Yeah magic books have always been scarce at my local library as well, and I too took out the Blackstone book when I was in my teens. (The Blackstone Book of Magic and Illusion.) I loved it, and still do today. But as I said before the book that I found that really was the pivotal point in my magic journey was "The Amateur Magician's Handbook." I still refer to it 26 years later, along with the other timeless classics in my large collection that continues to grow.

Also Bill Severn's books played a huge role as well, and I just bought his "Complete Book of Magic" for old times sake. As far as DVDs go, I only buy "classic sets" so to speak, or DVDs that provide a lot of bang for the buck. Vernon's Revelations, Daryl's EOCS, Burger's collection, Stars of Magic, Visions of Wonder, Very Best of Sankey, Encyclopedia types, etc. But I usually avoid single effect DVDs for the most part. DVD is a good source for visual reference, and timing. But not a replacement for books by any means.

Although we might not agree totally about Criss Angel, you seem to have the desire and motivation to do things the proper way as far as magic itself goes. I like to see that a lot from someone younger. Some don't even acquire that after a lifetime, and most bail simply due to the fact that magic was just another passing phase in their life. My opinions are based upon almost three decades of real world experience, not three months of playing with overpriced instant downloads. [/img]