book for Boys. King's pocket guides-with illustrations of paper airplanes, Chuck Taylors, and a slingshot on their covers-do cash in on that kind of scrappy retro charm. But these books are something entirely different.

These books are hilarious. And informative-if you want to know how to get the best of your nemesis or play toilet tag. What makes these special is not only that they're well-written, well-designed, and funny, but also that they present information that is actually new and actually useful (again, useful to the sorts of people who like to play toilet tag).

A few tantalizing sample tastes: From The Pocket Guide to Mischief: "You'll need some cream cheese. First, roll the deodorant out maybe half an inch . . ." From The Pocket Guide to Games: "Fill several balloons with water, and hang one from a tree . . ." From The Pocket Guide to Boy Stuff: "Here are two hand-grenade designs that you can use that won't start a fire . . ."

If these don't seem gender-neutral enough, and you have a daughter who is into this kind of thing, rest assured that Bart King also has girl versions: The Big Book of Girl Stuff gracefully and barely touches on puberty, but includes plenty of pranks, code names, and hijinx for kids who like bright pink more than baseballs on the covers of their books.

Should someone you know be interested, visit the author's web site: www.bartking.net. It includes video clips illustrating some of the guides' proposed activities! (Katy Killilea Kidoinfo )

From the Back Cover

Abracadabra! Hocus pocus! Allakazam! Happis crappis! Say it together now-magic! Take a peek inside the magician's secret wardrobe to discover the tricks of the trade, the tales of derring-do, and the people who made the magic happen.

Demystifying the mystical is the popular, raucous, ready-to-trick-his-own-mother Bart King! But what, you may ask, can Bart do? He can, dear friends, show you the ways of the most secretive magicians in the world. Without further ado, The Pocket Guide to Magic!

Bart King is the author of The Big Book of Boy Stuff, The Big Book of Girl Stuff, The Pocket Guide to Mischief, and The Pocket Guide to Games. Bart lives in Portland, Oregon, where he is currently sawing himself in half while swallowing a sword. See magic demonstrations at www.bartking.net.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 142360637X
• ISBN-13: 978-1423606376
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 3.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,034,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Magic

More About the Author

I write funny (and educational!) books for younger readers and immature adults. My newest title is "Cute! A Guide to All Things Adorable".

POP QUIZ-- One of my books was once Amazon's #5 overall bestseller. Guess which one!
HINT: It is a "big book."
ADDITIONAL HINT: It has a blue cover.
LAST HINT: It was "The Big Book of Boy Stuff".

Visit me at www.bartking.net

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite a Trick, September 23, 2009

By 

Lakiesha "Lakiesha" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pocket Guide to Magic (Paperback)

I have only a passing history in magic. But based on King's track record as a good author to turn to for gifts, I thought my niece might enjoy this book. And after reading it (yes, I cheated and read my gift), this pocket guide strikes me as quite an accomplishment. The topic matter is dealt with bracingly; the book is brimming with wit, culture, history, and (ta-dah!) it has tricks! (Or "effects," if you prefer.)

But the real acid test was whether the book's recipient would like it.

She didn't. (She LOVES it!)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And abracadabra... another great book from Bart King..., August 30, 2009

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pocket Guide to Magic (Paperback)

I've read a number of Bart King's Pocket Guide books, and found them to be quite amusing. His latest, The Pocket Guide to Magic, is no exception. If you're interested in the history of magic, the legends and personalities, and a few tricks on the side, this is definitely a book for you...

Contents:
Introduction; Hogwarts Is for Sissies!; Playing the Part; Neat Feats and Florid Flourishes; Timeless Wonders through History; Secrets; Money Magic; Diabolical Magic of the Blackest Sort; Mental Magic; Fortune-Telling; Weird Names and Acts; Card Magic; Battle of the Magicians!; The Voodoo that You Do; Houdini; Delightful Effects; Magicians for Dismemberment; Movie Magic; Merlin and Other Magic Makers

Rather than just a book full of tricks you can do yourself, King delves more into the history and mystique behind magic. He goes all the way back to 2600 BC and an Egyptian magician named Dedi who decapitated animals. And to bring you current, he covers Chris Angel of MindFreak fame. Along the way, you get plenty of tidbits on rivalries, costuming, events, and the different classifications of types of magic. Oh, yes... he *does* show you how to do certain tricks that will likely make for quite a few free drinks in bars. So the book *will* pay for itself. :)

I most like King's writing style. He certainly doesn't take himself seriously, and his writing can be as wacky as Dave Barry or Tim Dorsey (which makes me wonder if Bart spent time in Florida before settling here in Portland Oregon). I found myself laughing along with getting educated at the same time. And as I read about certain tricks, I was already working out where and when I would try them out in front of friends. My poor friends...

The Pocket Guide To Magic is educational as well as just a lot of fun to read. Given the size, it doesn't take long to do so. But you'll enjoy the time you *do* spend going through the pages.