Pages from everybody s book of magic

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BOOK OF

MAGIC AMUSE AND CONFUSE YOUR FRIENDS *1'\

How to Become a MAGICIAN— explained in simple terms with many illustrations A BARREL OF FUN AND FANCY SLEIGHT OF HAND DISAPPEARING ACTS MIND READING ACTS STAGE ILLUSIONS

MYSTERY A N D M A G I C FOR ALL

EVERYBODY'S BOOK OF MAGIC

BY

BARRY ROBBINS Illustrated by James R. Ryan

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CONTENTS

PAGE

About Magic

5

Magic With Cards-Without Skill

16

Magic With Cards—Some Skill Required

32

Money Magic

54

king and String Magic

65

Miscellaneous. Magic

81

Mental Magic

95

Standard Stage Tricks

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CHAPTER ONE Obviously the first trick to be performed, if you are to become a magician, is tò apply a little magic to yourself.

It's really very simple. All you need is a little knowledge, a little homework, and a little confidence. This book will give you a little knowledge, and you will add a little homework. Knowledge plus experience produces— magically—all the confidence in the world. And that's all there is to it.

Magic is rather like chess. It is very easy to teach someone how to play chess in just thirty minutes, but it takes many years of experience to become a great chess player.

Similarly, it is easy to learn how to perform certain tricks of magic, but it takes many years to become a master of the magician's craft. However, the beginner in magic has this great advantage; the world regards a man as a magician if he can perform as few as three or four tricks in an interesting and entertaining manner. A magician's reputation always rests upon the mystery and entertainment in the few tricks he performs, rather than upon the extent of his repertoire. ' A grasp of the essential points in magic—the performer, his tricks, and his audience—will make it much easier to become a magician. The rest of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of you, the performer, and your auclience.

If you study the next few pages carefully, you will save yourself much effort in becoming a magician, as well as ensuring that your tricks will work.

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