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RSLancastr
27th June 2003, 12:23 PM
Does anyone have any suggestions for a non-magician who would like to learn some basic card manipulation?

By that I mean things like fancy shuffles, fanning, etc. Not things like palming, sleights, false shuffles and forcing.

Any books and/or videos which are good for a beginner in this regard? After that, it's a matter of practice, practice and more practice. And then more.
hal bidlack
27th June 2003, 12:35 PM
Andrew Harter recommended to me "magic for dummies" and "A complete idiot's guide to magic."

Now, it is possible he was trying to send a message, but they are very good books on the basics.
rustypouch
27th June 2003, 01:03 PM
I have, among other things, a copy of 'The Royal Road to Card Magic' by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue.

I find it does an excellent job of explaining the basic principles, and it has dozens of relatively simple tricks.
NoZed Avenger
27th June 2003, 01:22 PM
The above books are good. The Royal Road is an exceptional book.

A basic, general magic primer that includes a small amount of cards is Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. You can find copies around for $15, and used ones much cheaper. Well worth the price for someone starting out.
SteveW
28th June 2003, 07:29 AM
The Royal Road by Hugard is THE basic text for one interested in card manipulation. It is well written with many effects that a beginner could do with some practice.

It also helped me sitting with Dai Vernon smoking a cigar in the afternoons at the Magic Castle ;)

I sure miss those times.
Brown
29th June 2003, 08:38 PM
I recommend "Scarne on Card Tricks."

Some of his tricks involve very simple manipulation, but nothing that would be "sleight-of hand."

You won't learn flourishes in this book, however, such as fanning or false shuffling.
SteveW
1st July 2003, 06:25 AM
Originally posted by Brown
I recommend "Scarne on Card Tricks."

Some of his tricks involve very simple manipulation, but nothing that would be "sleight-of hand."

You won't learn flourishes in this book, however, such as fanning or false shuffling.

I had forgotten that book. It's got some good effects in it using little or no sleights (mainly misdirection). I actually remember learning some of my first effects from that when I was a kid (Card On the Ceiling( being one of them).

Scarne was a great manipulator (although not a great magician, IMHO). Thats him doing the fanning and dealing in The Sting btw.