A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

Really the first one to read?, 28 Nov 2008
I have only just started to learn card magic and after reading numerous recommendations have included this book in my slowly growing library. To get you started it is a good book, personnaly I prefered Jean Hubbards Card Manipluations purely for variety of tricks. Variety is the only place I feel this book lets itself down. It is well written, has good diagrams and (as long as hold cards at same time) easy to follow and do. I just wish it would show me a bigger variety of tricks that aren't just "pick a card, any card" All books seem to thrust this one in your face, I am sure this is the most popular type of trick, however I would want more variety in my rotuine than this book gives. Although saying that it does teach enough sleights for you to be able to use your own thoughts to come up with other variety of tricks. As a newbie to card magic I do feel this is a good starting place to get you hooked (I am just plucking up the courage to learn from Marlo's writting)It is simple enough to acheive a goal and impress people with your skills. It is a good starting place to learn how to move hands to allow you to move to the next level.

The Royal Road to Card Magic, 20 Feb 2008
This is a seriously good book on card magic. I've heard many magicians refer to it as the book that got them started.

Just take your time, don't skip ahead and practice when you get time.



The Best, 30 Aug 2007
This book is old, and has become one of the few magic "classics". it is seen, and rightly too, as required reading for all card magicians.
It contains many good tricks, good descriptions of the standard ways of handling and manipulating cards, and an out line of basic patter (what to say while doing the trick).
Note that all tricks take time to master, and some sleights take a paticually long time.
There are a few naff tricks, but for the price of the book, and considering the number of workable tricks, this book is an absolute steal.

Also consider "Scarne on card tricks" for some idiot proof, real magic.

If you finish the book (there's loads to do in it) consider some of Paul Gordon's books, for some more advanced card magic.

How did you do that?, 10 Jun 2007
I was dumbfounding people while I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Techniques get more difficult as the book progresses, but with practice, a beginner can look quite slick in a short space of time.

The Only way to be a Pro, 15 Feb 2007
Ask any pro, what book should i get to start of card magic/manipulation. They will all say RRCM. This book will start you of as a begginer, push you onto intermediate and if you follow it carefully you will finish a very experienced magician/mechanic.

I will say there are some slights in it which will require alot of practice i.e the pass but man learn them as they are indespensible. Once you get into this book you will realise what is possible. Get it and start at the beggining. Learn each move and some tricks with them. Not all the tricks are brilliant but most of them have a "wow, how did you do that" factor. This is well worth the buy.

Once you are finished with it and can do all the tricks get Erdnase book. Its the next step.

Good luck

God Bless - John 3:16

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

Really the first one to read?, 28 Nov 2008
I have only just started to learn card magic and after reading numerous recommendations have included this book in my slowly growing library. To get you started it is a good book, personnaly I prefered Jean Hubbards Card Manipluations purely for variety of tricks. Variety is the only place I feel this book lets itself down. It is well written, has good diagrams and (as long as hold cards at same time) easy to follow and do. I just wish it would show me a bigger variety of tricks that aren't just "pick a card, any card" All books seem to thrust this one in your face, I am sure this is the most popular type of trick, however I would want more variety in my rotuine than this book gives. Although saying that it does teach enough sleights for you to be able to use your own thoughts to come up with other variety of tricks. As a newbie to card magic I do feel this is a good starting place to get you hooked (I am just plucking up the courage to learn from Marlo's writting)It is simple enough to acheive a goal and impress people with your skills. It is a good starting place to learn how to move hands to allow you to move to the next level.

The Royal Road to Card Magic, 20 Feb 2008
This is a seriously good book on card magic. I've heard many magicians refer to it as the book that got them started.

Just take your time, don't skip ahead and practice when you get time.



The Best, 30 Aug 2007
This book is old, and has become one of the few magic "classics". it is seen, and rightly too, as required reading for all card magicians.
It contains many good tricks, good descriptions of the standard ways of handling and manipulating cards, and an out line of basic patter (what to say while doing the trick).
Note that all tricks take time to master, and some sleights take a paticually long time.
There are a few naff tricks, but for the price of the book, and considering the number of workable tricks, this book is an absolute steal.

Also consider "Scarne on card tricks" for some idiot proof, real magic.

If you finish the book (there's loads to do in it) consider some of Paul Gordon's books, for some more advanced card magic.

How did you do that?, 10 Jun 2007
I was dumbfounding people while I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Techniques get more difficult as the book progresses, but with practice, a beginner can look quite slick in a short space of time.

The Only way to be a Pro, 15 Feb 2007
Ask any pro, what book should i get to start of card magic/manipulation. They will all say RRCM. This book will start you of as a begginer, push you onto intermediate and if you follow it carefully you will finish a very experienced magician/mechanic.

I will say there are some slights in it which will require alot of practice i.e the pass but man learn them as they are indespensible. Once you get into this book you will realise what is possible. Get it and start at the beggining. Learn each move and some tricks with them. Not all the tricks are brilliant but most of them have a "wow, how did you do that" factor. This is well worth the buy.

Once you are finished with it and can do all the tricks get Erdnase book. Its the next step.

