I am a beginer to magic but I found the Ammar videos excellent, I also have found Card College by Roberto Giobbi, Harry Lorane's Close Up Card Magic, and the Triple Classic ebook that has Bobo's Modern Card Magic, The Royal Road To Card Magic, and Annemann's Practical Mental Effects, all to be very helpfull.

S.W. Erdnase's "Expert at the Card Table" is not very easy to understand. That was the first book I bought, and I struggled through trying to understand what I was reading. I never got beyond the overhand shuffle. It may be a good reference, especially if you are interested in sleights with gambling routine applications, but I don't think it's a good beginner reference.

RRTCM was the 2nd book I bought, and the writing is much easier to understand.

They just came out with a Card College 5. Card College six will be out soon also.

Choosing the best books for beginners is very hard becuase there's just so much stuff. Some things to consider for beginners.

1. Bobo Modern Coin magic
2. Hugard and Braue: royal road to card magic and expert card tecnique
3. Mark Wilson course in magic
4. Harry Lorayne THE Magic Book
5. tarbell course
6. Card College(but its more techical)

The Amateur Magicians Handbook

Does Hocus-Pocus not stock this item?

Close Up Card Magic - Lorayne
Stars of Magic - various
The Card Magic of LePaul - LePaul
Bobo's Modern Coin Magic (NOT the knockoff from Dover - the the updated version from Magic, Inc.)
My Best - J.G. Thompson, Jr, editor
Amateur Magician's Handbook - Hay
Mental Magic - Gaye
13 Steps to Mentalism - Corinda
Tarbell Course in Magic - Harlan Tarbell
Mark Wilson Course in Magic -Mark Wilson
Now You See It, Now You Don't series - Bill Tarr

That's a pretty good basic magic library, frankly.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Anyone care to compare the "Royal road to card magic" to "Expert card technique"? They are both by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue. At first glance, there appears to be a lot of overlap. I have the Royal road... is having "Expert card technique" in addition to this worth it?

I also agree with the "Mark Wilson Course in Magic -Mark Wilson"

It's an excellent introduction to magic

Kind regards
Mike

I'm brand new to this site, and greatly appreciate everyone's advice. Now which to choose......Thanks for the help. I'll be on E-Bay all night!

I saw Amatuer Magician's Handbook on the list of recommended books for beginners. On my trip to the local used book store today I found a paper back copy of the book for
98 cents. You never know what you'll find there. Last time I snagged Magic With Cards by Frank Garcia and George Schindler for $5.
Well worth the trip.

Of the more modern books that would be classed as 'generally available' then 'The Mark Wilson Course in Magic' is great value for money and, for a beginners point of view, more valuable than the latest magical books hyped over the magic forum, most of which require a fair amount of knowledge to begin with.

Paul.

It is often overlooked, but for my money, "The Magic Book" by Harry Lorayne is hard to beat for beginners.

Card college is the most comprehensive for card conjuring

I have just started getting into magic and have recently purchased Mark Wilson's Cyclopedia of Magic: A complete course. This is a cracking little book, teaching you all the major sleights for all types of magic: card, coin, rope etc...
It really has taught me a lot. Perfect for beginners and can get you baffling people in no time. Highly recommended!

I'm so happy to hear The Amateur Magician's handbook reccommended by so many! I thought I was the only one who 'grew up' on this book. It was because of this book that I learned to back-palm a coin, and do the steeplechase flourish. Bravo to Henry Hay!

Here is a basic magic book list that I have been working on:

A BASIC MAGIC BOOK LIST

COIN/MONEY MAGIC
All you really need is:
1. Coin Magic or the New Modern Coin Magic by J.B.Bobo – Coin Magic is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!
If you have the money, you can also buy:
2. Expert Coin Magic - David Roth (Coin Magic)
3. Kaufman's Coinmagic - Richard Kaufman (Coin Magic)
If you can find them.

All you really need is:
Coin Magic or the New Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Highly Recommended!

NOTE: J.B.Bobo’s Coin Magic book is really the only coin magic book you will really need. Expert Coin Magic or Kaufman's Coinmagic books are hard to find. If you cannot find either one then don’t worry because J.B.Bobo’s Coin Magic book will teach you enough of the basics of coin magic that you will need. Expert Coin Magic or Kaufman's Coinmagic teaches several other advanced coin techniques but you must have your basics learnt first and this comes from J.B.Bobo’s Coin Magic book.

