Reviews (1)

The life of Harry Houdini, the world famous "master mystifier"
This DK Biography of Harry Houdini is described as "A photographic story of a life," but I can tell you up front that it is not a collection of photographs with captions but an illustrated biography that is comparable to other volumes put out by this company. That means you will find over 100 photographs, artwork and artifacts, including photograph of his famous escapes, posters from throughout his career, and a look at things like his collection of handcuffs. For somebody like me who knows most of what they know about Houdini from the movie with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh (and whatever television documentaries I might stumble across from time to time), this book is quite educational. Vicki Cobb tells about the life of Harry Houdini so it reads like an American success story. Born Ehrich Weiss, the kid who will become Harry Houdini leaves home at the age of 12, gets bored working in a factory, and starts practicing coin trips in his spare time. Eventually the son of poor immigrants would be selling out the theaters of Europe as the greatest magician and escape artist in the world.
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Subjects:  1. 1874-1926    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Escape artists    8. Games & Activities - Magic    9. Houdini, Harry,    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Magicians    13. United States    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Performing Arts   

Reviews (5)

101 Easy-todo-magic-tricks
Well, the title of the book pretty much explains the book.For me, It was a litle too easy, but I'm 16 years old.This book is better suited towards kids.But if you are interested solely in card magic, I recommend not getting it.This book only has self-working card tricks.Although, if you are only interested in a couple easy cards tricks to impress people, then that is what this book offers. This book also contains other tricks, such as dolar bill in a lemon, chinese wands, chinese rings, the inexhaustible hat, the rising cigarette, ring on a string, and the great matchbox escape, to name a few.This book isn't very long. I didn't enjoy the book that much, because I am interested in street magic, and these tricks are not suited to that type of magic, because they all require set-up and need a table or are too angle sensitve, ect. But overall, I would have to say that you shouldn't buy this book (because there are so many better books that hold more information) unless you are a kid. If you are older and a beginner in magic I recommend another book.

Top Beginner Book
This is one of the best magic books a beginner could buy.Just as he does in his other books, Bill Tarr teaches in a way that is so easy to understand and follow.These are some of the best classic magic tricks;every magician should know them.I recommend this book to even advancedmagicians.If you don't have it on your shelf, you're missing out.

Good
This book was absolutly great!All the magic tricks were so easy to do!I loved enterraining my two younger sisters with these tricks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Games    3. Games/Puzzles    4. General    5. Juvenile literature    6. Magic    7. Magic tricks    8. Conjuring & magic    9. Indoor games    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / General   

Reviews (13)

Best Magic Book
I just became interested in doing magic and this book was absolutely fabulous.Some really great basics and some cool stuff that is unique and very appropriate for beginning magicians.The explanations were clear and I love that it came with the props I needed.I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves magic.I have friends who have been doing magic for years and still find this book fun.

Great gift
This is for an 8 yr. old. His birthday is not until Nov. This is a special surprise for him.He loves watching magic tricks. Now he can do his own! Thank you,the book is easy to read and good tricks for him to do!

A beginner's only book
This book was very helpful. It contains a total of 31 tricks, 10 or 11 ofwhich are actually worth it. This book however does come with one of thebest gaggets you need as a magician, this gagget will help you dissapearhankercheifs and etc. when you show themm to an audience. A good book forthe begining magician. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Magic    7. Conjuring & magic   

Features

• Box set

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Magic   

Reviews (5)

Your resource for optical illusions
This book would have got five stars from me if only it had been a little bigger. This book can fit in your purse or your pocket. It is small and chunky. Hours of Fun!Highly recommended!
My family really enjoyed this book!There were are large number of variations on a theme that were new and interesting to us.One thing we really liked was the fact that the book had been done as a mix-no chapterson various categories of illusions.The children kept coming to us as theydiscovered the secrests of the numerous illusions and puzzle pictures.Thebook has kept them amazed and amused for days, in fact they don't want toput it down.The book is a great size to take on a long car ride.Theenjoyment we have received from this book has made it an excellent value. This is a great gift for others, or for your own family.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED-GREAT VALUE FOR PRICE
We really enjoyed this book-while it contained many versions of what couldbe called 'standard' illusions, there were a large number of variations ona theme that were new to us. One thing we really liked was the fact thatthe book had been done as a 'hotch potch'-no chapters on various categoriesof illusions-the children kept coming to us as they discovered the secretsof the numerous illusions and puzzle pictures.It has kept them amazed andamused for days, in fact they didn't want to put it down. The book is ahandy size and it is ideal for children to take on a long journey-we havehad lonts of enjoyable time with this book.Hours of fun!Highlyrecommended ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Games    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Optical illusions    5. Psychology    6. Trivia    7. BG-MIND & BODY - BG-PSYCHGY/SELF HELP    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / General   