Good luck

God Bless - John 3:16


The cover looks good, that's about it, 22 Sep 2008
Well where to start......
The book looked the part and when i actually got it, it felt the part with its great cover (which is why i gave it 2 stars). Once i started to read up on the magic tricks inside, i was soon disappointed with it. There aren't many tricks for a start and the ones that are in it, aren't great.
This book will just look good on the book shelf. I suggest you find a much better magic book if you actually want to learn some good tricks to impress your friends.


Disappointing read, 10 Aug 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn a few tricks to baffle my mates down the pub, it is really disappointing.

The best thing about it is the cover, which is covered in black felty material. Obviously that is where all the money was spent and not on the editing.

The writing style is annoying and takes ages to cut to the chase, obviously trying to pad out the book with waffle to make it seem more value for money. If that wasn't bad enough, the tricks aren't really what i expected either. Quite lame for the amount of work expected to go into them. Would give it one star but i supposed it is a mind magic book, the greatest trick is convincing you to buy it!

Misleading title, 04 Jul 2008
Its a good beginner's magic book. A little hokie. No real mind magic (a la Darren Brown). I think most reviews hit the mark.

Don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's name), 15 Apr 2008
I bought this book hoping that there would be some kind of psychological elements to it, along the Derren Brown style of tricks. I was out of luck. The book is just another magic book where every trick requires props that you wouldn't usually carry around. If that's what you want then it's probably not a bad book to get, but if you are looking for something a little bit different, you won't find it here.

rubbish, 25 Oct 2007
Bought this book and i believe that the author write this book together over a weekend. Waste of time and money

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

Really the first one to read?, 28 Nov 2008
I have only just started to learn card magic and after reading numerous recommendations have included this book in my slowly growing library. To get you started it is a good book, personnaly I prefered Jean Hubbards Card Manipluations purely for variety of tricks. Variety is the only place I feel this book lets itself down. It is well written, has good diagrams and (as long as hold cards at same time) easy to follow and do. I just wish it would show me a bigger variety of tricks that aren't just "pick a card, any card" All books seem to thrust this one in your face, I am sure this is the most popular type of trick, however I would want more variety in my rotuine than this book gives. Although saying that it does teach enough sleights for you to be able to use your own thoughts to come up with other variety of tricks. As a newbie to card magic I do feel this is a good starting place to get you hooked (I am just plucking up the courage to learn from Marlo's writting)It is simple enough to acheive a goal and impress people with your skills. It is a good starting place to learn how to move hands to allow you to move to the next level.

The Royal Road to Card Magic, 20 Feb 2008
This is a seriously good book on card magic. I've heard many magicians refer to it as the book that got them started.

Just take your time, don't skip ahead and practice when you get time.



The Best, 30 Aug 2007
This book is old, and has become one of the few magic "classics". it is seen, and rightly too, as required reading for all card magicians.
It contains many good tricks, good descriptions of the standard ways of handling and manipulating cards, and an out line of basic patter (what to say while doing the trick).
Note that all tricks take time to master, and some sleights take a paticually long time.
There are a few naff tricks, but for the price of the book, and considering the number of workable tricks, this book is an absolute steal.

Also consider "Scarne on card tricks" for some idiot proof, real magic.

If you finish the book (there's loads to do in it) consider some of Paul Gordon's books, for some more advanced card magic.

How did you do that?, 10 Jun 2007
I was dumbfounding people while I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Techniques get more difficult as the book progresses, but with practice, a beginner can look quite slick in a short space of time.

The Only way to be a Pro, 15 Feb 2007
Ask any pro, what book should i get to start of card magic/manipulation. They will all say RRCM. This book will start you of as a begginer, push you onto intermediate and if you follow it carefully you will finish a very experienced magician/mechanic.

I will say there are some slights in it which will require alot of practice i.e the pass but man learn them as they are indespensible. Once you get into this book you will realise what is possible. Get it and start at the beggining. Learn each move and some tricks with them. Not all the tricks are brilliant but most of them have a "wow, how did you do that" factor. This is well worth the buy.

Once you are finished with it and can do all the tricks get Erdnase book. Its the next step.

Good luck

God Bless - John 3:16


The cover looks good, that's about it, 22 Sep 2008
Well where to start......
The book looked the part and when i actually got it, it felt the part with its great cover (which is why i gave it 2 stars). Once i started to read up on the magic tricks inside, i was soon disappointed with it. There aren't many tricks for a start and the ones that are in it, aren't great.
This book will just look good on the book shelf. I suggest you find a much better magic book if you actually want to learn some good tricks to impress your friends.


Disappointing read, 10 Aug 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn a few tricks to baffle my mates down the pub, it is really disappointing.

The best thing about it is the cover, which is covered in black felty material. Obviously that is where all the money was spent and not on the editing.

The writing style is annoying and takes ages to cut to the chase, obviously trying to pad out the book with waffle to make it seem more value for money. If that wasn't bad enough, the tricks aren't really what i expected either. Quite lame for the amount of work expected to go into them. Would give it one star but i supposed it is a mind magic book, the greatest trick is convincing you to buy it!

Misleading title, 04 Jul 2008
Its a good beginner's magic book. A little hokie. No real mind magic (a la Darren Brown). I think most reviews hit the mark.

