There is nothing like a good book! Here are three!
When I arrived in America it was a joy to discover the wonderfully written books of Harry Lorayne. They contained great tricks that were meticulously detailed and had an exciting blast of the author’s abrasive personality fully intact within the pages. You could make a great living just by mastering the content of Lorayne’s first three books. Heck, I did for several years.
It has recently been my joy to be reading three brilliant books simultaneously, learning and enjoying each of them to the utmost degree. I want to share them with you, if they can give you a fraction of the pleasure they have afforded me, then I have done my good deed for the day.
New Zealand is the home to one of magic’s most prolific and talented authors Richard Webster. Richard is a master of both ideas and craft in his writing. He has published over a hundred books, which have been translated into 29 languages! No wonder I am proud to consider him my major inspiration as a writer of magical works. It was with a great deal of excitement that I just mailed him a copy of my first two books, in honesty, it made me just a touch nervous as well.
I have been dipping into Richard’s latest book on mentalism, ‘Neal Scryer and Friends,’ like some lucky sorcerer’s apprentice with sudden access to the Philosopher’s Stone. It is an amazing work that should be savored by anyone interested in this deliciously complex and exciting area of the magic world. It is not an inexpensive book—GOOD! This kind of information should not be scattered at random as it is too special.
Now he wasn’t actually christened or given the birth name of Handsome Jack, in fact many of you will know him by his ‘real world’ 
name John Lovick. Handsome Jack is the delightfully quirky alter ego of the scholarly and rather serious Mr. Lovick. They are a mighty fine pair of magicians!
I’m not saying that Jack isn’t handsome, but it sure gets a huge laugh when he walks out after being introduced as the Castle’s resident sex symbol. In many ways it is quite difficult to fully define what ‘H.J.’s character really is all about. It is self-depreciating and carefully considered, all at the same time. I’m going to revert to the word I used before quirky.
I have also been really enjoying John Lovick’s ‘Switch.’ It is an encyclopedic and scholarly study of dollar bill switches, and a goldmine to someone like myself who makes a living largely through the $100 Bill Switch. Like Richard’s recent book, it combines the author’s insights with wonderful contributions from his illustrious friends and colleagues. Fabulous information.
Most recently, I have been glued to David Regal’s ‘Approaching Magic’ book. Wow, what a great read! I have been a huge fan of David’s work, ever since reading the Harry Lorayne book describing his earliest routines many years ago. His ideas just keep getting better and even more commercial as the years go by.
‘Approaching Magic’ contains great tricks, good advice, fabulous theory and some great comedy lines! What more could you hope for in a book? It is going to be my travel companion for many months to come, and then take a position of pride in my bookshelf right next to Ron Wilson, Billy McComb and Mr. Scryer’s work! I have no higher praise.
If you want to reward yourself with a treat, go to David’s website www.regalmagic.com and order a signed copy for a (currently) discounted rate of $60. You will thank me for the tip—and so will your audiences!
REMARKABLE MAGIC 