Help With Choosing Books

Hey guys!

I need some help defining and cutting down my wish list of theory books. I hope you guys can use your wide knowledge and help me out!

Fritzkee Trilogy
Strong Magic - Darwin Ortiz
Designing Miracles - Darwin Ortiz
Maximum Entertainment - Ken Weber
Absolute Magic - Derren Brown
Shattering Illusions - Jamy Ian Swiss
Pure Effect - Derren Brown
Biography - Dai Vernon


Like I said guys... need some help figuring out which ones are better than the other. Which two books are going to practically the same? Are they all worth the cost?

Thanks!

Mehar
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Apr 25, 2009
459
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39
Yorktown, VA
So far, they all look like they are worth the cost. I mean, I would go with the Darwin Ortiz books first. But, that is just me.

Also, how come you don't have the Fitzkee Trilogy in that too???
 
Jan 5, 2010
658
2
Alabama
Hey guys!

I need some help defining and cutting down my wish list of theory books. I hope you guys can use your wide knowledge and help me out!

Pure Effect - Derren Brown
Absolute Magic - Derren Brown
Maximum Entertainment - Ken Weber
Biography - Dai Vernon
Strong Magic - Darwin Ortiz
Designing Miracles - Darwin Ortiz
Shattering Illusions - Jamy Ian Swiss


Like I said guys... need some help figuring out which ones are better than the other. Which two books are going to practically the same? Are they all worth the cost?

Thanks!

Mehar


You're looking at about $900 dollars worth of books..

I own almost all of those, so in the order I would get them are:

Strong Magic
Designing Miracles
Absolute Magic
Shattering Illusions
etc.

I'm assuming, of course, that you have the foundations down...
 
Jan 31, 2010
86
1
Getting those Derren Brown books may be somewhat difficult and will definitely be expensive.

Not to make your list more complicated, but look in to Mastering the Art of Magic by Eugene Burger. Similarly themed to the collected you've list and an excellent read.
 
Apr 25, 2009
459
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39
Yorktown, VA
Ahhh... that's how it's spelt!! I was spelling it the wrong way so I dropped it.. consider it added to the list!!

Well, now that you are adding the trilogy, I would read those frist, then Darwin Ortiz, then Maximum Entertainment. Sounds like you will be busy for a while =)
 
Jan 5, 2010
658
2
Alabama
thanks you guys... any ideas on how to trim the list though? Are all of these books going to teach me different things?

I haven't read the Trilogy, but one way to trim your list is to just get Strong Magic and Designing Miracles.

These two books will last you a LONG time to really grasp and understand what it was written for, and it won't break the bank.
 
Apr 25, 2009
459
0
39
Yorktown, VA
If you trim the list (which I would advise that you get to the other books on the list some time in the future) I can say that you cannot go wrong with the two Ortiz books. The Derren Brown books are great, but unless you are forking out lots of cash, it might be a while before you can get your hands on those.

Or, you could just get this, or maybe this, also this, or even this
 
Jun 10, 2010
1,360
1
If you trim the list (which I would advise that you get to the other books on the list some time in the future) I can say that you cannot go wrong with the two Ortiz books. The Derren Brown books are great, but unless you are forking out lots of cash, it might be a while before you can get your hands on those.

Or, you could just get this, or maybe this, also this, or even this

NO. Don't listen to Redi on that one. He's a good guy and he knows his stuff when he's suggesting things, but get either the 2nd or 3rd one. AKA Annotated Erdnase or the Pocket Bible Edition of Erdnase. The 1st one, the dover reprint, has mistakes throughout the book. The 4th one, the Wesley James DVD set... Well, let's put it this way. All it takes for Wesley James to become "The Man Who Knows Erdnase" is to study with Dai Vernon and STILL have the worst charlier cut in history. If you've seen the trailer, you will know why I strongly recommend not getting it. Ask Dan, even. He owns the set apparently LOL.
 
Apr 25, 2009
459
0
39
Yorktown, VA
NO. Don't listen to Redi on that one. He's a good guy and he knows his stuff when he's suggesting things, but get either the 2nd or 3rd one. AKA Annotated Erdnase or the Pocket Bible Edition of Erdnase. The 1st one, the dover reprint, has mistakes throughout the book. The 4th one, the Wesley James DVD set... Well, let's put it this way. All it takes for Wesley James to become "The Man Who Knows Erdnase" is to study with Dai Vernon and STILL have the worst charlier cut in history. If you've seen the trailer, you will know why I strongly recommend not getting it. Ask Dan, even. He owns the set apparently LOL.

