Customer Reviews

The Pocket Guide to Magic

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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!)

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.