Don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's name), 15 Apr 2008
I bought this book hoping that there would be some kind of psychological elements to it, along the Derren Brown style of tricks. I was out of luck. The book is just another magic book where every trick requires props that you wouldn't usually carry around. If that's what you want then it's probably not a bad book to get, but if you are looking for something a little bit different, you won't find it here.

rubbish, 25 Oct 2007
Bought this book and i believe that the author write this book together over a weekend. Waste of time and money

Really Good Starter for 10, 15 Sep 2007
This book is ideal for anyone who has never touched magic before and is interested in learning from scratch. I got this book to entertain family and friends and impress the kids. The tricks start from the really simple to some more complex ones that need a little practice (but not much). But don't be fooled in to thinking that they wont impress - even the simplest tricks are really effective. Well worth the money and as the other reviews suggest this book is well illustrated and easy to read.

A good introduction to magic, 14 Dec 2006
This book is great introduction for someone starting out in magic. The book is suitable for teens to adults, just bear in mind that good magic means "Practice ", you will have to put time and effort in to learning the contents...but you will be rewarded for your efforts.

This book has a little bit of everything but just enough of a taste to whet your appetite to learn more. It starts with " Auto Magic ", tricks that basically work by themselves. As the book says " ...designed to ease readers into the world of magic by letting them concentrate on the performance ". Next up " The Midas touch " concentrates on coin magic. Here the skill level goes up. This chapter shows basic sleights of hand and some tricks to perform with them. We then have a section called " Top Secret Gadgets "... exactly as it says on the tin. None of these are provided with the book, rather it gives an overview of some staple "gimmicks " that are used in magic. The next three chapters concentrate on card magic, " Hands on Deck ", " Shark Attack " then " Cruising ". With each one the difficulty level goes up. But within those chapters you get a great pot pouri of tricks, sleights, flourishes and how to manipulate a deck of cards. The next chapter " Mind Magic " deals with mind reading and psychological types of tricks. Chapter eight is entitled " Street Scams ", this is full of the type of classic trickery and flim flam that has relieved many a person from their money. The penultimate chapter is " Party Tricks " as the book says... " a selection of crowd pleasing classics for entertaining large groups of party people ". The last chapter is just one trick billed as " probably the best card trick ever "...who am I to disagree, it certainly is an all time classic.

Overall this is a smashing introduction to magic and good value for money. Yes, there are more comprehensive and detailed books and if the magic bug gets you, you will end up buying them as well. A main plus is it has clear easy to follow descriptions and nice colour photos taking you through each part of each trick. I like this book, it is the 1st book on magic I bought and recommend it to anyone, young, or like me, more mature, who is looking to take their first steps into performing magic.


As good as a magic book can be, 19 May 2006
The main point to buying a magic book like this is to learn how to perform tricks - which is not an easy thing to do on a page - it takes a very clear understanding of the trick itself and an articulate use of language to get the process duplicated by the reader. And this book does just that extremely well. Supplimented by very clear photographs, the main point of the book is accomplished, which again, is to teach you how to perform some magic tricks!

Paul Zenon has also captued the spirit of the subject well here, giving a brief but interesting history to street magic, and generating an enthusiasm in the reader to actually get out there and perform.

I have read a couple of books on magic and have watched a number of DVDs, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It is well written, clearly presented and useful.

Best starter guide to Magic I have seen, 27 Jan 2006
I bought this book in order to entertain my children (7 and 9) and ended up amazing my work colleagues as well.

I have dabbled in magic a few times, even bought the Royal Road to Card Magic (which is excellent and still recommended by virtually all magicians) but this has the benefit of fantastically clear photography instead of line drawings, and a much wider range of tricks including some easy to perform mentalist skills that have superb effects.

He is genuinely enthusiastic about explaining the tricks to someone who has never done them before, and has really thought about the tips that accompany them, which so many guides ignore

The fact that he is left handed but has bothered to photograph all the tricks from a right handed pov shows to me a real dedication to detail (although sinister readers may disagree).

All in all a delight to read, and a book to keep rather than read once and leave on the shelf.

Awesome, 20 Jan 2006
So you wanna learn magic?

In one word buy this book. You wont be disappointed. Beautifully Illustrated, Well made and Easy to follow!

The colour images help you understand better. As far as magic books go this is one of the best I have come across.

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

Really the first one to read?, 28 Nov 2008
I have only just started to learn card magic and after reading numerous recommendations have included this book in my slowly growing library. To get you started it is a good book, personnaly I prefered Jean Hubbards Card Manipluations purely for variety of tricks. Variety is the only place I feel this book lets itself down. It is well written, has good diagrams and (as long as hold cards at same time) easy to follow and do. I just wish it would show me a bigger variety of tricks that aren't just "pick a card, any card" All books seem to thrust this one in your face, I am sure this is the most popular type of trick, however I would want more variety in my rotuine than this book gives. Although saying that it does teach enough sleights for you to be able to use your own thoughts to come up with other variety of tricks. As a newbie to card magic I do feel this is a good starting place to get you hooked (I am just plucking up the courage to learn from Marlo's writting)It is simple enough to acheive a goal and impress people with your skills. It is a good starting place to learn how to move hands to allow you to move to the next level.

The Royal Road to Card Magic, 20 Feb 2008
This is a seriously good book on card magic. I've heard many magicians refer to it as the book that got them started.

Just take your time, don't skip ahead and practice when you get time.



