There is so much information in here it's hard to pick a FAVORITE, but I greatly benefitted from developing your sets parts 1 and 2 (chapters 3 and 21). I'm a frantic person and the information on how many tricks and how to set them up to have a pattern as you flow from table to table is a great help.

Thanks Jamie for the great book!

I just ordered the book today, and it's not here yet so it may be hard to pick a favourite chapter, haha.... But I'm going to go with the Big Secret, as that seems to be a popular choice and I'm itching to know what it is!

This is definitely one of those books that you can leave on your night stand, read a chapter before bed, and legitimately learn something new each time you pick the book up. Even the chapters regarding topics you're already familiar with seem to have a voice that incites a refreshing understanding/perspective. I've read this book cover to cover once before, but I'm seem to gain more information from it just by opening up to random pages and seeing what the book spontaneously offers. It's a really great, insightful read.

RS.

Very true, I keep it next to my laptop and pick it up whenever I take a small break from things.

Hi Jamie,

Love the novel-size format of the book, very handy to take around and easily read.
Favourite chapter, hard to choose, but I'm going with 32: The Big Secret.


Brian

Everyone's favourite seems to be 32: The Big Secret. I think this secret is great too and I can definitely see myself using it!

However, 56: Burning Through Material was my favourite. I have loads of potential items that I hadn't really considered in this context before. This is a great tip for many different occasions, not just when you have run out of material.

We're getting close- only a couple more days to go!!

Official Entrants

yin_howe: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Jmolomagic: Chapter 12~ Starting Conversations
Gianluca Hayes: Chapter 50~ Busted
Randy B: Chapter 58~ Remembering Names
smullins: Chapter 43~ Highs and Lows
Nate Green: Chapter 36~ The Handshake
willtupper: Chapter 95~ Busking
robvh: Chapter 5~ Magic Fridays
moshiman: Chapter 25~ Conquering Nerves
TomasSimkus: Chapter 7~ Website
Bobby Puga: Chapter 46~ Saying Goodbye To A Group
Tommytallica: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
matthewwhitt2: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Torquay22: Chapter 4~ How to Practice
matthewwhitt2: Chapter 42~ The First Words I Say
Gleemax17: Chapter 23~ What Does my Contract Look Like
Ken Dumm: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Raymond Singson: Chapter 25~ Conquering Nerves
Anthony Black: Chapter 82~ Hecklers
Tim Hannig: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Alex DLF: Chapter 6~ Business Cards
paperinick: Chapter 39~ My First Effect
CdnAndrew: Chapter 8~ How Do You Look?
Grant Mitchell: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
EVILDAN: Chapter 26~ How to get the gigs
shawn popp: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Hydrostevo: Chapter 40~ What Rubber Bands to Use
Blindside785: Chapter 71~ The Second Big Secret
Xaerius: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
mousebites2: Chapter 4~ How to Practice
Hybrid Hunter: Chapter 21~ Developing Your Sets/Part 2
MichaelMann: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Montana76: Chapter 5~ Magic Friday
topherhester: Chapter 3~ Developing Your Sets
Matthew Rider: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
Raymond Singson: The entire thing, lol? (I'm including this as an entry because you've read it twice, lol)
bekralik: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret
(a)ndy: Chapter 32~ The Big Secret

Who's next?


All you need to do to enter is pick up copy of The Approach and write down your favourite chapter! That's it! I'll do a draw from these names and someone will win any one of my products plus a hundred dollars cashola! Fun!

Draw will be held on Dec.15
______________________________________________________________________________



To be honest- I really, really, want everyone to write in their books. A huge part of performing is documenting and recording everything you've done- so I took some pains (a lot, lol) to make The Approach easy to write in. I think it would be awesome for everyone, in ten year's time, to pull it off the shelf- flip through it- and see how far they've come. And, if it absolutely kills you to do so- a cool notebook is way cooler than printed off forms.

Y'all rock!

~jamie

I love the workbook feel to it. I immediately began writing in it and putting ideas on the margins. This will be my guide!

For me it's Chapter 32.

I'm afraid I'm incapable of writing in my books - I like to keep my library pristine. I do take notes in notebooks though, on the side!

Jamie, you have me listed on there twice for chapter 32 and 42. I don't want it to be unfair when the winner is chosen as my username is up there 2 times. I went with chapter 42 as my choice so you can remove the 32 from the list of official entries.

This book is packed full of great advice, but I would have to say my favorite chapter would have to be #58 Remembering Names. This has always been a challenge for me, but there is some great advice in there.

Thank you for writing this book Jamie

David

Chapter 12 is pretty key on many different levels.

Alright! It's time to draw the winner! Let's see..with the latest editions we have 39 entries (thanks, matthewwhitt2, for being so honest as well)!

Okay- so the random number generator says...

Number 24!!! Taking out matthewwhitt2 once- because he was listed twice- leaves us with...

EVILDAN

Congrats!! I'll send you a PM! You just won $100 and a choice of any one of our products! Thanks to everyone for entering! And let's not stop the thread here- let's keep it going. I love the book club idea where we talk about certain chapters every now and then.

Y'all rock!

Your pal,

jamie

Off by 1! matthewwhitt2 is actually 2 completely different people, so needs his double listing

Congrats EVILDAN, and thanks to Jamie for running the competition.

Congrats to Evildan!

Jamie,
Thanks for having the contest! It was fun to see what everyone else has taken away from The Approach. It seems people have learned a lot!

Hey, I won. Thank You Jamie and everyone else.
I didn't even prepare an acceptance speech. I'd like to thank my parents, the owner of Premier 75 Magic Studio where I hung out as a teen and got bit by the magic bug, all the people that have hired me over the years, the producers of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for having my wife and I perform, for the members of the Magic Castle who showed us a great evening the one time we were there, and of course Jamie D. Grant for this great book.

By the way, I wrote in pencil in mine. Mechanical pencil at that. Allows me to write small and make changes as they come.

EVILDAN.

Congrats on the win EVILDAN! I as well use a good 'ol .5 mechanical pencil to write in my book. There is so much good stuff in the Approach!

Interesting to see so many people pick #32 as their favorite. I'll try to keep this vague since I don't want to reveal it on the forums, but it just seems like it would be out of place for the venues I typically work.

I know I should try it. Everything else in the book has been SOLID gold. But I'm still hesitant. Someone tell me I'm crazy! (PMs are fine too!)

OK, with all due respect, you're crazy.