Some folks asked me why I'd want to get rid of so many great books. It can be summed up this way: Less books = More focus. If anyone wants me to elaborate, I will. I know this isn't the popular opinion, but I can't be swayed from it!
<---that represents the fact that I have about a quarter of the amount of books, magazines and video tapes as I used to! And still feel its too much!
Peace Out,
Johnny

So what books are you "focusing" on?

But if you go back on your collection you will find stuff you never knew you had, trust me, re read all your books, you will discover something new all the time

Flip,
Right now I'm big into Garcia, I have all of his magic books, and love them all. Isn't there nearly a lifetime of study in those books alone? After all, Garcia spent HIS lifetime on them! But my mood shifts, and I have many more to go to!
Kard16,
I agree with what you say. The books I'm getting rid of aren't "bad", they are GREAT. I just think that by having less, you really get to what matters. Not just in magic books, but in everything. If you ever saw the movie FIGHT CLUB, there is a line: "We spend our lives working in jobs we hate to buy junk we don't need." I'm paraphrasing. But there's a lot of truth to it.
WHAT IF you only had say, 10 books? You'd most likely be a GREAT magician, because you would focus, you would understand those books, and you'd think for yourself, instead of looking up what everyone else ever did with a certain plot. Is this making sense? I feel like I'm rambling. I'll stop now!

I have to agree somewhat with what John Blaze is saying. I found a year ago that I wasn't focused enough in what I was trying to do. As opposed to getting rid of my books (I use them at least as a reference), I've given away a ton of props that do not fit my act, character, or direction. I've found it has focused me much more and my performances have gotten better because of that and other factors.

Mike

While I agree that you need to focus on doing a few things well, I don't think that the size of your library has anything to do with it. You can have one book and flit from routine to routine and never perfect any of them. I also believe that studying as much as you can helps you perfect the tricks and routines you are concentrating on. You might find that subtlety or get some idea that you can apply to your work that will make a huge difference. I think you have to have both study time and practice time set aside. Practice time is not the time to fiddle with the cards and try new things, but the time to work on the effects you have chosen to perform. Study time is when you read and play. This, of course, is only my opinion but it is the way I have done it for 20+ years and I think it has worked pretty well for me.

Less books = More focus? I don't think so...

More Books = Expanded resources.

More discipline = More focus.

Joe Z.

Bingo.

-Jim

I don't like to unload books. I find gems in them all of the time. Videos maybe but there is something classy about having books.

Granted to each his own but if you unloaded your library for more focus, I think you may kick yourself later if you realize you unloaded something that is of tremendous value in the future.

I try to be very selective in what magic-related books I buy, and over the years I have put together a very comprehensive library that I have at my disposal. In re-reading various texts over time I constantly come across sleights, routines, and ideas that I passed by in previous readings. This is one reason to keep a select, diverse collection of materials at hand.

Of course, I have upon occasion bought a "clunker" (i.e., a book that upon reading is recognized as a crappy publication). These stinkers I get rid of immediately.

A carefully selected library is a magician's best resource.

Joe Z.

re;
"WHAT IF you only had say, 10 books? You'd most likely be a GREAT magician, because you would focus,"

I guess the people that already claimed to have only ten books ARE great magicians then?

I would think the people with larger libraries are for the most part people who have simply been in magic a lot longer. Don't forget some of the people on this forum have been in magic over 30 or 40 years, not just since the "Easy To Master Card Miracles" and David Blaine

If fewer books meant better focus then surely the best magician would own only one! lol.

I had a massive clear out about 20 years ago and was regretting it within a few years when searching for references or different versions of effects etc. then realising the books I required I had disposed of.

Plus as you grow in magic you see things differently and can often appreciate things you were dismissive of previously.

I know a few pros. who have sold off their collections, not because they really wanted to focus, but because they were going through lean periods and needed the cash!

Paul.

absolutely.

Joe Z's response is a good one. I suppose I just find it easier to focus, having less. It's not just in magic, as I said, I'm trying to have as few possessions as possible. Not to get too philosophical, but it makes me a much happier person!
As fas as more books equaling expanded resources...This is hard to argue. However, to me, its part of the problem. In my original post I mentioned the importance of thinking for yourself, as opposed to looking up what everyone else has ever done with a particular plot. The latter seems to be the trend nowadays.
Vernon spent his lifetime studying Erdnase. And used to claim that everything he knew about playing cards could be attributed to that book. Someone made the observation that Vernon gleaned more from between the lines of Erdnase than was ever intended by the author. Vernon wasn't looking up everyone else's handling of the same sleights. Vernon was a thinker. And sought to understand what the author was trying to accomplish, as opposed to merely learning "how to do it", and thought of his own ways and means.
What does this have to do with out discussion? I don't know. But I thought it fit in somewhere! Oh yes, the one book thing!
Please try to understand what I'm saying about less books being better, by not taking it as literally and mathematically as some of you seem to be taking it! My feeling is simply that if you as, say, a cardman, mastered everything in CARD COLLEGE, and added in some thinking on your own, you'd be a better cardman than over 90% of the so called card men out there. And one of the reasons most folks don't just master CARD COLLEGE, is because there is too much to distract them. And by not using the resources available to them, they think they are unneccasarily limiting themselves. I think its just the opposite.

I can understand what John is thinking - and actually tried it one time - I didn't get rid of any books - but I took one book with me to a 2 week tech school and used it to "cleanse" my mind after studying all day - I was able to go through the whole book (Daryl's "Ambitious Card Omnibus")
It took a couple of days - then I went through it again - Then went down to Lincoln Ave. in Chicago - Took care of that one book syndrome!!!
I admire John in this experiment - and he knows he can write me for any research he might need or any book he may want to borrow -
Good Luck John!

Dave