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Robert E. Neale. Close seconds are Eugene Burger, Walt Anthony and Larry Haas.

It depends.... A good general book is Mark Wilson's Complete Course. The Tarbell books (8 volume set) are more of a serious study. For cards, you can go self-working (requiring little or no sleight of hand) or sleight of hand. For self working, the classics are Scarne on Card Tricks and...

Similar to what Toby is saying, the cards need to be used as a prop, rather than a deck of cards. Is the show going to be strolling / close up or parlor? If it is going to be parlor, you have the issue of visibility of a deck. The effects need to play bigger, so with that in mind, here are...

The other option is that they are custom printing the decks with the old box design. I'd be interested to know the answer, because my stock of the classic Rider Backs is down to around 50. I'd love to pick up some bricks at that price.

The method is great, the teaching is great and the other stuff which can be used on its own is great. HOWEVER, the possibility of someone with little performing experience pulling this off is minimal. It takes audience control skills and it takes presentation -- not just "look at your arm dude!"

Any caan at any number.

It is like anything else - the prop doesn't matter the magician does. I'd put my Jumbo McCombical Deck routine against most other stage routines.

The quickest way to break those types of habits, fair enough, is to purposefully say the word , fair enough, as many times as you can, fair enough, for as long as you can take it. Fair enough? Doing that elevates your own awareness of the word, fair enough, and then you notice when you...

The right force depends on the effect. If you could explain what you are doing when you force the cards (same spectator or different) and what you do after, I can help you better. I have an idea but I'll put it in a PM to avoid exposure.

I was on Skype with a beginner in magic the other night and was walking them through Poker Players' Picnic. I had them take the deck out and give ariffle shuffle retaining the top stock. The did a run through saying, "I've got a normal deck here and I'm going to give it a shuffle." We worked on...

I have four questions: 1. How long have you been studying magic? 2. What are your strongest effects? 3. Have you ever performed for anyone other than your family? 4. Do you have a show that is ready to perform? My advice is to develop a show, rehearse that show until it is perfect and then...

Yes and no. Look into the "Too Perfect" theory. There are a bunch of articles on it in Genii from August and October 2001 and a discussion of it in Tommy Wonder's Books of Wonder. Also, there is a great discussion about the paths to solutions in Tamariz's The Magic Way. A good performer...

Kalin and Ginger, Jeff McBride*, Daren Romeo, Kevin James Wayne Houchin, Max Maven*, Shoot Ogawa, Greg Wilson and Woody Aragon. * Haven't seen perform in person only on video.

Toby: There is a great effect called Your Show in Review by Jim Steinmeyer in the October 2012 Genii. That does require an assistant but the effect can be modified to use other methods. I think you are on the right track, but feel free to PM me if you want to go into detail on ideas for methods.

I was joking about the method and honestly don't think that was how it is done. I suspect that any of us posting a response could replicate the effect in a show (without a stooge) with 100% accuracy.

Seriously, guys... this isn't a big secret. Go up to someone with your video camera and ask them to think of a card. Guess the 10 of Diamonds. If it works, put it in your television show. If it doesn't, go up to another person and ask them to think of a card. Guess the 10 of Diamonds. If...

Josh: I don't think that a lot of it can be used for what you are asking. From the sounds of it, you would be performing standing in front of a group rather than standing in terms of table hopping or "street magic." To me, that would seem to be "parlor" magic. For Art of Astonishment, check...

1. 4 of Hearts, 5 of Diamonds, 9 of Hearts 2. 8 of Clubs, Jack of Clubs, King of Spades 3. Ace of Spades, 3 of Hearts, 10 of Diamonds

The thin-sawing has to be one of my favorites too. Alan's method with Jim's touches and Mark and Jinger's presentation make this simply amazing.

I saw David Copperfield back in 1987. He was amazing. You could tell he enjoyed every minute of being on stage. Saw him two years ago and it seemed like he was just going through the motions (not just my observation but that of two lay spectators with me). Saw Kailin and Jinger three years ago...