The Best, 30 Aug 2007
This book is old, and has become one of the few magic "classics". it is seen, and rightly too, as required reading for all card magicians.
It contains many good tricks, good descriptions of the standard ways of handling and manipulating cards, and an out line of basic patter (what to say while doing the trick).
Note that all tricks take time to master, and some sleights take a paticually long time.
There are a few naff tricks, but for the price of the book, and considering the number of workable tricks, this book is an absolute steal.

Also consider "Scarne on card tricks" for some idiot proof, real magic.

If you finish the book (there's loads to do in it) consider some of Paul Gordon's books, for some more advanced card magic.

How did you do that?, 10 Jun 2007
I was dumbfounding people while I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Techniques get more difficult as the book progresses, but with practice, a beginner can look quite slick in a short space of time.

The Only way to be a Pro, 15 Feb 2007
Ask any pro, what book should i get to start of card magic/manipulation. They will all say RRCM. This book will start you of as a begginer, push you onto intermediate and if you follow it carefully you will finish a very experienced magician/mechanic.

I will say there are some slights in it which will require alot of practice i.e the pass but man learn them as they are indespensible. Once you get into this book you will realise what is possible. Get it and start at the beggining. Learn each move and some tricks with them. Not all the tricks are brilliant but most of them have a "wow, how did you do that" factor. This is well worth the buy.

Once you are finished with it and can do all the tricks get Erdnase book. Its the next step.

Good luck

God Bless - John 3:16


The cover looks good, that's about it, 22 Sep 2008
Well where to start......
The book looked the part and when i actually got it, it felt the part with its great cover (which is why i gave it 2 stars). Once i started to read up on the magic tricks inside, i was soon disappointed with it. There aren't many tricks for a start and the ones that are in it, aren't great.
This book will just look good on the book shelf. I suggest you find a much better magic book if you actually want to learn some good tricks to impress your friends.


Disappointing read, 10 Aug 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn a few tricks to baffle my mates down the pub, it is really disappointing.

The best thing about it is the cover, which is covered in black felty material. Obviously that is where all the money was spent and not on the editing.

The writing style is annoying and takes ages to cut to the chase, obviously trying to pad out the book with waffle to make it seem more value for money. If that wasn't bad enough, the tricks aren't really what i expected either. Quite lame for the amount of work expected to go into them. Would give it one star but i supposed it is a mind magic book, the greatest trick is convincing you to buy it!

Misleading title, 04 Jul 2008
Its a good beginner's magic book. A little hokie. No real mind magic (a la Darren Brown). I think most reviews hit the mark.

Don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's name), 15 Apr 2008
I bought this book hoping that there would be some kind of psychological elements to it, along the Derren Brown style of tricks. I was out of luck. The book is just another magic book where every trick requires props that you wouldn't usually carry around. If that's what you want then it's probably not a bad book to get, but if you are looking for something a little bit different, you won't find it here.

rubbish, 25 Oct 2007
Bought this book and i believe that the author write this book together over a weekend. Waste of time and money

Really Good Starter for 10, 15 Sep 2007
This book is ideal for anyone who has never touched magic before and is interested in learning from scratch. I got this book to entertain family and friends and impress the kids. The tricks start from the really simple to some more complex ones that need a little practice (but not much). But don't be fooled in to thinking that they wont impress - even the simplest tricks are really effective. Well worth the money and as the other reviews suggest this book is well illustrated and easy to read.

A good introduction to magic, 14 Dec 2006
This book is great introduction for someone starting out in magic. The book is suitable for teens to adults, just bear in mind that good magic means "Practice ", you will have to put time and effort in to learning the contents...but you will be rewarded for your efforts.

This book has a little bit of everything but just enough of a taste to whet your appetite to learn more. It starts with " Auto Magic ", tricks that basically work by themselves. As the book says " ...designed to ease readers into the world of magic by letting them concentrate on the performance ". Next up " The Midas touch " concentrates on coin magic. Here the skill level goes up. This chapter shows basic sleights of hand and some tricks to perform with them. We then have a section called " Top Secret Gadgets "... exactly as it says on the tin. None of these are provided with the book, rather it gives an overview of some staple "gimmicks " that are used in magic. The next three chapters concentrate on card magic, " Hands on Deck ", " Shark Attack " then " Cruising ". With each one the difficulty level goes up. But within those chapters you get a great pot pouri of tricks, sleights, flourishes and how to manipulate a deck of cards. The next chapter " Mind Magic " deals with mind reading and psychological types of tricks. Chapter eight is entitled " Street Scams ", this is full of the type of classic trickery and flim flam that has relieved many a person from their money. The penultimate chapter is " Party Tricks " as the book says... " a selection of crowd pleasing classics for entertaining large groups of party people ". The last chapter is just one trick billed as " probably the best card trick ever "...who am I to disagree, it certainly is an all time classic.

Overall this is a smashing introduction to magic and good value for money. Yes, there are more comprehensive and detailed books and if the magic bug gets you, you will end up buying them as well. A main plus is it has clear easy to follow descriptions and nice colour photos taking you through each part of each trick. I like this book, it is the 1st book on magic I bought and recommend it to anyone, young, or like me, more mature, who is looking to take their first steps into performing magic.


