Mij’s Book Recommendations. Part I: For Beginners
"One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time."– Carl Sagan
In offering this list of recommendations it is important to recognise that the publications written about are not in any particular order, however they are a collection of works which I believe hold great value. I have divided these titles into 4 sections: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert and Reference. ‘Reference’ simply exists as a list of books which contain knowledge for anyone interested in sleight-of-hand, theory and are willing to delve deeper into the rabbit hole of our art form.
Author's note: Fun fact, I lost the original document I was using to write this list and had to start over from scratch…please, send help and coffee.
Books for beginners
If you are curious on how to start in magic then these books should be able to start you off on the right foot. These books are written for the absolute beginner who has little to know knowledge or experience in magic. Don't be fooled, the content of these books are worth the price of admission. After all, classics are classics for a reason.
ROYAL ROAD TO CARD MAGIC BY JEAN HUGARD AND FREDERICK BRAUE
Here it is, the book that started it all for me. While at the University of Essex after weeks of begging my friend to teach me a few card tricks, and his constant refusal, he told me to buy this book online, and a pack of cards. 12 years later I owe quite a lot of my friendships, good memories and delight to that man’s advice. I doubt Chris could have known just how far his little piece of advice would have taken me. And in case Chris is reading this, thank you.
It would be difficult to write about Royal Road without mentioning just how well the Hugard and Braue laid out the book to take someone from an absolute novice to being able to perform some lovely routines with cards. It introduces readers to the fundamental techniques and principles of card magic in a clear, structured way. The book covers essential topics such as basic card manipulations, flourishes, shuffles, and simple tricks, gradually progressing to more advanced routines. Some of these basic effects I still perform to this day nearly 12 years later.
Throughout, it emphasises the importance of practice, misdirection, and presentation to make card tricks more effective. The goal is to provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to learn the art of card magic and eventually develop their own routines.This book belongs in every library if you were to take card magic seriously.
There is practically no professional magician alive today who has not read this book. I would consider this work as ‘essential reading’ if nothing else.
CARD COLLEGE SERIES BY ROBERTO GIOBBI
Technically I am recommending 5 books here, which does break a rule I made for myself, but this is my list, I can do what I want.
Roberto Giobbi as well as being a fine magician is also a great scholar within the art of magic and he has done much to create and teach magic in a clear way. He is the author of multiple books over the years and as such he has a lot of practice in conveying written words to his readers.
The card collage series would be a logical step up from Royal Road and you could buy the whole series at once, or book by book. I would recommend starting at book 1, then moving up as the content of the books becomes more challenging as you progress in the series.There are five books in the series:
- Card College Vol. 1 – This volume introduces the basics of card manipulation, including essential sleights like the double lift, false shuffle, and controls. It also covers simple but powerful card tricks that build a strong foundation in sleight-of-hand technique.
- Card College Vol. 2 – This continues with more advanced sleights, including the pass, palming and false cuts. Giobbi introduces more complex card tricks, with an emphasis on smooth, subtle moves that can be performed with a high degree of naturalness.
- Card College Vol. 3 – The third volume delves deeper into advanced techniques and routines, including flourishes, sophisticated sleights like the top change, and tricks requiring multiple phases or more intricate setups.
- Card College Vol. 4 – This volume focuses on more complex tricks and routines that require a higher level of finesse and understanding. It introduces more advanced theory and moves, preparing magicians for professional-level performances.
- Card College Vol. 5 – The final volume covers a range of expert-level tricks, including in-depth discussions of performance theory, psychological principles behind magic, and high-level sleights that distinguish world-class card magicians.
The series is highly regarded for its clarity and detailed instructions, with every move and trick broken down step-by-step, often accompanied by illustrations or photographs to ensure understanding. Giobbi also emphasises the importance of presentation, timing, and the subtleties of card magic that go beyond technical ability. For anyone serious about mastering card magic, Card College offers a structured, progressive roadmap to achieving both technical proficiency and artistry in performance.
SELF WORKING CARD TRICKS BY KARL FULVES
Ahhhhh, this is a favourite of mine. There is a lovely bit of satisfaction when performing a self working card trick. Self-Working Card Tricks by Karl Fulves is a well-known collection of card tricks that do not require sleight-of-hand. Instead, the tricks in the book rely on clever mathematical principles, patterns, or setups that make them “self-working”, meaning that once you set up the trick, it runs smoothly with minimal effort or skill required from the performer. This makes the book an excellent resource for beginners or anyone interested in performing card tricks that seem complex but are actually simple to do.
The book covers a wide range of tricks, including effects based on arithmetic, shuffled decks, memorised sequences, and more. Fulves provides clear, step-by-step instructions, often with a focus on how to control the performance flow and maintain the illusion of mystery while performing.
Side note: Karl Fulves also wrote another book for those who enjoy coin tricks: ‘SELF WORKING COIN MAGIC BY KARL FULVES’. I was originally going to keep this list of books to 3 in each category, but this is my list and I make the rules, so here is a 4th.
PRACTICAL MENTAL MAGIC BY THEODORE ANNEMANN
Practical Mental Magic by Theodore Annemann is one of the most influential books ever written on the art of mentalism. Published in 1944, it remains a fundamental resource for performers interested in mind-reading, predictions and psychological illusion. Annemann’s approach emphasizes deception through psychology, misdirection, and subtle techniques rather than complicated sleight-of-hand, making his methods practical and highly effective. His goal was to create mentalism that appeared as genuine mind-reading rather than mere trickery, ensuring that the audience truly believes in the performer’s abilities.
At the heart of Annemann’s work is the idea that the audience’s perception is more important than the method itself. He explores how to guide spectators into believing they have freely chosen words, numbers or objects when, in reality, the performer has subtly influenced their decisions. He also teaches methods for secretly obtaining written information, a principle known as billet work, which allows a mentalist to reveal personal thoughts without appearing to have any prior knowledge. Another key concept is the one-ahead method, which enables the performer to seemingly reveal thoughts before they are even given.
The book is filled with practical techniques that allow magicians to perform incredible feats of mentalism. Annemann explains how to use psychological forces, secret writing, and audience management to create the illusion of genuine thought-reading. He also details the use of the nail writer, a small hidden device that enables a performer to write predictions in real time, making impossible revelations seem effortless. His routines, which include revealing chosen words from books, duplicating unseen drawings, and predicting freely selected numbers, are structured to maximize impact while minimizing suspicion.
Annemann strongly emphasizes the importance of presentation. He advises performers to build suspense, control timing, and lead their audience into experiencing genuine amazement. For him, mentalism is more than a collection of tricks—it is an art form that relies on engagement, conviction, and psychological subtlety. His influence on modern mentalists, including Derren Brown, Peter Turner, and Max Maven, is undeniable.
Despite being written decades ago, Practical Mental Magic remains a must-read for anyone serious about mentalism. Its timeless techniques and principles continue to shape performances today, making it one of the most valuable resources for mastering the art of mind-reading and deception.
Written by Mij & posted by Anna.