After reading this little mini-book, you'll be Turning Tables(thank you Adele) on your magic performances. If you've studied NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) you know that it's a series of principles, techniques, etc. designed to manipulate yourself and those around you . . . in a good way. It's a way to "fix yourself." It's sort of a form of hypnosis and mental techniques for every day living rather than just when your "under."

Anyway, I'm no expert on the subject, but I've read a bit about it, and understand it in concept. Also, you should realize that this isn't some weird underground bizarre concept. This is the kind of stuff that Tony Robbins and guys like him teach and talk about. It's all about the quest for mastering that wonderfully complex machine we call a brain.

That said, this book is a very good introductory handbook to some very, very basic NLP concepts, and more importantly, how to use them in your magic (and live) to Truly connect with your audience and others. The book is small and a quick read, but a slow study (in a good way). At the end of each section it gives you specific exercises to go out and do so that you can take notes and learn from the experiences. Many of the techniques are simple - though they will require practice - to do and are even things you may already be familiar with. However, this book brings them all together in a well organize (albeit typo-riddled) format.

There are many excellent and easy to implement ideas found in this book. For someone truly serious about making a solid connection with your audience, this is a must have. You'll learn simple things to say, do and be aware of that will drastically change the way you interact with your fellow (wo)man kind. Here's the deal gang:

We magicians are drowning in a sea of people who insult their audiences, use stupid, stupid, stupid stock lines with no meaning, and people who foolishly think that reciting every minutia of every thought and action taken qualifies for anything other than mind-numbing blabbering. I am sooooooooooo sick of that kind of crap. People are truly destroying our beautiful art with this filth and garbage. If you don't have something meaningful to say then shut up and do a silent act! And P.S., "That's How I Got It!" is not meaningful, it's stupid!

With all that ranting comes the light at the end of the tunnel, and it is this book, NLP & Magic Other Secrets. With it, the worthy student will learn to stop and freakin' breathe in between mindless mumbles about where they place the deck on the table. Not only will the student learn to listen, but further, he'll learn what to say, and what not to say. He'll learn how to stand, how to look at people, how to touch people physically and mentally. He'll learn how not to touch people physically and mentally. In my mind, $35 bucks is a small price to pay to get people stop saying, "Now I'll Just Shuffle The Cards Like So, and Then I'll Cut Them Like This . . . "

This book is not perfect, and is certainly not the end-all be-all of how to interact with the audience. In fact there are some mistakes in my opinion. There are things taught that I feel are not good things to do with/to your audience. However, the good strongly over powers the bad. And any book that teaches you to shut up and listen is a giant step in the right direction for magic-kind.

Final Verdict:
4.5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!!!