As good as a magic book can be, 19 May 2006
The main point to buying a magic book like this is to learn how to perform tricks - which is not an easy thing to do on a page - it takes a very clear understanding of the trick itself and an articulate use of language to get the process duplicated by the reader. And this book does just that extremely well. Supplimented by very clear photographs, the main point of the book is accomplished, which again, is to teach you how to perform some magic tricks!

Paul Zenon has also captued the spirit of the subject well here, giving a brief but interesting history to street magic, and generating an enthusiasm in the reader to actually get out there and perform.

I have read a couple of books on magic and have watched a number of DVDs, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It is well written, clearly presented and useful.

Best starter guide to Magic I have seen, 27 Jan 2006
I bought this book in order to entertain my children (7 and 9) and ended up amazing my work colleagues as well.

I have dabbled in magic a few times, even bought the Royal Road to Card Magic (which is excellent and still recommended by virtually all magicians) but this has the benefit of fantastically clear photography instead of line drawings, and a much wider range of tricks including some easy to perform mentalist skills that have superb effects.

He is genuinely enthusiastic about explaining the tricks to someone who has never done them before, and has really thought about the tips that accompany them, which so many guides ignore

The fact that he is left handed but has bothered to photograph all the tricks from a right handed pov shows to me a real dedication to detail (although sinister readers may disagree).

All in all a delight to read, and a book to keep rather than read once and leave on the shelf.

Awesome, 20 Jan 2006
So you wanna learn magic?

In one word buy this book. You wont be disappointed. Beautifully Illustrated, Well made and Easy to follow!

The colour images help you understand better. As far as magic books go this is one of the best I have come across.

A superb evocation of turn of the century magic, 03 Mar 2006
In this excellent book Jim Steinmeyer transports the reader back to the times where magic shows were the biggest draws in town. He leads us backstage to witness the scheming and stealing, and professional jealousies that drove the leading magicians of the age in their quest to find the next big trick. Considering the American background of the author he gives a surprisingly large part of the book over to the British magicians Maskelyne, Devant and Morrit.

Mr Steinmeyer knows his subject very well - he is currently the world's leading designer of stage illusions (he's the guy who designed Copperfield's Disappearance of the Statue of Liberty). He is able to describe the technical aspects of the tricks well, giving just enough information to understand the mechanics without ruining the flow of the story. He clearly revels in the innovation of Devant, Morrit and Jarrett and is capable of passing that enthusiasm to the reader.

Highly recommended.

Remarkably pacy, 09 Nov 2005
I originally bought this as it had a similar cover to "Carter Beats the Devil" and its theme looked similar. It is about late 19th and early 20th century magic but is a non fictionalised account of all the great conjurors of them time. As expected there is double crossing and subterfuge and u get a real feel for the particular shows and characters. Depsite not following a strict chronological narrative it is a surprisngly pacy piece of work and recommended to anyone who likes human interest stories. It doesn't often tell you how tricks are done but when it does it is fascinating.

Make a gap in your knowledge disappear!!!, 30 Apr 2005
If you have or have had any interest in stage magic then do yourself a favour and get this book. It is an absolute joy to read. A really well written and page-turning history of the many characters who created the illusions which are still being used today. What I found most surprising was how attached I became to the main protagonists in my reading, so by the time you reach the 1920s-30s toward the end of the book and they start to pass away (as people tend to do) I found it all a bit sad. Yet again, this is down to Mr. Steinmeyer's wonderful style and passion for his subject. Superb!

Tantalising and thought provoking, 14 Nov 2004
A very entertaining look at the history of the golden age of stage illusions, from the nineteenth century to the 1930s. This book does explain some of the secrets behind some great illusions, but this is not an expose (all the "secrets" have been written about elsewhere). The author has investigated Houdini's making a elephant disappear and puts his theory forward at the culmination of the book, but more importantly the author gives a great flavour of the intriegue and backstory behind the development of some of the greatest stage magic tricks, and gives a fascinating view of the performers who turned magic into an art form, often by outright theft of other's ideas. The author does not tell you exactly how each and every trick mentioned is done, but rather plots the development of such illusions as levitation and disappearing improbably large objects as the art became more sophisticated and the competition between conjurors more intense. A wonderfully well-written and interesting book for anyone who has asked not only "how do they do that?" but also "how on earth did they come up with the idea in the first place?"

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found quite a few disappointing looking books and I wasn't sure where to find reliable and decent information.

He gives you tricks to try as well as a lot of history and stories from his own life, I found the book incredibly interesting and saw myself taking time out of my day to read it until I had finished it cover to cover. He does all this with good humour and I found myself laughing out loud at certain points throughout. Ultimately you find out how hard he actually has worked in researching and developing the skills he has and how with enough effort put in other people could pick these skills up too, he isn't some sort of creepy magician always trying to read people, he is an ordinary guy who really has worked at this and has amazing talent at it.

Great start, but ultimately disappointing, 29 Sep 2008
The book is a humourous introduction to a diverse range of subjects - magic, memory, hypnosis, suggestibility, spotting lies, cognitive illusions, religion, scepticism and the paranormal.

Some sections were witty and extremely informative - magic and memory stand out in my mind - other sections can be dry and humourless. The book as a whole is certainly worth reading particularly if you're interested in Brown's areas of expertise as a performer.

