I am in a real quandry here. I really appreciate books on presentation and magic theory. Recently, I have come across the following books (see below) and I don't know which one to purchase next. Knowing me, I am certain that I will eventually purchase all three as they all seem to be great tomes.

Any brief reviews or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Also, are the three books really comparable? By that I mean, do the three books deal with the same material sufficiently enough that a comparison could be made, or, are they sufficiently different in material content that any comparison attempt would be like comparing apples to oranges? Anyway, the three books are:

"Leading with your Head" by Gary Kurtz

"The Magic of Thinking Creatively" by Barry Mitchell

"Maximum Entertainment" by Ken Weber

Thanks in advance for any suggestions regarding these three books.

Mike

Always good to hear from someone who appreciates the study of theory and presentation.

I can't speak for the latter two books since I haven't read them yet. I got Kurtz's Leading with Your Head recently and found it stimulating. In sum, it's a treatise on the craft of attention management, and a good one. Its great strength, in my opinion, is that it offers very specific techniques for directing audience attention and demonstrates them by means of placing them in the context of some effect used as an example (to illustrate, the section "Corporal Staging - Framing for Effect applies blocking techniques to Miser's Dream, Card to Pocket, and a multiple selection routine).

Kurtz also shows agreement with Tommy Wonder that attention management involves more than distracting the audience from secret moves.

The subtitle really does say it all: "Psychological and Directional Keys to the Amplification of the Magical Effect" (that almost brings to mind Ortiz's Strong Magic). This book is clear and to-the-point. I recommend it highly.

I hope others can fill you in on the other books. I believe you will feel yourself well-rewarded for having read Leading with Your Head.

Seraph127,

Thanks for the info. "Leading with your Head" was always going to be my "next book" but, while I was trying to find a USA source for the book, out came these other two books--and they appear very interesting as well. Hence, my post.

I'm headed over to the Buy/See/Trade section to see if anyone wants to sell/trade their copy of "Leading with your Head" for a reasonable price.

Thanks again for the info. It just strengthens my resolve to acquire this book.

Mike

P.S. Where was Gary Kurtz born? Does anyone know of a USA source for the "Leading with your Head" book?

Leading with your Head is one of the most important books I have ever read on the performance of magic. A no nonsense guide to managing audience attention.

I just received my copy of Maximum Entertainment yesterday. Too soon to report yet.

Kurtz is canadian

get leading with your head and maximum entertainment

Let me also suggest The Fitzkee triology "Showmanship for Magicians", "The Trick Brain", and "Magic by Misdirection".

Peo

I'll second everybody else's comments about Leading With Your Head. I just started by looking for Gary Kurtz publications and noticed this book in a shop and bought it right away when I knew what it was about.

It is very small, and I love it that way. A little booklet of 60 pages and STRAIGHT to the point of the essential things. That's what he says at the beginning of his book that most knowledge is either included in numerous books here and then OR you have to read between the lines to understand what the real advice is. He didn't want that so everything is directly said to you and even if there is thing to read between the lines, he explains it in the next paragraph lol.

So definitely yeah you'll have to get this book eventually but I would get it first with another one of the three you were thinking of because I'm not sure about the avalaibality of this book (if it is still in print or not).

I just purchased "Leading with Your Head" from Doc Eason. He may have more.

http://www.doceason.com/retail/books.htm

Mike,
I thoroughly recommend Ken Webers "Maximum Entertainment". It is one of the most enlightening books I have ever read on performing.
It has raised my self awareness (through the roof!) with regard to how I perform and subsequently entertain.

The one major learning/realization for me from the book was that the people you perform for don't really care whether you are a magician, mentalist, juggler, bizzarist, singer, etc etc - they only want to be entertained and taken out of their everyday life for even a short while.

I also liked Kens definition that the total opposite of entertainment is boredom.

You may not agree with everything in the book but it is definitely a "must read" - it is a magic book - but with no tricks or effects - the magic is in what it teaches.
Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Stephen