I found the Art Of Astonishment really easy to read...and Smoke and Mirrors by John Bannon is the same

I also would like to add David Harkey's Simply Harkey. It's the book I go back to just to read, even if I'm not going to perform the effects. Really original thinking.

Doc Dixon's 'Everything is Funnier with Monkey's'. Smart writing and funny as hel.

(did I get around the censors?)

All of the above are excellent. To name something different I'll throw in Burger's Experience of Magic.

My two favorite books in (and on) magic:

Arthur Brandon's Milo & Roger: A Magical Life (Hermetic Press, 1999) and David Bamberg's Illusion Show (Meyerbooks, 1991).

Both are autobiographies that give a glimpse into two eras of magic, personal growth, and triumph from adversity... Plus both are great reads!

The Brandon book has perhaps my favorite quote on magic in a conversation between Brandon and his father:

"How did it work? . . . My father put it very succinctly, one time, after he had learned how I kept pouring so much water out of Don Hole's little Oriental lota bowl. 'Arthur, I see that magic is really just a lot of ********.' 'Yes, Pop, you've got it. It is,' I rejoined. 'But you've got to know just how to shovel it.'"

Buy the books, learn the lessons, immerse yourself.

ajp

Memoirs of Robert-Houdin: KING OF THE CONJURERS is fun reading.
Lot of in-depth stories.
Robert-Houdin was a great French magician.
He was a inventor of many tricks and one of the founders of modern magic. He inspired many magicians included Houdini.
I will try to write a review for this book, check my web out.

Mats G. Kjellstrom
http://www.mastermagic.info

The new Jim Steinmeyer book, Hiding The Elephant is a great read. I enjoyed his Art & Artifice and this is equally delightful.

Another fun read is the David Bamberg autobiography, Illusion Show.

And, having just gone back through the Workers series by Michael Close, I'd have to add those to any list of fun reads. Great material, thought-provoking essays, and a delight to read to boot.

Jeremy

Paul Harris (for the umpteempth time)
Derren Brown- very engaging, dry English wit at work

Richard Osterland's "Making Magic Real"

Great read.

Mark

Bob Cassidy is usually an enjoyable read.

Ted Lesley's Paramiracles was good too.

Capricornian Tales was very interesting.

Anabelle's Seven Past Midnight was a pleasure.

David Acer's Natural Selections II
I have not got volume 1 so I can't comment on that, but if it is anything like the second book it is bound to be brilliant.
My favourite thing about NS2 is not only the brilliant tricks and routines, but the funny performing stories included.

I am currently reading Small but Deadly by Paul Hallas, a very informative book about packet tricks.
It is turning out to be one of the books you start reading and cannot put it down.If you are into packet effects git it...
Rennie

I love just about any Eugene Burger book. Very enjoyable reads and lots of thought provoking material--much of it on presentation.

However, my all time favorite "read" was (and is) The Jinx. I really love the old style writing and the layouts. You are reading a piece of history as you read each of the three volumes (and the 50 issues of the magazine that are in each volume). Lots of news, gossip, but, above all, lots of good magic by the greats of those long-ago days. Sigh. As a bonus, lots of the magic is so old it is new. Hint-hint.

Mike

The book on Harry Anderson whos title escapes me is a great read and has some great effects

Art of...,Smoke and Mirrors,Books of Wonder and Mind,Myth and Magick.
Andre
ajcombri@telkomsa.net

I'll second those who have mentioned Simply Harkey and the AOA series. I also like Jon Racherbaumer's writing in the Card Finesse series. He always adds some interesting notes about the things he's writing about. For humor, I love Steve Beam's writing in The Trapdoor and his books.

Jason

"Wiseguy" by Mike Caveney?

AOA...Aronson , and Rene Lavand.....

Carolinahusker:

Two of my most enjoyable magic books reads right now are Beyond Secrets by Jay Sankey and Strong Magic by Darwin.

Beyond Secrets by Jay Sankey is a great performance book. It has many interesting thoughts but the ideas are scattered. Beyond Secrets is still a GREAT book regardless! Many people buy books and do not study them in detail. You get out of a book what you put into reading it. Beyond Secrets by Jay Sankey is a thin book but it is packed with great ideas and the book is a great purchase, don’t let anyone tell you any different.

Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz is another great book about magic performance. Buy Strong Magic if you can because it WILL help you improve your magic performance. Strong Magic is the best performance magic book that I have right now.

These are my two favorite books for now. I've learned much from these two books.

Gerard

Theater of the Mind gets my vote hands down.