The downside to the book is that Brown frequently rants about the importance of science and scepticism particularly in relation to his past life as a Christian. Despite this he seems to blindly accept the views of anyone he considers a supporter of science. Statistics about being more likely to die from a plane crashing into my house than to die in a train-crash, or the millions killed because of the banning of DDT require some backing up before I can accept them.

Really the first one to read?, 28 Nov 2008
I have only just started to learn card magic and after reading numerous recommendations have included this book in my slowly growing library. To get you started it is a good book, personnaly I prefered Jean Hubbards Card Manipluations purely for variety of tricks. Variety is the only place I feel this book lets itself down. It is well written, has good diagrams and (as long as hold cards at same time) easy to follow and do. I just wish it would show me a bigger variety of tricks that aren't just "pick a card, any card" All books seem to thrust this one in your face, I am sure this is the most popular type of trick, however I would want more variety in my rotuine than this book gives. Although saying that it does teach enough sleights for you to be able to use your own thoughts to come up with other variety of tricks. As a newbie to card magic I do feel this is a good starting place to get you hooked (I am just plucking up the courage to learn from Marlo's writting)It is simple enough to acheive a goal and impress people with your skills. It is a good starting place to learn how to move hands to allow you to move to the next level.

The Royal Road to Card Magic, 20 Feb 2008
This is a seriously good book on card magic. I've heard many magicians refer to it as the book that got them started.

Just take your time, don't skip ahead and practice when you get time.



The Best, 30 Aug 2007
This book is old, and has become one of the few magic "classics". it is seen, and rightly too, as required reading for all card magicians.
It contains many good tricks, good descriptions of the standard ways of handling and manipulating cards, and an out line of basic patter (what to say while doing the trick).
Note that all tricks take time to master, and some sleights take a paticually long time.
There are a few naff tricks, but for the price of the book, and considering the number of workable tricks, this book is an absolute steal.

Also consider "Scarne on card tricks" for some idiot proof, real magic.

If you finish the book (there's loads to do in it) consider some of Paul Gordon's books, for some more advanced card magic.

How did you do that?, 10 Jun 2007
I was dumbfounding people while I was barely a quarter of the way through the book. Techniques get more difficult as the book progresses, but with practice, a beginner can look quite slick in a short space of time.

The Only way to be a Pro, 15 Feb 2007
Ask any pro, what book should i get to start of card magic/manipulation. They will all say RRCM. This book will start you of as a begginer, push you onto intermediate and if you follow it carefully you will finish a very experienced magician/mechanic.

I will say there are some slights in it which will require alot of practice i.e the pass but man learn them as they are indespensible. Once you get into this book you will realise what is possible. Get it and start at the beggining. Learn each move and some tricks with them. Not all the tricks are brilliant but most of them have a "wow, how did you do that" factor. This is well worth the buy.

Once you are finished with it and can do all the tricks get Erdnase book. Its the next step.

Good luck

God Bless - John 3:16


The cover looks good, that's about it, 22 Sep 2008
Well where to start......
The book looked the part and when i actually got it, it felt the part with its great cover (which is why i gave it 2 stars). Once i started to read up on the magic tricks inside, i was soon disappointed with it. There aren't many tricks for a start and the ones that are in it, aren't great.
This book will just look good on the book shelf. I suggest you find a much better magic book if you actually want to learn some good tricks to impress your friends.


Disappointing read, 10 Aug 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn a few tricks to baffle my mates down the pub, it is really disappointing.

The best thing about it is the cover, which is covered in black felty material. Obviously that is where all the money was spent and not on the editing.

The writing style is annoying and takes ages to cut to the chase, obviously trying to pad out the book with waffle to make it seem more value for money. If that wasn't bad enough, the tricks aren't really what i expected either. Quite lame for the amount of work expected to go into them. Would give it one star but i supposed it is a mind magic book, the greatest trick is convincing you to buy it!

Misleading title, 04 Jul 2008
Its a good beginner's magic book. A little hokie. No real mind magic (a la Darren Brown). I think most reviews hit the mark.

Don't judge a book by it's cover (or it's name), 15 Apr 2008
I bought this book hoping that there would be some kind of psychological elements to it, along the Derren Brown style of tricks. I was out of luck. The book is just another magic book where every trick requires props that you wouldn't usually carry around. If that's what you want then it's probably not a bad book to get, but if you are looking for something a little bit different, you won't find it here.

rubbish, 25 Oct 2007
Bought this book and i believe that the author write this book together over a weekend. Waste of time and money

Really Good Starter for 10, 15 Sep 2007
This book is ideal for anyone who has never touched magic before and is interested in learning from scratch. I got this book to entertain family and friends and impress the kids. The tricks start from the really simple to some more complex ones that need a little practice (but not much). But don't be fooled in to thinking that they wont impress - even the simplest tricks are really effective. Well worth the money and as the other reviews suggest this book is well illustrated and easy to read.

A good introduction to magic, 14 Dec 2006
This book is great introduction for someone starting out in magic. The book is suitable for teens to adults, just bear in mind that good magic means "Practice ", you will have to put time and effort in to learning the contents...but you will be rewarded for your efforts.

