Hey guys, I'm not wondering whether this book is geared for beginners, I'm wondering whether this book is appropriate for beginners. I'm looking to help someone get into doing some sleight easy magic who doesn't have any background in the art. I'm there to help every now and then but want to set them up with a resource to learn something from. Specifically looking for light on sleight for them. I want to focus on the other aspects of magic apart from sleights for their development.

I currently have Card College Light and just recently acquired Effortless Card Magic by Duffie. Have read either book yet so was hoping for some of your advice and opinions on Card College Light (I'm about to go through the Duffie book but if its better for him I might just pass it forward).

The Card College Light series is very very good, both for beginners and for advanced cardmen!
Mind you that "self-working" doesn't mean you needn't do your homework!!!
It just means you needn't spend hours practising and honing many card sleights. But to go in front of a real audience and entertain them with good quality card magic is quite a different beast!

I have no idea of your skill level in card magic, but if you're serious about good card magic, my advice is to go for the best books nowadays: Card College volumes 1 & 2. Doesn't mean necessarily to study them both to perfection, before attempting your first trick or routine before an audience.

But a good basis of card magic, will certainly make things more clear and easier for you. I especially recommend the hundrend pages of theory at the end of volume two. You won't find so much good and useful information ANYWHERE ELSE!

Mlippo,
I do currently have Card College but I've only got through 1 and most of 2.

Mr Lorayne,

I do own Classic Collection 5 but haven't been fortunate enough to read it yet. Would Mathematical Wizardry be good for a beginner not looking to learn heavy sleights but selling to put in time to presentation?

Mathematical Wizardry teaches only effects/magic done with numbers. No card, or other, tricks.

This may help you make a decision - it's a post somewhere here on the café by Merc Man. Here it is:

"Said it before but it's probably worth saying again. In 1978 (aged 14) my Christmas present was THE MAGIC BOOK by Harry Lorayne. Maybe hard for teenagers these days to believe but back then, there were families who did not have a lot of money; and apart from a few sweets (candy) a book would potentially be your main present.

When I started reading Harry's The Magic Book, I felt as if I'd been transported to a parallel universe; whereby superb close-up magic, with every-day items, was indeed possible.

We are now nearly at Christmas again - almost 40 years later. As I type this post sat at my kitchen table, there are 2 books in front of me - may the Lord strike me dead on the spot if I'm lying. Harry's 'The Magic Book' and Quantum Leaps (I was cross referencing something last night). I'm looking at The Magic Book as I type. It's battered and bruised - having been regularly read. More than any other magic book that I own, there's bits of torn cigarette packets with notes written on, sticking out of it.

The fact is this book has been my inspiration in magic for nearly 40 years. I have used literally everything within. Despite, like many of us in our adult lives, having wasted a lot of money over the years on the latest magic 'flim flam' it IS the material within this book that I return to time and time again. Because one thing I have learned about how magic is perceived by an audience is that you earn the greatest respect by performing with borrowed, or 'normal' items. For example, there is hardly anything within the card section that cannot be performed with a beat-up, borrowed pack of cards. Nothing within the coin section that needs expensive gaffs (in order to produce a similar effect in the eyes of spectators). Where else can you get so much workable material with a piece of paper & a pencil? A handkerchief, table items, etc.

What's more, it taught me the most important elements of magical entertainment - presentation, routining and misdirection.

It also taught me a very, very important lesson. That it is the basic, clearly defined easy to follow plot that gets the best reaction. Over the years, I've spent time and money learning different versions of 'The Colour Changing Deck'; or buying gaffs to get Aces to transpose, etc. I've spent money on further gaffs to get coins to go through a table; or pass from hand to hand. I've bought these gimmicks and flim-flam; along with countless other matrix-style routines, etc. The reason being that all most gimmicks do is over-prove what you don't need to be over-proving anyway.

The classics of magic will live forever; because they have an easy to follow plot. When you use ungaffed or borrowed items and throw them into the mix, it's just so much more rewarding. Added to which 'less is more'. If you can go out with minimal props, you will generally work harder on your presentation - because you are building upon the basics - by actually using the basics. Does that make sense? I hope it does. In other words, you tend to put more energy into your performance. A prop isn't doing the work for you. I've worked with other magicians that rush at break-neck speed from prop to prop; akin to a magic dealer demo (only to then vanish to re-set their gimmicks). However, arrive at a table; borrow a few contrasting coins and a table napkin, and you are ready to entertain. And what I can genuinely say to guys (still reading my rambling here) is that people aren't stupid. If they can see you are working AND entertaining them with what are clearly not 'magic props' you will get one hell of a lot of respect.....and in many cases, you will stand out.

Harry (I believe) wrote this book for people who had an interest in starting out performing magic. It has the clearest of instruction; and covers so many useful principles of magic.

I would not only unreservedly recommend this book to people starting out; but also to any magician that wants to make a living as a professional, magical entertainer.

Indeed, it's title of 'THE Magic Book' could not be more deserving.

It is, in my honest opinion, the GREATEST book of magic ever produced.

Words cannot express my most sincere gratitude and thanks, to the Master himself.......Mr Harry Lorayne"

For beginners, I recommend Giobbi's _Card College Light_ or _Card College Lightest_ (with the latter being my recommendation for true beginners.) Starting with Giobbi is the way to introduce beginners. After Giobbi I would recommend some of the classics, such as _The Royal Road to Card Magic_. Harry's stuff should come after all that.

I have an addendum question to the OP’s. Having worked my way through CC 1&2 and currently on vol 3, are the CC Light series still worth getting? That is, is the material sufficiently strong if you’re not quite a beginner (not that I’d class myself as much beyond that!)? The books aren’t cheap for someone like me but the “main series” has so far paid off for me many times over!

Couldn't agree more. Giobbi's material (which this thread is about, btw!!!!!!) is top notch!

100% agree!


Giobbi's Card College 1&2 is the best way to start a journey in sleight of hand card magic nowadays. While his Card College Light series is certainly a very good source for technically easy tricks, but explained in every detail, along with presentational advices.

On a little more advanced level, there is also Steve Beam's Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series (eight or nine volumes if I'm not mistaken). And that's another recommended source!

Mark

It's good to have choices! Here you can listen to RiderBacks, mlippo, Nicolino or Merc Man.

Card College Light is a great resource for beginners. The sleight free routines give you more time to work on your presentation

Card College Light is a great book for a beginner. like the whole Giobbi "light" series.

Dear friends,

Beforehand to learn magic tricks, I recommended, to learn history of magic. Then, you can learn magic tricks and techniques of all kind. I appreciatte people that when is in front of layman know something about history of magic, and it can be reflexed in your attitude when you perform.
One of the methods is to read elementary techniques and not pretend to know everything. Most important thing is to know when you are at the top of your skillfull and then, you can play about PRESENTATION and many more aspects about magical theory.

Sincerely,

F. Amílcar Riega I Bello.

I agree about Card College Light. Everything is explained very well, allows you to more easily work on presentation.

When I started I git all of Card College but as I got a little knowledge I got into Mr. Lorayne's writing n teaching & I have to say he is amazing! Love his style n magic! He is very advanced but with anyone you will need to do the effect at least 100 times before you start to master them. I recomend you getting into the magical world of Harry Lorayne!

Thanks for "them kind words," KokoB.