On 2014-02-18 10:16, Ihop wrote:
Wow! If you can do a majority of the tricks & slights from the books you listed, you're really good.
The question is, "can you do them well?"

On 2014-02-18 10:40, 3 of clubs_103 wrote:
Mr. Lorayne,
If I could only get one of your books, which one would you recommend?

Thanks

On 2014-02-18 11:00, Bulla wrote:
If you've been into this for 3 years and have read and understood most of the material from the books you've read listed above, I wouldn't say that you're a beginner. From your list I don't think you need to get Royal Road. Compared to what you've already read, I would get Expert Card Technique and Card Control, the others don't really compare at all to the books you've already read.

On 2014-02-18 11:08, lcwright1964 wrote:
I will steer clear of the drubbing you might be facing for claiming to be competent in "a majority" of effects from such comprehensive references like Erdnase, Tarbell, and Wilson. If you have basic competence, much less mastery, in such a huge range of tricks after three years, you're better than I ever will be.

As for the books you ask about, I have them all and they are all classics. All are available cheaply as Dover reprints, and I myself got most of them in the past few months. I never regret owning a good book, and if find even one new effect or idea out of each one it is worth it. Noted that Buckley isn't talked about much here, but I think it has some gems and it is excellent to look at just for historical purposes. Scarne is a classic, and was the first card trick book I used as a boy. I would stick to its simpler impromptu effects, as many of the ones with complex stacks or convoluted math just scream "self-working" and, to me, are less magical. But also note that Scarne gets little mention around here as well, and I get the impression that Fulves and others are preferred as more modern alternatives for self-workers (I have several Fulves books too and love them).

All of the Hugard works you list are great to have, but the cognoscenti here will definitely emphasize the importance of starting out with RRCM. The Encyclopedia is awesome too--a real treasure trove of goodies, especially if, like me, you like gimmicked decks and gaffed cards. ECT was the first SOH card book I had as a kid--great book full of ideas still in circulation today. ECT is more of a reference, though, and is not presented in the same logical programmatic fashion as RRCM. Card Manipulations and More Card Manipulations (reprinted by Dover as Card Tricks and Stunts) are real curiosities out of the 30s, but keep in mind they compile relatively brief works pitched at people with already some card magic knowledge. As such, they are not self-contained, and the effects at times call for sleights that are not described within the work itself.

That all said, if you are looking at spending sixty to eighty bucks or so on new books, I think many around here would point you toward Harry's stuff, or the first volume or two of Giobbi's Card College.

Les

On 2014-02-18 12:27, Harry Lorayne wrote:
THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Volume 1 will be out of print soon. I still stock of the other three volumes, and - I'm working of Volume 5 as we speak. HL.

On 2014-02-18 12:44, 3 of clubs_103 wrote:

Quote:

On 2014-02-18 12:27, Harry Lorayne wrote:
THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Volume 1 will be out of print soon. I still stock of the other three volumes, and - I'm working of Volume 5 as we speak. HL.

I will make sure to get THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Volume 1 before it goes out of print!

On 2014-02-18 17:28, BCS wrote:
3 of clubs_ 103,

Speaking for myself as an older guy who has pretty much all the books that you have listed; I would say save your money unless you feel that you must have them in your library.

All the contemporary books that you have listed in my opinion are more detailed and the moves as well as the suggested routines are more fleshed out. Spend your money on Harry's books if you need additional material; his books are easier to understand and all his suggestions are practical and come from the real world... he is a great teacher.

Good luck,
Bruce

On 2014-02-19 00:14, Ihop wrote:
3ofclubs,
You mentioned that you've been doing magic for 3 years.
Do you do other stuff besides card tricks?
Most of the books you listed are for doing card tricks.
There are many other books you can get to round out your library if you are interested in other magic.
I just assumed, maybe wrongly, that you wanted card book referrals, based on your 2 lists.