Making Magic Matter
There is this magical little man, known as Juan Tamariz Martel Negron. I call him Gazpachito.
A fine friend, John Carey, asked me to write about Juan, his philosophy and how it impacts my life. Prior to a discussion with Juan, I decided that his philosophy on magic, performance and life can be summed up in one word: [Read more…]
“I have two books that you should read….” were the first words out of Jay's mouth, as he walked through the front door of Magic, Inc. There was no “Hello,” or “How are you?” just the above statement. He had just returned from F.I.S.M. carrying a suit bag, which he promptly opened. He placed two red hardbound books in front of me, and proceeded to go into the depths of the shop without further comment.
It's rare that Jay Marshall will recommend anything to me without my prior inquisition, so this immediately caught my attention…. [Read more…]
Price: $90.00 to $100, depending on where you shop.
Six hundred and sixty-nine pages (not counting the well-wrought introductions by Max Maven and Eugene Burger), illustrated by Kelly Lyles, 7″ x 10″ cloth hardbound with a elegant dust-jacket. Clearly typeset and well laid-out.
Every time I look at this set of books I am filled with wonder. Tommy Wonder. And what an ecstatic pleasure, no—make that honor, it is. These books are quite simply the most important tomes published on magic. Perhaps you think I'm making an overstatement. In reality, I've probably made an understatement….
These books were created with passion, published with passion, and will inspire passion in every thinking magician who studies them. About half of each volume consists of magic: effects; routines; moves; and utilities. The other half is theory. That's about three hundred and fifty pages of magical thoughts, musings, philosophies, chastisements and inspirations!
First, I'll cover the magic. Magic indeed. The effects are vibrant. The methods are ingenious. The designs (both mechanical and artistic) are exquisite. [Read more…]