Price$39.95
Media TypeBook
CategoryMentalism, Philosophy
Date AddedAug 11, 2014
793.8: Where is the Magic?
Stone, Jeff
Stone Cold Magic
(Based on 1 review)
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793.8: Where is the Magic? Today!
Through thought experiments, exercises, essays, presentational ideas, scripts, and over a dozen effects ranging from basic ideas to fully fleshed out and complete routines right out of Jeff's repertoire, you'll transform right before your very eyes. Your presentation and performance skills and ability to capture and truly "move" your audience will be like none other.
You'll be taken on an emotional ride from laughter to loss for words, from surprised to shivers. You'll be moved emotionally as you read the 270 pages of creativity and concepts found in 793.8. You will truly learn to remember what magic is supposed to feel like as you are taken down a path that leads to wonder and astonishment.
EFFECTS:
Spectator's Choice:
Magician's choice without the magician's choice. The spectator makes up all the rules and procedures. Yet in the end, you still were able to predict what ESP symbol they would choose.
What's the Deal with the Down Under Deal:
Take this utility move and use it in a way that gives meaning to the move and gives the sense that you truly are clairvoyant as you merely sense (by touching the cards) which ESP symbol they are thinking of.
Luke and the 15 Force:
A brand new technique for forcing a range of numbers and building a true and meaningful connection with your spectator at the same time. This technique has endless applications.
Forces of Nature and Book Test Subtleties:
These two concepts change the book test genre and take it to a new realm. Move beyond merely "guessing" the word they looked at in a book. Instead, use the spooky revelation (of which you have photographic proof) given to you from "the other side." Over a dozen pages dedicated to ways to give your spectator's the chills with a simple book test.
Twinkie Picker:
Give the spectator a Twinkie for helping out. Then borrow a dollar from them. It vanishes and reappears inside the Twinkie they've been holding since before they loaned you the money. The Twinkie is completely sealed, and they can hold it and open it themselves. The presentation and script are designed to flow with built in humor and timing. It's a simple and beautiful presentation piece.
Leaving Decks:
A deck is shown to be normal and mixed. The spectator can shuffle the cards. The deck is tossed into a paper bag and shuffled about. Yet you can (blindfolded if you wish) reach into the paper back and remove their selected card. Only one deck is used. No palming, no peaking and you can even do the trick naked.
Martika:
An audience interaction piece that plays solemn and serious. A fake military battle is played out on stage. In the end, you've predicted the number of survivors in a poignantly written letter that the General (your volunteer) must read to the soldiers' families.
I Need a Hero:
A staple of Jeff's stand up act for years. A silly battle of the superheroes involving as many as 8 spectators that concludes with a power and completely unexpected hilarious prediction of the outcome. Included are the actual printable props that Jeff uses for his show.
Ace Re-Revisited:
An update in presentation of a Larry Becker effect published here with Mr. Becker's permission. This takes a simple dictionary book test and makes it portable (for strolling) and lends itself to a logical presentation and a powerful outcome for both close up and stage.
No ESP Cards, No Problem:
A powerful effect using 5 borrowed business cards and nothing else. This effect is Jeff's go to effect when someone says "show me something." It's brings together simple props with a simple principle that feels like real magic and leaves the audience member believing that you can read their mind.
Gemini Shopping:
A fun routine that involves several spectators, a whole bunch of foreign currency and your collection of postcards from your "world travels." The spectators make all the decisions, yet they are somehow able to magically figure out what money you spent your money while on vacation. This one's just plain fun.
Memory Relapse:
A presentational and slight methodological update to Jay Sankey's Memory Lapse. Published with Sankey's permission, this effect is so baffling and so powerful that the spectator will walk away a changed person, questioning reality. Simply put, you cause them to forget a thought, and you have proof. The audience is your proof. The audience remembers everything, yet the one spectator does not. There are no stooges.
Tower of Babel:
Cause your spectator to speak in tongues. Yep. She has no idea how it happens either. Cause her to speak a language that she has never spoken before. Further, if someone in the audience happens to speak that language, they can verify what she is saying. There are no stooges, and the spectator really does speak in another language for a brief moment.
Ode To Charlie:
When Jay Sankey read this effect, he a) said that it actually gave him the chills and b) "dared" Jeff to use this effect as the closing piece to the book. Jeff did just that. This is another effect straight out of Jeff's close up repertoire for the past 25 or so years. Simple put, a coin vanishes. It re materializes later when the spectator is alone and by herself. The coin can be signed, and you truly are no nowhere near her when the coin "comes back."
Much More:
This only scratches the surface of the powerful effects found in this epic volume of magic.
With:
Over a Dozen effects . . .
More than 20 essays and thought experiments . . .
Nearly 270 Pages of madness . . .
You're sure to find the answer to the question "Where is the magic?"
793.8
Pages: 270 - 9" x 6" - Paperback
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Jeff Stone is a very kind guy and he may well be the most read magic reviewer in the business. This book feels like a conglomeration of magical ideas over the years. It feels a little like the Beatles Abbey Road Medley, a handful of different ideas all organized and strung together to make a complete piece.
Sometimes he talks about a presentational idea, other times he lays out a magic effect, method or even includes a personal experience or two.
While I have been in possession of this book I have not been able avoid referencing Jeff's thoughts in certain places. There are large parts of the book where I disagree with him, but there are also parts that I like. I tend to disagree with his mantra, which defines a lot of his magical perspective, so there were sections of the book that I disliked. A disagreement in opinion wont affect the rating.
That said, much of the magic is solid. The methods are good for the most part and there are presentational nuggets that are worth looking at. The essays were good.
I felt like some of the thoughts have been said by others and much of the magic was less than original as well. Jeff credits well and obtained permission for the effects he published but I didn't feel like him republishing these ideas added much to the author's original work.
So overall, it is a great supplemental reference to have. There are some interesting ideas discussed on a large variety of topics including mentalism, equivoque, forcing and presentation. I do not think it will necessarily start the magic world on fire but it is a good collection of thoughts by a great magic thinker.
Sometimes he talks about a presentational idea, other times he lays out a magic effect, method or even includes a personal experience or two.
While I have been in possession of this book I have not been able avoid referencing Jeff's thoughts in certain places. There are large parts of the book where I disagree with him, but there are also parts that I like. I tend to disagree with his mantra, which defines a lot of his magical perspective, so there were sections of the book that I disliked. A disagreement in opinion wont affect the rating.
That said, much of the magic is solid. The methods are good for the most part and there are presentational nuggets that are worth looking at. The essays were good.
I felt like some of the thoughts have been said by others and much of the magic was less than original as well. Jeff credits well and obtained permission for the effects he published but I didn't feel like him republishing these ideas added much to the author's original work.
So overall, it is a great supplemental reference to have. There are some interesting ideas discussed on a large variety of topics including mentalism, equivoque, forcing and presentation. I do not think it will necessarily start the magic world on fire but it is a good collection of thoughts by a great magic thinker.