The Magic Book: The Complete Beginners Guide to Anytime, Anywhere Close-Up Magic

"The Magic Book" reveals the secrets of magicians--the simple techniques that will enable anyone to perform seemingly complicated magic tricks with relative ease. Clearly written and heavily illustrated--there are over 200 illustrations in all--this book guides you through the basic principles of magic using only common household items: a deck of cards, coins, rubber bands, and even a potato. The author then provides simple step-by-step instructions for hundreds of amazing tricks which he has perfected after forty years of painful trial and error. HERE ARE SOME OF THE SECRETS YOU WILL LEARN: CONTROLLING THE ORDER OF CARDS THROUGHOUT ANY NUMBER OF SHUFFLES PUSHING A STRAW THROUGH A POTATO MAKING KNOTS EVAPORATE MAKING COINS PASS THROUGH A HANDKERCHIEF PREDICTING NUMBERS THAT ANY SPECTATOR WILL GIVE YOU ADDING ANY 5-DIGIT NUMBERS INSTANTLY FINDING ANY CARD IN A DECK, SHUFFLING THE DECK AND FINDING THE CARD AGAIN ... AND MUCH, MUCH MORE! To help new magicians develop their techniques, Harry Lorayne provides a special "afterthought" section at the end of each magic trick where he discusses possible problems that most beginners have with the trick he has just explained. In addition to the practical instruction, Lorayne provides the philosophy of magic as it has never been taught before.