Reading Books

[Maaz Hasan]

Hey guys!
I was just wondering how you guys read your magic books. I generally hop around in them, but wasn't sure if I should start reading them cover to cover

I tried reading a magic book cover to cover and got kind of bored since I knew most of the moves in the beginning.

 

[Clee26]

I generally read all the basic stuff even though I know them, since I could be missing some details that could make a big difference.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

It depends on the book. Generally cover-to-cover, but I don't really read methods thoroughly.

But I don't read books for tricks most times. I read them for performance theory, the creator's thoughts on the material, etc. I skim routines and if something really stands out I'll read it more thoroughly. But if I get a book and all it has is tricks in it, I'm generally pretty disappointed. That's not what's really valuable to me at this time.

 

[kolebear]

I first read the effect of each trick, see if I would like to perform it, and if I don't, I move on. If I enjoy the scheme of the effect, I dive into it, reading the directions and tips carefully WITHOUT cards. Then I read the effect a second time, with cards, following along. Then I continue through the book, repeating the pattern.
Then I go through the book a SECOND time, skimming through the book for interesting sleights and tips, writing them down possibly if its good, and if the author references another book, I will remember to possibly buy it if I seem to like the sleight that was referenced.
If you get bored reading the book because you know most of the moves, read some more challenging. I bet you have gotten bored of reading RRTCM for the tenth time (after eight times, I am still not bored though!), or the first book of card college too many times.
Then I would suggest looking at the Expert at the Card Table and really practicing the moves there. If you know almost all the moves well enough, then move on to something like Earnest Earick's material from Stephen Minch, or Krosby's stuff. You will be reading that book for AGES.
Also, like Clee said, things like the double lift or the pass could have some great tips that you might want to add to make the sleight better. I remember RRTCM had some GREAT tips on the top change or something . It made it silent.

 

[RealityOne]

It depends. My ability to acquire books far exceeds my ability to read through the books. I tend to be reading through two or three books at the same time. Currently, it is Aretology of Vanni Bossi, Guy Hollingsworth Drawing Room Deceptions, and T.A. Water's Mind Myth and Magic. When I read through books, I love to get a sense of the author's idea of what is magic. I will read through the explanation of what the effect is and then read through the method. I like knowing the methods because even if I don't like the effect, the method may have other uses. Also, I tend to differentiate between the method of the effect and the method of a sleight. Frequently, I'll use Card College to learn the method for a sleight and compare that with the author's method.

Just as frequently, I'll research a plot or a move or a gimmick across multiple books. Right now, I'm doing a lot of reading and research on various types of short cards and their uses. I've done a lot of research on the various "travelers" routines, open prediction routines, princess card tricks, Out of this World plots as well as areas like sponge ball routines, linking ring routines and cups & balls routines. Sometimes for me the various methods make sense in the context of how they were developed over history.

 

[ChrisJGJ]

I abuse my books with annotations and highlights. Ebook versions makes this task a lot easier. For textbook styled books I highlight titles of tricks in Blue that I find at the time of reading are usable. Red for anything that is grade A material. Yellow for sleights that are not familiar or for everyday use, but can be usable. Then in the cover I draw a Red, Blue and Yellow line in columns and under it I write down all the things I highlighted in the book and their page numbers.

For more literature type books I read cover to cover and annotating little notes in the margins. I also highlight anything to me that sounds profound or changes my perspective on magic dramatically. Some people think my books are all ruined and I should write my notes on sticky notes and insert them in the book. That could work too. But I'm never getting rid of the books I buy, so I like to love them a little xD.

 

[obrienmagic]

It depends on the book. Some books are cumulative, meaning if you skip a chapter you may miss something important that you need to know for later on. If it is merely a book that teaches effects and they are in no real order, I will look at the ones that stand out to me

 

[RealityOne]

I abuse my books with annotations and highlights.

Every time I read this I start shaking uncontrollably.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

But I don't read books for tricks most times. I read them for performance theory, the creator's thoughts on the material, etc. I skim routines and if something really stands out I'll read it more thoroughly.

That's how I am as well. Don't get me wrong, I love learning new tricks and methods but I also want to get the author's thoughts on performance theory and the business side of things are as well. That's why Theatrical Magic: Omnibus Edition is one of my favorite books right now. It answers so many questions I had about the business and production side of things without teaching a whole lot of tricks.

My ability to acquire books far exceeds my ability to read through the books.

I wish I had that problem!

 

[Maaz Hasan]

It depends on the book. Some books are cumulative, meaning if you skip a chapter you may miss something important that you need to know for later on. If it is merely a book that teaches effects and they are in no real order, I will look at the ones that stand out to me

Well the books in question here are Technique books, not effects.
I'm looking specifically at books such as Ed Marlo's Revolutionary Card Technique, and Huggard's Royal Road, and books like that.

 

[RealityOne]

Well the books in question here are Technique books, not effects.
I'm looking specifically at books such as Ed Marlo's Revolutionary Card Technique, and Huggard's Royal Road, and books like that.

I'd say hop around and then read cover to cover. I love opening a book in the middle and learning an effect before I start reading the book. Marlo's writing probably should be read sequentially, at least within the various sections of RCT.

 

[CWhite]

I find dealing with the books by treating them like school text books. Example - study chapter 1 - OverHand Shuffle..read it, practise, read it again, then record yourself as a 'chapter test'. It has helped me a bit... but everyone's different. Hope I helped... Cheers!

 

[hitlab2]

I like to skim read the sections I already know to see if the author has a new take on the subject