Reviews (1)

An enjoyable hobby book to learn from
Whimsical illustrations by Marlin Bree add a fun touch to Loris Bree's Kids' Magic Secrets: Simple Magic Tricks & Why They Work -- a straightforward instructional guide to magic secrets any child can learn to do. Whether as the basis of a magic show, some fun tricks to demonstrate to friends, or just an amusing pastime to master on a rainy day, Kids' Magic Secrets is an enjoyable hobby book to learn from, and share with other aspiring young magicians. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Grades 4-6    2. Education / Teaching    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Performing Arts - Theater    6. Teaching Methods & Materials - Mathematics    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - Science & Technology    8. Conjuring & magic    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Performing Arts / Theater    10. Children's 9-12   

Reviews (1)

Excellent for beginners or even old pros!
This book has excerpted material also found in Gardner's mammoth "Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic," and the material, as the title suggests, is limited to items performable in an after-dinner setting. This is the sort of magic, when one produces seemingly off-the-cuff miracles, that helped great magicians, such as Alexander Herrmann, Max Malini, Nate Leipzig and Dai Vernon become legends. For if you can do magic any time, anywhere, with anything, then the magic is not in the props, but in YOU!Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Games    3. Games & Activities - Magic    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Magic    6. Conjuring & magic    7. Games / Magic   

Subjects:  1. 1874-1926    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. Escape artists    7. Games & Activities - Magic    8. Houdini, Harry,    9. Juvenile Easy Readers    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Magicians    13. Readers - Beginner    14. United States    15. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Beginner   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Experiments    5. Games & Activities - Magic    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Magic    9. Science    10. Science & Nature - Experiments & Projects    11. Science & Nature - General    12. Scientific recreations    13. Experiments & science projects    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / General    15. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB   

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Games / Gamebooks    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Magic tricks    7. Telepathy    8. JUVY-WORKBOOKS - JUV WORKBOOKS    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Magic   

Reviews (1)

too difficult for the age advertised
The age listed was approximate ages 7-10 approximately.The print is small and way over the age indicated.an adult would have to read it to the child.MIght be good for an older age. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Magic   

Reviews (7)

Very useful, practical advice for the beginner
I like this book of card tricks for the fact that it is user-friendly and practical-minded.
The title is BS!
I have been doing card tricks for a while, and I have to say that anything of Bob Longe's is a waste of money. Fabulous for the beginning Magician!
I'm a magician member of the Magic Castle now, but in my early forays into card magic this book helped wean me away from trick Svengali and stripper decks, so that I could be handed a deck of cards from anyone and perform a nice trick.They're not all home runs. But I still get great responses from several of the tricks contained within here.Read more

Subjects:  1. Card tricks    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Games    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Games/Puzzles    6. General    7. Juvenile literature    8. Magic    9. Magic tricks    10. Card games    11. Conjuring & magic    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Card Games    13. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB   

Reviews (1)

Kids?!This book will even please professionals!
This is a great book for pre-teens starting in magic.It contains a great variety of tricks, plus excellent advice.The artwork and photography are first class.Now here's the bonus:If you are a working, grown-up magician looking for equipment to add to your act, just build sturdier versions of the tricks in this book.There is even a stage illusion!You will save A LOT of money building some of this items, and they are good.Just the production tube alone is worth the price of the book, I've built some for my twin nephews, and my wife was fooled when I tried them out on her. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Games & Activities - Magic    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Magic tricks    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Activity Books   

Reviews (2)

The Klutz Book of Magnetic Magic/Book and Magnets
I am an elementary teacher and bought this book to use with my fourth graders. As a source of activities during our explorations of magnets it was invaluable. In addition to the "magic tricks", we had a GREATtime using the magnets to learn about their properties! Many of my studentsordered the book to learn more magic tricks on their own. It's a fun,educational book!

