Top Secrets of Magic (book) – J.G. Thompson Jr.

This is a very good book for any magician, it explains dozens of different effects from card tricks to safety pins. The book contains loads of photos and the tricks are well described. Contents: vii Introduction by Harry Blackstone ix Preface by J.G. Thompson, Jr. 13 Chapter 1: Pasteboard Presto 13 Challenge Blindfold Card Routine: Oscar Weigle. Impromptu 4 revelations 16 Once in 635,013,559,600: J. Russel Duck: Wherein a man is hustled at a game of Bridge 20 Unabridged: J. Russel Duck: A bridge deal 22 The Traveling Joker (J.B. Bobo): The lone black card in a stack of 26 reds jumps about (ambitious card) 26 Sleight Intended: A check list of card sleights for the novice and expert, recommended after 33 years of selecting and rejecting. Each listing provides a reference, some include descriptions of how to perform the sleight. 26 Controls: Hindu shuffles (4 types), Slap Location, Kelly Bottom Placement, Simon Card Control, Vernon Multiple Card Pass, Hermann Turnover Pass, Moore Hocus Pocus Pass, Histed Pocket Pass 26 Changes: Glide, double lift, card exchange, Curry turnover change, slip change, Elliot’s card change, Lamonte cut change, Daley switch, Color Changes (3 types), E.J. Color Change, Morgan Flip Switch (described). 28 Forces: Classic, Holt Rocking Chair, Bee Perfect Professional, Searles So Simple (described), Butler Fan Force (described) 31 Miscellaneous: False Shuffle: overhand and blind riffle shuffle, False cuts straight and fancy, Reversing a Card Clyde Cary, Peeks: bottom, top, Bottom Up, Solution for Lost Card, Biddle Vanish, Palm (briefly described) 32 Chapter 2: Peas and Cues: A shell game routine about grandpa getting swindled 37 Chapter 3: Two Minds Get Together: multiple predictions using a stack of white blank business cards 44 Chapter 4: Strike One: manipulative magic using paper match books (nice!) 56 Chapter 5: Spheroid Skulduggery: One in the hand, two in the pocket using small balls and a small skull (other objects could be substituted) 64 Chapter 6: Safety PinUp: linking safety pins. A full routine with some gimmicked and regular safety pins (and how to gimmick them) 73 Chapter 7: Double Ring Ceremony: lengthy routine using the Jardine Ring, a rope, ball, tube and more. 83 Chapter 8: Tarot Telepathy: Card divination using a stooge 89 Chapter 9: Hoiman, The Spirick: A “spirit” buzzer routine. Would need vamping up in today’s electronic market 93 Chapter 10: Cups & Balls: Three routines. One using gimmicked paper cups and minimal sleights, one using standard cups, and some ending moves for the Benson Bowl routine 108 Chapter 11: Strictly One Sided: paddle routines 108 Jumping Gems: using Ken Allen’s commercial paddles 110 Mystery Paddle: using a commercial Edward O. Drane & Co. paddle set with coins 115 Thompson’s Magic Maker: use of a paddle as a “wand” 117 Chapter 12: The Real Top Secrets: An essay for beginning magician on creating and developing magic routines, includes “Presto”, a coins through the table routine. It’s about 130 pages, perfect bound in good condition) aside from a slight yellowing of the covers.