LOL, I just through up some links real fast =P
 
lol unknown, I think I'm going to get expert at the card table from chapters for like.. $10.

other than expert at the card table I think this is what imma get.. alot of the other stuff is out of stock, or just too damn expensive.

Biography - Dai Vernon--$40
Strong Magic - Darwin Ortiz--$50
Amazon ^

Shattering Illusions - Jamy Ian Swiss-- $35 [Jamyianswiss.com]
Maximum Entertainment - Ken Weber--$35 [Penguinmagic.com]

I sent my cousin this list, she works at a library so she gets books for 50% off!

Biography - Dai Vernon--$40
Strong Magic - Darwin Ortiz--$50
Shattering Illusions - Jamy Ian Swiss-- $35
Maximum Entertainment - Ken Weber--$35
Pure Effect - Derren Brown--$400/$240
Absolute Magic - Derren Brown--$200
Designing Miracles - Darwin Ortiz--$?
Fritzkee Trilogy--$?
The Encyclopedia of Card Flourishes - Jerry Cestkowski The Inner Card Trilogy - Dai Vernon
Revelation - Dai Vernon
The Essential - Dai Vernon
Ultimate Card Secrets Of Card Magic - Dai Vernon
Paper Engine - Aaron Fisher
Expert At The Card Table - Erdnase
Card Finesse 1&2 - Jon Racherbaumer
By Forces Unseen By Stephen Minch
Revolutionary Card Technique - Ed Marlo
Steranko On Cards - Jim Steranko
The Complete Walton


Whatever she can get I'll run by you guys!

Thanks!

Mehar
 
Jun 10, 2010
1,360
1
I'm going to get the dover print because it's only $10.. who cares!

A lot of people do. Just pay 5 dollars more for an Erdnase edition which doesn't have any mistakes. Stop being cheap. If you're truly dedicated an extra 5 dollars won't matter considering what you'll have gained if you follow through with Erdnase.

Besides Erdnase, any 1 book on that list you posted will last you a long time. You're going through resources as if they're just mere books and you'll be able to master the material in days. Pick 1, stay with it.
 
I do understand that this stuff will take me a long time. I'm going to see what my cousin can get me and then I'll see which books I can get for a discount. I don't want to sound like a complete assface, but, I do learn stuff pretty quickly and I have a teacher that can always help me. Soooo I probably will get a few books at a time. But! I will most definitely not buy everything at once!
 
Oct 2, 2010
19
0
NO. Don't listen to Redi on that one. He's a good guy and he knows his stuff when he's suggesting things, but get either the 2nd or 3rd one. AKA Annotated Erdnase or the Pocket Bible Edition of Erdnase. The 1st one, the dover reprint, has mistakes throughout the book. The 4th one, the Wesley James DVD set... Well, let's put it this way. All it takes for Wesley James to become "The Man Who Knows Erdnase" is to study with Dai Vernon and STILL have the worst charlier cut in history. If you've seen the trailer, you will know why I strongly recommend not getting it. Ask Dan, even. He owns the set apparently LOL.

Sabor, you are way too indecisive to advise anyone on their shopping list. But I agree with you anyways
 
Jun 10, 2010
1,360
1
I do understand that this stuff will take me a long time. I'm going to see what my cousin can get me and then I'll see which books I can get for a discount. I don't want to sound like a complete assface, but, I do learn stuff pretty quickly and I have a teacher that can always help me. Soooo I probably will get a few books at a time. But! I will most definitely not buy everything at once!

Trust me when I say it's easy to learn stuff pretty quickly. And no offense, but I don't think you perform it well from the way you sound. You keep acting like you can just breeze through material like it's nothing...

You just seem cocky, with all the talk of learning stuff pretty quickly and having a teacher. Don't ever assume you're the best, or better then anybody else. You never know what they're capable of. Maybe I'm underestimating you right now, or maybe you just underestimated 95% of the magic community.
 
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