Does anyone have this? Recomended or not?
WR

I like my copy of it. I'm a fan of Robert Neale's work though. If you're going to get it do it now. They are now out of print with the distributor houses (ie. Murphy's, et al).
Doug

Highly recommended, I'm also a Robert Neale fan.

With two recommendations from two I Highly trust. The book is bought.
Thanks again,
WR

Greetings,

There are a couple of reasons to read this book.

First, you will find a card piece in here that you will use. I picked up two effects out of it that I can do when I am handed a deck of cards.

Second, there is a great pleasure that comes from just reading this book. The stories are beautiful and the imagery from the juxtaposition of pasteboard and prose stirs the imagination.

Take Care,
Sam

GET THIS BOOK!
I had hummed and hawed about getting this but after Eugene Burger did a couple of pieces from this book at the Perth, West Australia convention I ran out and got a copy. The workings are straight forward but still bewildering and the stories are absolutely great. These not only give you a great basis for the effects provided but also give great food for thought for your own stories.
If you can find it I would recommend it highly.
cheers
Maynooth

Greetings!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I do not perform any of the pieces from the book, most are quite good, and the rest are kind of "off-beat whimsy". The thing that appealed most was studying the presentations, as they were built to entertain, and to enhance methods, which in the wrong hands, could be completely boring.
I applaud Mr. Neale for this great book, and I find it valuable for the reasons mentioned above.Highly recommended.
Cheers,
J.Warrens

The book is great.

These are my favorites and ones I have performed:

Survivor page 143

Three Endings For A Ghost Story page 13

Unaware page 108 (This is a great use for the Vernon's Twisting the Aces Moves).

Death does a Card Trick page 71 (You've really got to play this one up or don't do it).

This isn't to say that there aren't any other good ones. These are the ones I've spent the time to learn and perform. Maybe I'll get to the others on another day.

?

Doug

Did any of you read The Magic Mirror by David Parr and Robert Neale?
It has the presentation of the Last Dream. Eugene did this for me years ago and I was completely shocked by it's premise.
I think Neale's work is really something that can create magic beyond technique and props.

For me it was a total waste of money . after the fifth packet trick I threw it aside. some of the stories are nice, but again, nothing that I could use in the venues I work. I would like to see him strolls with that stuff.

Nimrod , Israel

Who touted the book as a strolling magician's hand book?

Although you definitely can stroll with some of them. The "3 endings for a ghost story" is a great walk-around effect as is "unaware". You could do any of them that utilize Vernon's Twisting the Aces moves as walk-around.

Now I would agree that it will NOT fit everyone's performing style. If you are a hit and run performer steer clear as this book. If, on the other hand, you like to leave your audience with a piece of performance art then I highly recommend it.

Doug

Id give it a miss, unless you just want to read it for reading's sake...

You may glean one or two ideas that could spark off other thoughts, and the general premise of "meaning and magic" is interesting, but on the whole the tricks are total cr*p and wouldn't fool a four year-old.

If you're clever enough, you could use some of the ideas and combine them with other effects and get something really good.

Perhaps if you're a bizzarist, or have a persona like Eugene Burger, you could get away with it. The rest of us will struggle not to look like twits presenting any of the tricks as they are.

I almost have to agree. Unless your presentational style is heading that way anyway I would advise against this book.

There is a trick in there utilising the Gilbreath principle. I forget its name but it was to do with probability. It's a fairly boring effect but fantastic if you want to astound a mathematician.

I have my copy and I love it

I would recommend getting it but...

There are many strong and eloquent proponents of the magic and meaning style of magic. The rest of us just aren't "ready". But, for me, many of the stories in Life, Death etc., are either too creepy to be entertaining or are so wordy and convoluted that they seriously get in the way of the magic. Wait! Wait! Is the jack the skeleton or the pirate? Is the knave married to the queen,the 2 of hearts, or the king (it could be)? On the other hand I did look again at some of the routines mentioned above and they do look to be do-able. So, after much book bashing I would say you have to get it, read it, and see if it suits (!). You can get it on e-bay cheap, and dump it the same way if you do not like it.
Mark