Help us get to over 8,748 articles in 2024.

If you know of a magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them. Contact us at magicpediahelp@gmail.com

Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Revision as of 12:28, 12 July 2008 by Jpecore (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search
Wikipedia-logo.png This page incorporated content from Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic,

a page hosted on Wikipedia. Please consult the history of the original page to see a list of its authors. Therefor, this article is also available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic by Mark Wilson.

The book is a popular reference book and has been in print since 1975.

472 pages

ISBN 0-89471-623-9

Editions: 1975, 1981, 1988, 2003

Contents of Book

This description is based on the 1988 edition.

The book is organized into sections; each devoted to a particular topic, as follows:

Introductory sections

  • Table of Contents
    • Listing of all sections and effects with page numbers.
    • This volume contains no index.
  • Dedication
  • Introductory Letter
    • Mark Wilson addresses his reader as "Dear Student," and expounds on his views of the basics.
    • Throughout, Wilson refers to illusions as "tricks."

Biographies

Practice Makes Perfect

"Three rules are often given as the key to attaining perfection in ay art. They are: Practice, more Practice, and still more Practice." (p. 15)

Misdirection

Wilson's exposition on the basics of misdirection.

Effects

The main body of the book comprises tricks (Wilson's term) and prerequisite techniques and skills required to perform them. The key elements are illustrated with line drawings and explained in detail in the accompanying text.

Each trick is divided into logical sub-sections:

  • Effect
    • What the audience is intended to see
  • Secret and Preparation
    • Setting up the props, and how they work.
  • Method
    • How the performer achieves the effect, step by step.
  • Comments and Suggestions
    • Tips, pointers, and hard-won experience from the authors.

Card Magic

The section on card effects is divided into classes of tricks; each class contains multiple individual techniques and tricks, as follows:

  • Card Magic
  • Self-Working Card Tricks
  • The Hindu Shuffle
  • Overhand Shuffle
  • Forcing A Card
  • The Double Lift
  • The Glide
  • Double-Backed Card
  • Double-Faced Card
  • The Short Card
  • Giant Cards
  • Special Card Tricks
  • Flourishes
  • Genii Cards


Money Magic

As with Card Magic, the section on money effects is divided into classes of tricks; each class comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks, as follows:

  • Money Magic
  • Money Magic — Bills

Rope Magic

The section on rope effects is not divided, but comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks.

Silk & Handkerchief Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks.

Impromptu Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks, mainly with household objects readily at hand.

Mental Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks.

Betchas

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks of the kind which the magician might bet he can do something the spectator cannot: "I'll bet you."

Make At Home Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks, requiring apparatus which can be constructed as build-it-yourself projects.

Sponge Ball Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks, requiring compressible balls as props.

Billiard Ball Magic

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks with incompressible balls.

Cups & Balls

This section comprises multiple individual techniques and tricks.

Magical Illusions

"In magical terms an "Illusion" is any trick or effect involving a human being." (p. 435) This section comprises multiple individual illusions, according to the quoted definition.

Your Future In Magic

Wilson and co-authors' parting words of encouragement to their readers and students.