This book has a little bit of everything but just enough of a taste to whet your appetite to learn more. It starts with " Auto Magic ", tricks that basically work by themselves. As the book says " ...designed to ease readers into the world of magic by letting them concentrate on the performance ". Next up " The Midas touch " concentrates on coin magic. Here the skill level goes up. This chapter shows basic sleights of hand and some tricks to perform with them. We then have a section called " Top Secret Gadgets "... exactly as it says on the tin. None of these are provided with the book, rather it gives an overview of some staple "gimmicks " that are used in magic. The next three chapters concentrate on card magic, " Hands on Deck ", " Shark Attack " then " Cruising ". With each one the difficulty level goes up. But within those chapters you get a great pot pouri of tricks, sleights, flourishes and how to manipulate a deck of cards. The next chapter " Mind Magic " deals with mind reading and psychological types of tricks. Chapter eight is entitled " Street Scams ", this is full of the type of classic trickery and flim flam that has relieved many a person from their money. The penultimate chapter is " Party Tricks " as the book says... " a selection of crowd pleasing classics for entertaining large groups of party people ". The last chapter is just one trick billed as " probably the best card trick ever "...who am I to disagree, it certainly is an all time classic.

Overall this is a smashing introduction to magic and good value for money. Yes, there are more comprehensive and detailed books and if the magic bug gets you, you will end up buying them as well. A main plus is it has clear easy to follow descriptions and nice colour photos taking you through each part of each trick. I like this book, it is the 1st book on magic I bought and recommend it to anyone, young, or like me, more mature, who is looking to take their first steps into performing magic.


As good as a magic book can be, 19 May 2006
The main point to buying a magic book like this is to learn how to perform tricks - which is not an easy thing to do on a page - it takes a very clear understanding of the trick itself and an articulate use of language to get the process duplicated by the reader. And this book does just that extremely well. Supplimented by very clear photographs, the main point of the book is accomplished, which again, is to teach you how to perform some magic tricks!

Paul Zenon has also captued the spirit of the subject well here, giving a brief but interesting history to street magic, and generating an enthusiasm in the reader to actually get out there and perform.

I have read a couple of books on magic and have watched a number of DVDs, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. It is well written, clearly presented and useful.

Best starter guide to Magic I have seen, 27 Jan 2006
I bought this book in order to entertain my children (7 and 9) and ended up amazing my work colleagues as well.

I have dabbled in magic a few times, even bought the Royal Road to Card Magic (which is excellent and still recommended by virtually all magicians) but this has the benefit of fantastically clear photography instead of line drawings, and a much wider range of tricks including some easy to perform mentalist skills that have superb effects.

He is genuinely enthusiastic about explaining the tricks to someone who has never done them before, and has really thought about the tips that accompany them, which so many guides ignore

The fact that he is left handed but has bothered to photograph all the tricks from a right handed pov shows to me a real dedication to detail (although sinister readers may disagree).

All in all a delight to read, and a book to keep rather than read once and leave on the shelf.

Awesome, 20 Jan 2006
So you wanna learn magic?

In one word buy this book. You wont be disappointed. Beautifully Illustrated, Well made and Easy to follow!

The colour images help you understand better. As far as magic books go this is one of the best I have come across.

A superb evocation of turn of the century magic, 03 Mar 2006
In this excellent book Jim Steinmeyer transports the reader back to the times where magic shows were the biggest draws in town. He leads us backstage to witness the scheming and stealing, and professional jealousies that drove the leading magicians of the age in their quest to find the next big trick. Considering the American background of the author he gives a surprisingly large part of the book over to the British magicians Maskelyne, Devant and Morrit.

Mr Steinmeyer knows his subject very well - he is currently the world's leading designer of stage illusions (he's the guy who designed Copperfield's Disappearance of the Statue of Liberty). He is able to describe the technical aspects of the tricks well, giving just enough information to understand the mechanics without ruining the flow of the story. He clearly revels in the innovation of Devant, Morrit and Jarrett and is capable of passing that enthusiasm to the reader.

Highly recommended.

Remarkably pacy, 09 Nov 2005
I originally bought this as it had a similar cover to "Carter Beats the Devil" and its theme looked similar. It is about late 19th and early 20th century magic but is a non fictionalised account of all the great conjurors of them time. As expected there is double crossing and subterfuge and u get a real feel for the particular shows and characters. Depsite not following a strict chronological narrative it is a surprisngly pacy piece of work and recommended to anyone who likes human interest stories. It doesn't often tell you how tricks are done but when it does it is fascinating.

Make a gap in your knowledge disappear!!!, 30 Apr 2005
If you have or have had any interest in stage magic then do yourself a favour and get this book. It is an absolute joy to read. A really well written and page-turning history of the many characters who created the illusions which are still being used today. What I found most surprising was how attached I became to the main protagonists in my reading, so by the time you reach the 1920s-30s toward the end of the book and they start to pass away (as people tend to do) I found it all a bit sad. Yet again, this is down to Mr. Steinmeyer's wonderful style and passion for his subject. Superb!

Tantalising and thought provoking, 14 Nov 2004
A very entertaining look at the history of the golden age of stage illusions, from the nineteenth century to the 1930s. This book does explain some of the secrets behind some great illusions, but this is not an expose (all the "secrets" have been written about elsewhere). The author has investigated Houdini's making a elephant disappear and puts his theory forward at the culmination of the book, but more importantly the author gives a great flavour of the intriegue and backstory behind the development of some of the greatest stage magic tricks, and gives a fascinating view of the performers who turned magic into an art form, often by outright theft of other's ideas. The author does not tell you exactly how each and every trick mentioned is done, but rather plots the development of such illusions as levitation and disappearing improbably large objects as the art became more sophisticated and the competition between conjurors more intense. A wonderfully well-written and interesting book for anyone who has asked not only "how do they do that?" but also "how on earth did they come up with the idea in the first place?"

