The Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic

This is a very nice, detailed book, with good black and white photographic illustrations. I really like the "Flowers Direct" effect by Jeff McBride. If you are interested in close up magic with quick, direct illusions, this is a great instructional magic book.

The tricks presented are mostly pretty simple (don't let that fool you into thinking it is only for kids), with easy to follow directions but are quite impressive. The book gives you not only a good number of tricks, ranging from the standard card tricks, to the more out there tricks (the exploding eyeball is awesome). That said, what I love about it are the little details and history about the tricks or about magic itself.

Great selection of tricks and side bars I really liked the layout of the book and all the side comments Very interesting stuff - Tom Ogden always does a great job researching his info and making sure it is succint for the reader Great read!

The title of this book might be a bit off-putting to serious magicians. "Street magic" is busking, a centuries-old art: a charismatic street performer draws a crowd and does a show for as many people as will watch. Ogden is referring here to the "street magic" seen on television since David Blaine's first special in 1997. Young magicians find Blaine's "street magic" fascinating, because it's cooler than traditional stage performance. Old-timers don't consider TV-style "street magic" to be the real deal. However, Ogden is using the concept here to appeal directly to a 21st-century audience. Ogden offers a first-rate introduction to the history and art of conjuring. The tricks here vary in difficulty from very simple sleight-free tricks to intermediate sleight-of-hand. They are carefully selected to have maximum punch. The presentations will truly amaze audiences. His partners in this venture include some of the biggest names in magic: Max Maven, Jeff McBride, Mac King, Michael Ammar, and many others. This is one of the best introductory books on conjuring I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic by TOM OGDEN has to be the best book ever written on the subject. Easy to understand instructions, great visuals (pictures) and even easier to pull off and mystify your friends. THIS BOOK IS A MUST if you want to fool your friends .... Or buy a copy and give it to everyone on your Christmas list. Your friends will NOT be disappointed. I have also discovered several other books by Tom Ogden, all good fun. You are NUMBER ONE Tom. Keep it UP! Mark