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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » book test? (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

Sariel
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What's a book test? what's the effect?
In the search function I only saw reviews of book test's not the actual effect.
shawlie
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There are a lot of variations, but the general effect (as I know it):

A page in a book is chosen by a spectator, for example "25". A second volunteer chooses another number, for example "15". The magician writes a word on a slip of paper. The book is opened to page 25, the 15th word is read. It matches the magicians prophecy.

I don't know a lot about mentalism myself, but that's more or less the effect.
lmrmagic
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Most booktests are more straight forward than that. Mentalists are on constant search for the closest to real mind reading. Spectator opens a book looks at a word, closes the book and then the mentalist can read there thoughts and reveal the thought of word. Many mentalists believe that Ted Karmilovich's "Mother of All Booktests"is the one. Read the description of Larry Becker's Ultimate Flashback booktest and you will get a very good sense of what the book test effect is. Here is a link:

http://www.ronjo.com/Merchant2/merchant.......erflshbk

Smile
MarkFarrar
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There's a great impromptu book test detailed in a novel called "Short Circuit" by Hugh Miller, which is no doubt out of print now but probably available second-hand.
Mark S. Farrar

Email: [email]MarkFarrar@TheMagicCircle.co.uk[/email]
Web: www.MagicSquaresBook.com, www.RandMPublishing.com, www.TheDailyGoalMachine.com, www.ParvoBuster.com
David Fletcher
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Mark, do you mean as seen by a spectator or explained?

Thanks,

David
You have to give it away to keep it.
MrX
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Los Angeles
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i am new to mentalism myself, but recently tried the one in Corinda's classic book on mentalism - 13 Steps. He has a book test using the serial number of a borrowed pound note or dollar bill to point to a page and word and it works - sent my sister in law screaming out of the room - and if that's not a great effect, I don't know what is.

Also, on Ian Rowland's site (of the same name) he discusses Val Andrews' ultimate book test - which is hard to get but evidently worth it.

Hope this helps a bit.
Sariel
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Thanks for your answers...now I get it, can't wait for my copy of Corinda's book Smile

Just one more question: Is it required a gimmicked book in most of this effects? It's tottaly impromptu?
MarkFarrar
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"Short Circuit" describes both what the effect would look like in performance, and the method.

(The book also describes a tape-recorded prediction effect and a bullet catch, FYI.)
Mark S. Farrar

Email: [email]MarkFarrar@TheMagicCircle.co.uk[/email]
Web: www.MagicSquaresBook.com, www.RandMPublishing.com, www.TheDailyGoalMachine.com, www.ParvoBuster.com
Paul
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Hmmm, not heard of that book Mark, though did read his book "The Saviour" years ago about a fake psychic. Miller has written and edited a few magic books in the past of course, he edited Al Koran's "Professional Presentations".

Paul.
Chris A.
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AKA Chris A.
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If you can present it properly, don't forget to try the "hoy book test".
AKA Chris A.
Keepin' the Funk Alive
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