I basically do close-up magic, but I want to add a bit of Mentalism to my repertoire. As far as I understand, most of the material in the book doesn't apply to modern day close up. The chapters about Swami's and billets are suitable, but the tricks in them are quite repetative. Can anywone reccomend good tricks from the book which applies to Close up? Thanks in advance.

I would recommend that if you are starting off in mentalism (even just for a small section of your act) that you obtain and read 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda. It is THE BOOK on mentalism for beginners. If you aren't willing to read that, then 22 Blows to the Head has also been recommended a lot.

Sorry. I might have miswrote what I wanted to say... I have 13 Steps and read most of it, but I'm lookinh for close-up metarial from there.

read it ALL, then read it again. It will be obvious what works close up.

Yes. Read it all... then read it again.

Here's a big reason why:

13 Steps to Mentalism is not a "big book of mentalism tricks" to be flipped through like an issue of Apocalypse or something. It is a course in mentalism that was orginally released one booklet/chapter at a time; each chapter is a study in a core concept or tool of mentalism, with material provided which illustrates the use of that concept or tool. In that respect, it's kind of like Card College. To simply flip through it looking for tricks is missing the point entirely.

As Lensman said, a thorough read will gve you an indication of what might work close-up and what might not. But if that's all you need, just get a Sankey DVD.

Of course the effects seem repetitive. Corinda doesn't go into much detail on presentations.

The book was meant to teach you methods and you were meant to bring the presentations.

When looking at mentalism - it's all repetitive. Think, write, choose something - and I will tell you, figure out, or prove I know what it is.

It's the presentation of the effect that makes it something amazing. But if you must have a suggestion - read the chapters about swamis, billets, mnemonics, "predictions for the drawing room," mentalism with cards, and Patter and Presentation (Step 13).

If you can't find something in all of that - you're not looking hard enough .

The best mentalism effect I've done (adapted for stand-up) is from Practical Mental Magic by Anneman. Who Killed Mr. X? is a mentalism effect that is a murder mystery. Just one example of an atypical effect.

-JT