Books of Wonder: Vol. 2 by Tommy Wonder, Stephen Minch

Details: For full details of the contents of this amazing book you can view it here.

“By far, two of the most valuable books in my library. His magic is truly exceptional, original, awe inspiring.” –Johnny Thompson

“Tommy Wonder was, quite simply, one of the greatest magicians of all time. He was a superb performer, a diabolical creator, and a profound philosopher. If you want to make your magic better, read these books.” –Max Maven

“If you study these books diligently, you will find answers to questions you didn’t know existed.” –Roberto Giobbi

“The perfect blend of superb magic, and amazing philosophical insight that can make everyone a better magician.” –David Ben

“The Books of Wonder changed my life.” –Larry Haas

“If you want deep original thinking on magic, there’s nothing better than the books of wonder. Tommy Wonder came up with ideas that no one else had seen before. New ways of thinking about magic, and ways to perfect your magic that fools audiences and magicians alike.” -Paul Draper

Never has there been a more articulate manifesto declaring magic a true art. And never has one man offered a more detailed and coherent plan for achieving art by the practice of magic. Through a series of tricks, routines and essays, Tommy Wonder provides a clear blueprint for an uncompromising brand of magical theater. Along the way he explains his professional routines for Close-up. Stand-up, Walk-around and Stage.

Among them are … The Updated Two Cup Routine; Watch in Nest of Boxes, 3 methods; Wild Card Tamed; The Watch, the Ring & the Wallet; The Well-tempered Birdcage; and 50 other card tricks, routines and sleights.

The Books of Wonder is a set of two luxuriously produced, matched volumes, each containing approximately 340 pages of extraordinary material with 630 professional illustrations by Kelly Lyles.

Contents: (updated Jan 2016)

vii Introduction (Eugene Burger)
1 Prologue: The Encounter

5 Chapter One: In the Trenches
7 Sit or Stand?: adapting
11 The Essence of Close-Up: communication
16 A Table-worker’s Table: a practical solution
19 Facing the Music: when loud music interferes
26 Fifty Percent Lighter: introducing your magic with variations on lighter to match
32 Secondhand Drama: adding drama to your performance
35 The Saving of a Cigarette: torn & restored
44 Amateur vs. Pro: time and audience
46 Splitting the Profit: a doubled bill becomes single again
52 Approaching the Table
59 Toss and Turn: color changing knife move
61 Our Big Happy Family: other magicians
65 Clear Through: finger ring on stick or wand
69 The Sensitivity of the Audience
72 Through the Eye of the Needle: instantly threaded needle
76 When We Are Not Amused
80 Winged Signatures: with signed business cards and envelopes
86 And Now a Brief Message: magic slate

89 Chapter Two: Acetabula Et Calculi
91 Cups and Balls – A Private History: a two cup routine with three cups
92 – Loads
93 – Loading Techniques
94 – Chop Cup Load
98 – A Three Cup Load
101 Keep on Polishing: on dreaming and doing the impossible
105 The Two-cup Routine: update to the routine originally in “Tommy Wonder Entertains”; any style cup
135 Applause

137 Chapter Three: Finger Sprints
139 Recalcitrant: card stage manipulation act
142 – Phase One The Vanish of the Case
145 – Phase Two the Case Returns
146 – Phase Three The Transposition
149 – Phase Four The Case Comes Back Again
151 Conflict and Emotion
154 The Snail’s Progress: shrinking deck
161 Colors Three and Through: ring and rope routine with colored cardboard/plastic rings
174 Commercial: what makes a trick commercial
177 Perpetual Motion: billiard balls
180 A Sequence with Balls: with special multiplying billiard balls
184 The Big One: large ball production
187 Shaking Them Off: using a series of acquitments

191 Chapter Four: Department of Utilities
193 Now That Was a Great Magician!: location, conditions, confidence, costuming
197 The Tails Topit
200 The Belly Servante: to be worn under a cummerbund
203 Force and Its Disguise: managing force
206 On the Pendulum Holdout: using gravity
212 The Frozen Lock: for use with the Miller Holdout
218 Utility Devices

221 Chapter Five: Mechanical Marvels
223 High Roads and Long: pro vs. amateur vs. fan
227 The Well-Tempered Birdcage: on the vanishing birdcage
239 The Express Pull: mechanism for birdcage vanish
255 Thoughts in Mid-air: magic is easy to do – poorly
260 Animating a Zombie: Tommy’s approach
265 A Recipe for Art: a parody
267 The Watch in Nest of Boxes: a Quest for Ideals
268 Method One
280 Method Two
289 Method Three
319 Too Perfect?

325 Epilogue: Impact

• Publisher: Hermetic Press
• Pages: 327
• Location: Seattle, USA
• Dimensions: 7″x10″
• Date: 1996
• Binding: hardbound

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