A Case for Books

Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
"We need to make books cool again. If you go home with someone and they don't have books, do not [sleep with] them."
-John Waters, filmmaker

I may be a bit cantankerous about telling people to read more books, so please enjoy this humorous take on the subject from one of my favorite directors.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
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My book collection won me the Monday Night contest through Murphy's a couple of weeks ago. Granted it was more cards, but they did something other than teach me magic.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
I think books are great, but from a selfish stand point. I like that everybody else out there is performing all the super new super cool just released DVD stuff. It makes it easier for me to go back to the old school books and trick them into thinking I created some new routine.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
I think books are great, but from a selfish stand point. I like that everybody else out there is performing all the super new super cool just released DVD stuff. It makes it easier for me to go back to the old school books and trick them into thinking I created some new routine.

I'm to the point now that I'm not really sharing where I find my hard to find, and out of print books.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Here's a fun little experiment. Take one or two routines out of Tarbell or any old book from that era, then just change the presentation and watch as you start to notice that a good lot of the people at your local IBM or SAM ring start to think that you are doing "original" magic. Hell, this will probably also work on the older guys at the club too.
 

Jebzy

Elite Member
Jun 22, 2012
213
72
28
Latvia
I like reading books about things that I like, definitely about magic. But I have a big problem - in my language there is no magic books.
I have read "expert at card table", "Bobo's coin magic" and some other e-books, but these books are in English, and after I have read them I realize that I didn't understand what was it about, because I can't read in English.
So I started to read books in my language about things like acting, comedy, body language, how to speak in public, etc. But these books have nothing to do with magic. That's why I am learning my new effects from DVD, it is much, much easier to understand.
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
I really like Jared Kopfs opinion on books:
http://vimeo.com/86373015

I?m a fan of Vanishing Inc. They still produce physical books on a regular basis which is very very rare these days.
According to Richard Kaufmann, one of the most proficient writer and publisher of magic books, it is not profitable anymore. DVDs and downloads are better from an economical point of view.

Ebooks will become more and more popular. Extremely cheap and easy to publish.
A disadvantage is that everybody can get it, everybody can make an ebook and it`s getting harder and harder to sort the wheat from the chaff.
 
Apr 1, 2009
1,067
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California
The importance of reading books should not be isolated to magic books. Whenever this discussion comes up, too many people discuss the MAGIC books they read. Become well rounded educationally. Read the modern day masterpieces of Cormac McCarthy, read the classics of Oscar Wilde. Don't just quote what these people say and put it on your facebook status. Know why they said it and how they said it. You'll find that you become a much more interesting performer/human being when you are educated in a broad range of topics, rather than just magic. There are things books can do that a movie never can. There are scenes in books that could never be corrupted by technology. And those that don't read are only missing out. You're welcome.
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
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Well I read a lot. Novels, poetry, specialist books, newspapers, periodicals, ebooks etc. Most of what I read is not magic related.

In fact I know some people who haven`t read much before they got their ebook-readers. Now the are reading tons of books.
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
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64
Northampton, MA - USA
The way most Magic Publishing is now being done is through "On Demand" printing; essentially we're talking about an eBook that gets turned into a physical book at the instant it is ordered. This reduces the headache of having a physical inventory which lowers costs to the patron, it helps cut our middle-men which likewise cuts costs making pyshical books more practical to buy and have on hand.

I'm one of those that love the convenience of an eBook but get pissed that I have to cough up an addition $5.00 to $25.00 to get a hard copy made. . . and I prefer having hard copies to read and study (trust me, I beat books up when I actually study them; margin notes, stickies, highlighter marks and more). Unfortunatley I've not budget nor room for my complete e-library; then again, a large number of the eBooks I've received in the past few years wouldn't be worth the money it costs to print; many of them pipe dream concepts that someone took to press before the material was actually ready.

I've got a book project that we'd hoped to have out by Christmas 2013. . . because of the R&D we do that book is just now "ready" to go out, whch is awsome BUT, i just came across some additional details that really should be made a part of the main text, so we have another delay. . . but that is how it works for me and my books most of the time, I want to be able to address the whole topic.

Ironically, we are not back logged with about 4 new titles coming out at the same time. AND A WARNING TO MY FANS. . . two of these books will be limited release and a bit stiff on price, so you may want to save your pennies.

Books are my life and my world on numerous fronts and there is NOTHING like a well written, well researched book.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I'm almost always reading two books at any given time. One fiction, one non-fiction. Right now it's J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst's "S." which I am enjoying quite a bit, and "Divine" by Colin McCleod. Fiction is where I find my inspirations for characters and effects and non-fiction is where I figure out how to do it. Or develop more 'real' backstory for what I imagined from the fiction.

Reading is good. It does so much for the mind and creativity. It really is a shame that so many people never pick up a book once they leave school.
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
There`s nothing better than enjoying a good book in a comfortable wing chair in front of a lovely chimney fire and a glass of good scotch whiskey or red wine (or a pot of green or black tea), combined with the smell of cherry or vanilla tabacco.
Strangely enough I can imagine Craig doing this sometimes ;)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
There`s nothing better than enjoying a good book in a comfortable wing chair in front of a lovely chimney fire and a glass of good scotch whiskey or red wine (or a pot of green or black tea), combined with the smell of cherry or vanilla tabacco.
Strangely enough I can imagine Craig doing this sometimes ;)

That's almost too accurate. . . Brandy or Baileys and a Cavendish (maybe a Merlot) or Vanilla are the two most common I used to smoke in a pipe (now I'm vapping, can't do tobacco any more).
 
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