For any serious close-up performer this set of books belongs on the shelf.

Even if you do not know who Tony Slydini is/was, you know immediately upon handling these books that they are chock full of magic of the highest caliber. That also describes the man [Slydini] himself. He was one of the best magicians in history and is well respected by magicians worldwide even today, 22 years after his death (as of 2013).

Many of the past and present leading magical performers and thinkers were students of Slydini, including Juan Tamariz, Jim Cellini, Tony Clark, Jeff McBride, Pete Biro, D. Angelo Ferri and many more. I never had the privilege of meeting Slydini or seeing him perform live, but he is truly my biggest inspiration in magic.

The book is split into two volumes with one containing the text and the second containing the accompanying photographs, as per the product description. Some people may find this annoying because you will have to lay out both books and prop them open as you are reading and learning. Others will not mind. Either way, the text is clear and the photos are all individually, alphanumerically labeled.

This set of books goes beyond merely describing how the magic effects work (which again, it does very well); it contains theory, it discusses proper body language and positioning, how to be professional, etc.

The material in this book is not really for beginners but rather more intermediate magicians and beyond. In short, learning the effects here requires serious practice and dedication. You are not just going to learn how the effects are done, but also what motions you should make, how your body should be positioned during each move, etc. Once learned, the material in these volumes will serve you well for life.

Highly recommended!