Nostalgic, 05 May 2008
I used to love this book as a kid. It was simple enough to follow and I don't know how many times I have read it over and over and tried the tricks. Great read, very nostalgic.

Excellent tricks... Easy-To-Do, 29 Apr 2001
Well, what can I say? This book has really impressed me because the tricks in it are so well explained and easy to do yet, they look really effective as if they're really hard to do. Some of the illustrations in the book are excellent. Definitely a best buyer!...

Excellent for the beginer card magician, 13 Mar 2000
This book is worth every penny. All the tricks are explained well and inllustrations help too. The tricks are easy to master and fool your friends every time!

Excellent for a Beginner, 31 Dec 1999
If you are a beginner inspired by watching Card tricks,done by magicians such as David Blaine wishing you could do that and impress people as well then it is worth it

A real treasure trove of a book!, 22 Nov 2008
Every night I look at this book and am both creeped out and fascinated by it. It's like one of those 'Haunted Painting' horror stories - like 'Road Virus heads North' or 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. However, through the genius of Derren Brown, these stories have become reality, with a book that is mesmerising (derived from the word 'Frank') on the outside and even better within...

Within its pages, there is all manner of fascinating Gambits and vignettes that can be used by anyone, given enough determination. An example of this is Russell's Paradox, which I never understood b4 reading this book and now do, adding to the interest in my dinner party conversation.

The book is neatly organised in sections and is indexed for easy use meaning it can be dipped into for whatever you happen to be looking for. Further to this, Mr Brown (the one who SHOULD be Prime Minister) also puts a list of his favourite, useful books at the end, which is incredibly useful for deepening ones knowledge on any subject, without needless trial and error.

My one criticism is that this book can be a little strange in its writing. Though he acclaims Dawkins, this book isn't quite as lucid and tends to be a little difficult to fathom. However, this is typical of DB, and you wouldn't want to understand that face too much, would you...?

Anyhow, this is a fantastic book, and it is not just me saying that; this is one of the few books I have recommended to others that has borne gratitude for my suggestion! Why on Earth can't more entertainers write books as good, with indexing and good sourcing? I'm sure the world would be a happier place with books like this everywhere, even if they do scare people at night...

Perhaps his best illusion yet!, 13 Nov 2008
I first saw Derren Brown on British television. It was 1999 and the programme was called Derren Brown: Mind Control. It featured Brown in and around London performing various feats of mind-reading and mind-manipulation on unsuspecting members of the public.

And I have to say that I was fascinated. For example, he once caused Tube passengers to instantly forget the destinations or purposes of their journeys, and then just as instantly he returned their memories.

For me, what made it so interesting was that he stated up front that while it might appear to be psychic-related, it was in fact something very different. He claimed to have mastered how people think and how to read people. Thus, he was able to render them suggestible to the point that they would do as they were told. It appeared to be more of the realm of hypnosis than paranormal phenomenon.

So when I came across his newly published book entitled Tricks of the Mind I made a beeline for it and found myself seduced by its admittedly tall order of teaching readers how to hypnotise, read minds, improve their memory and passing on other secrets of his so-called craft.

Well, it was a long and extremely tedious slog but I got through it.

It's true that he does describe how he does some of the more mundane tricks as seen on television. But if you can follow Brown's broad-brush descriptions to the point of obtaining even basic proficiency, then please let me hear from you. Like every other magician (or as he calls himself illusionist) he actually reveals very little.

So what else is in the book? Essentially, a lot of Derren Brown. We get his views on religion, science, psychics, mediums and alternative medicine. His main assertion is that people only see what they want to see. And then he proves his own point as he progresses topic by topic with biased, emotive and one-sided considerations.

But the biggest problem with the Tricks of the Mind is its mixture of autobiographical anecdote, polemics, humour and word choice that simply doesn't work. And at too many points it deteriorates into nothing more than a childish rant.

By the time I finished the book I found myself wondering whether this was not his best illusion to date.

Smug and very disappointing, 06 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed Derren Brown's tv shows, in fact I could hardly wait to watch them. And one of the things I liked was that I thought Derren came across as being funny, kind and compassionate towards his audience. This book shattered those illusions and I haven't watched him on the television since. In this book I found that he came across as being smug, derogatory and quite offensive. I may not choose to follow a certain religion myself ... but I don't care to hear someone else deride and poke fun at another's beliefs. Apart from this, I would have really enjoyed the book ... but his arrogance and derision of others spoilt it for me.

A really enjoyable read, 06 Nov 2008
If you are even slightly interested in the methods Derren uses in his shows then you should give this book a read, of course he doesn't reveal everything the book would be huge!

He covers simple card and coin magic, memory, hypnosis, unconscious communication and pseudo-science and branches into various categories within these chapters. He tells you everything you need to know on a basic level but then gives a reading list if you are particularly interested in finding out more information which I think is very good as my general search on here found qui