If you're interested in modern mentalism, I recommend you look into Banachek's work. I feel he's a dynamic blend between the traditional foundation of Tony Corinda and more modern acts like Derren Brown. If you study his books and videos, you'll find a wealth of information about the different types and genres of mentalism. Mentalism isn't just mindreading. It may also deal with feats of metal-bending, second-sight, premonition, spirit-communication, etc.
A few of my favorite (off-beat) mentalism effects to perform include:
1. Making a person forget the color of their shirt.
2. Being able to tell how many fingers a person is holding up over the phone.
3. Finding a hidden object in a room while blindfolded.
4. Predicting the score of a popular sports event.
5. Revealing a person's social security number or any similar secret.
If you want to see a great performance of diverse mentalism, I'm sure others will recommend Derren's show to you. He's phenomenal. He combines suggestion, hypnosis, and traditional magic to present a very refreshing angle of mentalism to modern audiences. After seeing his work, I think you'll find a new respect and appreciation for this area of the craft.
RS.