Great book as long as magnets donot break
The book was great and inspired my kids to learn about magnets.The best part is that the book introduced magic that they could do easily.The book was easy to understand with graphics that attracted kids.The only problemis that the magnets broke easily if dropped.Three of the five doughnutmagnets broke within the first day of use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Experiments    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Magic tricks    7. Magnetism    8. Magnets    9. Science    10. Science & Nature - Physics    11. Electricity & magnets   

Reviews (2)

It was Great!
My son read this book and had this to say:
Outstanding biography
Houdini is a fascinating character, and he really comes alive in SPELLBINDER. The book is extremely accessible, with tons of photos andlively, fresh writing. Houdini's life and times--everything from childlabor to the cataclysm that was World War I--are skillfully woven into thetext. One of the most interesting themes is how Houdini worked to debunkfraudulent mediums and other tricksters. Following the text are abibliography, a chronology, and an index, making the book an excellentresource for reports. But it is also just a great read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1926    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Performing Arts    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Children's 9-12 - Biography / Autobiography    7. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    8. Escape artists    9. Games & Activities - Magic    10. General    11. Houdini, Harry,    12. Juvenile literature    13. Magicians    14. United States   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Games    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Video & Electronic - General    7. Games / General    8. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    9. Puzzles & quizzes   

Reviews (1)

best book ever written
When I first read this as a child I didn't understand it and I didn't really like it. Later I rediscovered it through quotes in "the massage is the message" by McLuhan. I read it again and discovered newmeaninings, new dimensions. It is amazing how many different readings thismasterpiece of surrealism may have. BUT ... first of all it is a realpleasure reading it. Attractive illustrations and funny poems make itequally accessible to children. My all time favourite and definetely thesmartest book written for children! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Juvenile Nonfiction / Activity Books    2. Activity Books - Coloring Books    3. Alice's adventures in Wonderla    4. Coloring & Design    5. Coloring books    6. Games/Puzzles    7. Juvenile literature    8. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (5)

EXCELLENT!
I think this book is the best!It has everything including slight-of-hand maneuvers and a great deal of card tricks!I would recomened getting this book.Even after four and a half years of being a magician, this book wasstill useful.GET THIS BOOK

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!
I am an amateur magicican and I must say this book is lousy at best. This is definately a book that you should judge by its title. (it is actually quite small barely fitting in your hand). As the latter suggests, it is quite difficult to hold on to this book since its really so small in size.As far as the contents, the book does not contain any useful slights. Inaddition, the tricks are not explained in a whole lot of detail and thepictures don't help at all either. I did learn some tricks which were quitegood, but it took considerable time to learn based on the nature of thebook. Do yourself a favor and buy Mark Wilson's Complete course in magic.

Magnificent!
This book is an excellent guide to those who wish to put on magic shows or just make friends ask you, "how the heck did you do that". While some of the props you have to make yourself, most of these tricks can bedone with everyday objects. It also allows you to add your own creativityto the tricks. A great book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Card tricks    2. Encyclopedias    3. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    4. Magic    5. Magic tricks    6. Reference    7. Card games    8. Conjuring & magic    9. HEALTH & FITNESS - DIETS TRD HC    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Games & Activities / Magic    11. Reference works   

Reviews (1)

a long lasting coloring book
The extra large size and interesting illustrations in this coloring book have made this my children's favorite for many months.This is not your typical throw away coloring book.My kids actually enjoy coming back to analready started drawing and adding to it. The extra large size also givesus a chance as a family to draw together on one page.As a mom of twopre-schoolers I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Juvenile Nonfiction / Activity Books    2. Activity Books - Coloring Books    3. Coloring & Design    4. Coloring books    5. Games/Puzzles    6. Juvenile literature    7. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic    8. Wizard of Oz   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Games & Activities - Magic    5. General    6. Juvenile Nonfiction