New to magic. Please help

Jan 11, 2018
9
4
Hello, my name is Jose, I am new in magic. I learned couple of card tricks (really basic) but I really enjoyed performing them to my friends and family. I was wondering if someone could please point me in the right direction.
I want to start reading and learning about card tricks. Can someone please tell me the name of a good book (my first magic book). Now that most of you have experience, if you can go back when you started what book will you recommend as first book? I am sure someone already asked this question but can not find it in the forum.

Thank you so much in advance.
Jose
 
Jan 11, 2018
9
4
Royal Road to Card Magic
Card College

Have fun and welcome to the forums. Cheers!
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me an advice. I really appreciate. And thank you for the welcome. Hopefully once I get experience ( couple of years) I can help people as well.
 
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WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
That depends on one factor - how much money do you want to spend?

For around $10 USD you can get the book I started with - Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard and Braue. It covers the basics, gives some good tricks (I still do at least one to this day), and it gives you an idea of how to learn from magic books. I spent 8 months studying that book and nothing else.

That being said, if I were as comfortable as I am now, I would get Vol 1 & 2 of Card College instead of the 8 or so books I ended up going through at the time. That's significantly more than $10 though.
 
Jan 11, 2018
9
4
That depends on one factor - how much money do you want to spend?

For around $10 USD you can get the book I started with - Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard and Braue. It covers the basics, gives some good tricks (I still do at least one to this day), and it gives you an idea of how to learn from magic books. I spent 8 months studying that book and nothing else.

That being said, if I were as comfortable as I am now, I would get Vol 1 & 2 of Card College instead of the 8 or so books I ended up going through at the time. That's significantly more than $10 though.

Thank you so much for your advice. I am looking that there are 5 volumes of Card College. WOW this is great, a lot of information.
 
Sep 26, 2015
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Card College will definitely give you a solid foundation. If you put the effort into studying these books, you will have great technique fairly early on. Also, the series teaches a lot tricks. Not only will you have a list of tricks you can perform, but you will begin to learn how different sleights, moves and principles are put together to create tricks and routines. Really wish I started with the Card College Series.
 
Jan 11, 2018
9
4
Thank you for your help.
Card College will definitely give you a solid foundation. If you put the effort into studying these books, you will have great technique fairly early on. Also, the series teaches a lot tricks. Not only will you have a list of tricks you can perform, but you will begin to learn how different sleights, moves and principles are put together to create tricks and routines. Really wish I started with the Card College Series.

Thank you so much. I live in Canada, so I am trying to find it in different stores. Hard to find, I guess I will have to buy from USA and shipped to Canada. Thank you so much.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
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Virginia
Card college is great. I didn't get it because of it's price, and instead went with the Royal Road.

I will second the Royal Road for cards. It'll walk you through the beginner techniques and give you great tricks.
After that, I recommend picking up Expert Card Technique, which has more techniques than the Royal Road, and is slightly more advanced.

You can find both for around $10 each on Amazon.

Welcome to the Forums!
 

CWhite

Elite Member
Jul 22, 2016
769
962
If you live in Canada there is a magic shop here that can get you the books you need all in Canadian prices.
 
Jan 11, 2018
9
4
Card college is great. I didn't get it because of it's price, and instead went with the Royal Road.

I will second the Royal Road for cards. It'll walk you through the beginner techniques and give you great tricks.
After that, I recommend picking up Expert Card Technique, which has more techniques than the Royal Road, and is slightly more advanced.

You can find both for around $10 each on Amazon.

Welcome to the Forums!
Thank you. Great advice as well.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey

You called?

I think @ChristopherT said it well. If cost is an issue start with Royal Road. If it isn't an issue, start with Card College. With Card College you don't have to buy all five volumes at once. Start with the first two volumes. The first two books were originally written as a two volume set to be an introduction to card magic. Volumes 3, 4 and 5 came later. Right now Card College 2 is out of print but from what I've heard it will be back in print by the end of March. So start with Volume 1 and when you are done move on to Volume 2.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
Can you please share the name of the magic shop? So I can order it online? and thank you in advance
If you absolutely can't find it, you can also look for e-books if you prefer those. Check your local library's website (they might even have a printed copy), amazon, or lybrary.com
 
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Jan 11, 2018
9
4
You called?

I think @ChristopherT said it well. If cost is an issue start with Royal Road. If it isn't an issue, start with Card College. With Card College you don't have to buy all five volumes at once. Start with the first two volumes. The first two books were originally written as a two volume set to be an introduction to card magic. Volumes 3, 4 and 5 came later. Right now Card College 2 is out of print but from what I've heard it will be back in print by the end of March. So start with Volume 1 and when you are done move on to Volume 2.
Thank you so much. I already ordered my Volume 1 !!!!
 
Jan 11, 2018
9
4
If you absolutely can't find it, you can also look for e-books if you prefer those. Check your local library's website (they might even have a printed copy), amazon, or lybrary.com
Thank you great advice as well. I already ordered it but in the future I will keep in mind lybrary.com
 
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Aug 15, 2017
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413
Hello, my name is Jose, I am new in magic. I learned couple of card tricks (really basic) but I really enjoyed performing them to my friends and family. I was wondering if someone could please point me in the right direction.
I want to start reading and learning about card tricks. Can someone please tell me the name of a good book (my first magic book). Now that most of you have experience, if you can go back when you started what book will you recommend as first book? I am sure someone already asked this question but can not find it in the forum.

Thank you so much in advance.
Jose
Late but...Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic by Tom Ogden.
Don't worry abt the title, it is really innovative in its approach and has EXCLUSIVE additons to it by other great magicians. It is suitable for any magician, except maybe stage magicians, which am sure you are not.
Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo.
There, those where my first 2 books on magic. And honestly, speaking, I don't regret it.
 
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Jan 11, 2018
9
4
Late but...Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic by Tom Ogden.
Don't worry abt the title, it is really innovative in its approach and has EXCLUSIVE additons to it by other great magicians. It is suitable for any magician, except maybe stage magicians, which am sure you are not.
Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo.
There, those where my first 2 books on magic. And honestly, speaking, I don't regret it.
Thank you and never late!!! Once I finish with Card College, I am going to read them as well. Thank you for the advice
 
Jan 21, 2018
23
10
Its great to see a young new magician! Some things I know now I wish I could tell myself when I was first starting out. While your still new you need to absorb as much as you can. Think of yourself as a sponge. Right now you can learn as much as you want, whether that be by website, youtube, books, etc. Some things I recommend is if your looking for a book try expert at the card table. It's a classic and certainly for a reason. If you are more of a visual learner (like me) you should try out a website called Inside Deception, it has plans for all skill types whether it be beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Overall, welcome aboard and good luck with everything.
 
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