For me, is one of the books that made me create my own personal magic.

full of ideas for developing. its a 10

Having met Bob on multiple occasions and having to read other works of his (particularly Magic & Meaning), Life, Death, and other Card Tricks is a fantastic piece of work.

It is my opinion that if someone thinks the audience would fall asleep during these tales, then it is because the "magician" is a horrible storyteller. And that means they shouldn't be doing magic in the first place. I would sit and listen to these stories without the magic in most cases, and as performers, we should be able to evoke that kind of response from the audience. Walt Anthony, a fantastic magician on the West Coast, once put it this way: If you were left on a stage with no costumes (hopefully wearing at least street clothes), no props and no magic "effects" to be done, could you be on that stage for 45 minutes and have people want to pay you for it when its done?

Stories like Bob's... done right, can do just that. But if you're hiding behind your hats and rabbits like so many magicians do, then why hell are you even in this forum? Please leave us be and save yourself from the in-depth thought on storytelling and magic that us "boring" types will surely talk about and oh yes... let Andruzzi kick you on the way out. ;-)

-Coming Back from a long hiatus,
Daniel GreenWolf

Hey, what's a polar bear know. Maybe just a little cranky from the lack of ice flow and shrinking native habitat. Plus there's that new expanded jail in Churchill.

Humble opinion -

LDOCT is a book to stimulate your imagination. What I don't understand is why when someone reads a book like this - or any book of magical effects - why they think they need to do the exact same patter and methods - it is all about taking the sould of the effect and allowing it to morph and adapt to your character / own style.... if the gravestone card trick doesn't resonate - don't do it - but therein lies a nice method for making different messages appear at different times (your frame method) - or a nice concept on how to make the magical-life-connection to a person re: mortality concepts presented in a safe way - or take the thing and whip it into a stage production.... I've seen many people take a close-up effect and blast it into something that plays big....

Look for what is the essence of the book - don't take it as a cookbook to do literally??? I suppose you can - and if fact should do at first just to see what its like before it begins to morph - but c'mon!!!!

Analogy - my love of what people term "B movies" - a great source of ideas, inspiration and creativity - that people would say to me "why you watching that crap"... comics... "why you reading that crap..." etc.... its all what inspires you to be creative yourself.

Oh yeah - know thy audience. It will be boring for those who want ADHD style magic...and nothing wrong with that... but there are audiences that like more the drawing room port and stilton style of atmosphere... IMHO

I suppose there is no point in trying to describe what is so wonderful about this type of material to someone who doesn't appreciate it. As I believe Louis Armstrong said to a reporter who asked him to explain what jazz was: "If you can't hear it...then I can't explain it to you!"

Hm. Lacks imagination. That must have taken some courage to admit.

If there be ANYONE who does not want their copy, please PM me and tell me what you would like for it, I have been trying to get one for some time now.
thank you
Kay

As a fan and a friend of Bob's, my opinion is colored. To me, the material is fantastic, but I very rarely perform other's effects. Bob's writing inspires me and causes me to look in directions that I had missed. I use his writings as a map to help point me and help me find my own way through developing my own pieces.

I've seen Bob perform "Thirteen at Table" and it amazed everyone present. (He brought the house down with THE LAST DREAM.) He is a master storyteller and an amazing magician. His creations are full of life, death, and a healthy dose of dark humor. Much of what he creates cannot be correctly called effects, they are performance pieces. But they do take a performer to bring to life.

Daniel, its nice to see you back. Let me know when you make your next trip up here.

On a side note, David Parr's BRAINFOOD is of similar ilk. David, I remember you having something to do with THE MAGIC MIRROR.

Tony

I thought the quote was: "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

Alright, Mister Evildan, let's take this Louis Armstrong argument outside!
As Steve Allen used to say, 'Schmock Schmock!" But all seriousness aside, I'm sure you're right.
Well, as the old saying goes, 'If at first you don't succeed...then I certainly can't explain it to you!'
And as Groucho once said, 'I'd never belong to a forum that would have me as a member!'

Looking at "Life, Death..." and complaining about its stories is like reading Tarbell and complaining that you can't learn anything from it because you don't wear a tuxedo when you perform. The saying "not seeing the forest for the trees" comes to mind.

You can mail it to me and I'll throw it in my trash can! The adress is 409 Gates Rd, Goodlettsville, TN 37072. Also, if anyone has a copy of Tricks of the Imagination they want me to throw away, you may also send it.

John

Actually, if anyone wants to get rid of one, I'll take it! I lent mine out a couple of years ago and can't remember who has it. Seriously, PM me.

Raven

Except for Micawber, a very good handling of Twisting The Aces with a fortunetelling theme, I don't perform any of the Neale's effect. It doesn't suit my style. But I love the stories. Read them is enough to make me happy.

I want a copy and can't find it anywhere!

My thoughts on this book and story magic in general . . . love his addage: "less trickery, more magic, " . . . not for every audience, maybe best for after dinner friends . . . a little goes a long way--wouldn't like a whole set of this, it dilutes the meaning; one effect, then let people sit with it for the rest of the night . . . the final revelation must be as magical as the story or there will be a feeling of disappointment . . . make sure the story has interest and meaning for me, the performer. What issues of life am I trying to work out--then trust that others have the same questions . . . consider why this story is important to tell now . . . the aim with the story and the magic is to make the heart flutter . . .


Jack Shalom

Dr Spektor, like several others have fathomed the mystery of the REN ability to analyze the magic of life and death; then forge creativity and life lessons from them. Bob is a complex and brilliant man.

KOTAH

If you beleive you audience will be bored, they will be. That is not the fault of Neale's brilliant material, it is the fault of the performer. To be successful performing a story peice you must committ to the story, the audience will give the story the same importance that you do. If you don't beleive in the material why should your audience?

Dear all,
I have four books by Bob Neale. They are (to me) priceless. His combination of magicial trickery and deep wisdom is amazing. In my opinion he is one of the most important magician/writers in the world today.
Thank you Bob for your inspirational and unique contribution to the mysterious art of magic (an art form that often sadly lacks both inspiration and mystery).
Mark

The material in Neale's books is, IMO, for entertainers. Magicians entertaining lay people. Magicians who understand character drives magic.

On a similar note I'd love to find out if six card swindle is located in any of his books or only as a standalone and where I could get it IF its still available.

Dartagnan