CARD MAGIC BOOKS
You have two choices here:
The Royal Road To Card Magic (RRTCM) by Hugard & Braue – RRTCM is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!
And/or:
Card College Volume 1 by Robert Giobbi (Card Magic)
Card College Volume 2 by Robert Giobbi (Card Magic)
Card College Volume 3 by Robert Giobbi (Card Magic)
Card College Volume 4 by Robert Giobbi (Card Magic)
Card College Volume 5 by Robert Giobbi (Card Magic)
Or both if you can afford it

All you really need is:
The Royal Road To Card Magic Highly Recommended!

And:
The Expert at the Card Table: The Classic Treatise on Card Manipulation (ECT) by Erdnase, S. W. Braue – ECT is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!

MENTALISM
You have two choices here:
Practical Mental Magic (PMM) by Ted Annemann – PMM is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!
And/or:
13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda
Or both if you can afford it

All you really need is:
Practical Mental Magic (PMM) – PMM is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!

NOTE: Practical Mental Magic comes in either soft back/paperback or a hardback version. The 13 Steps to Mentalism is only available in a hardback edition. Both books are a little old fashion but they contain the basics for mentalism and there is no consensus as to which book should replace them. Some people prefer the 13 Steps to Mentalism over Practical Mental Magic. Buy both if you can afford it. Both books are relatively inexpensive.

GENERAL MAGIC
You have many choices here:
Amateur Magicians Handbook by Henry Hay – Highly Recommended!
The Complete Course in Magic by Mark Wilson - Highly Recommended!
The Magic Book by Harry Lorayne - Highly Recommended!
The Magic Of Michael Ammar by Mike Maxwell - Highly Recommended!
101 Easy-to-Do Magic Tricks - Bill Tarr - Good fundamentals taught. Highly Recommended!
The Tarbell Course in Magic Volumes 1-8 (The Encyclopedia of Magic)
by Harlan Tarbell – Buy them one at a time! Highly Recommended!
NOTE: Covers everything in magic.

All you really need is:
Any or all of the above books. The choice is yours but chose wisely.

NOTE: General magic books are a personal choice. Any of these books that you chose, will do. Lybrary.com sells most magic books on CD’s. They are inexpensive.

PERFORMANCE
All you really need is:
Magic and Showmanship: A Handbook for Conjurers - Henny Nelms - Magic and Showmanship is an inexpensive book. Highly Recommended!

I hope that you will find this magic book list helpful...

Gerard

As a beginner myself I have found Mark Wilson Course in Magic Royal road to Card Magic to be very useful.

Will

Millionthing the Mark Wilson book, and Tarbell is a given for anyone interested in actually performing, but I have to say someone handed me a copy of Nathaniel Schiffman's 'Abracadabra' early on in the game and it provided someone with a little bit of knowledge an opportunity to deeply appreciate all the variables that go into performing this art well. Looked for it quickly and didn't see it up there. Anybody read it?

The advice given in this thread is more than worthwhile. On the other hand , if I were a newcomer in magic and I would follow it, I would probably go nuts. I'd spend all my time reading books and learning about magic.
However : learning ABOUT magic isn't the same as learning to do magic.
A newcomer should first find ONE trick , practice it, rehearse it until it becomes second nature. Then practice and rehearse some more. Really do it.
One trick can make your reputation - if it's well done.
Many tricks badly done can break it.
It really is up to you. My advice would be : slow down, learn one trick. Once it's learned, then go searching for another.
Your repertoire will grow slowly, painstakingly. But you'll be a magician in the end, not just somebody with a big library.
Further : meet people and other magicians. Perform for them. Don't spend too much time on the internet. Unless you want to be a virtual magician instead of a real one.
best of luck ,

The Magic Book by Karl Fulves, for good, clean, simple effects.
Mastering The Art Of Magic by Eugene Burger, for presenting magic to humans.
The Encyclopedia Of Magic And Magicians by T.A Waters, for learning about your newfound magical heritage.
And finally if you're a bit mental, Banacheks Psycological Subtleties for reading a few minds.