Want to learn magic but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re a seasoned magician looking to revisit the classics? In this video, I’m sharing my top five beginner magic books—essential reads packed with tricks, techniques, and timeless wisdom. Whether you’re just getting into magic or rediscovering the books that sparked your passion, this list has something for you. Stick around until the end for my best tip on helping new magicians dive into the world of magic books!
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⏳ Timestamps:
0:00 – Five beginner magic books
0:52 – The Amateur Magician’s Handbook
2:43 – Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic
4:50 – Now You See It, Now You Don’t
6:22 – Don’s Magic & Books
7:18 – Magic for Dummies
9:25 – Magic The Complete Course
11:35 – Which one is for you?
12:40 – An idea for new magicians 💡
13:18 – Further resources
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Came for the magick. Got card tricks.
Like anyone else, I have my own favorites. But here is my list of likes and dislikes.
First, the dislikes:
The Amateur Magician’s Handbook – although it has so many great sleights and some sound advice, sucks with its tricks! Henry Hay’s other beginner book, “Learn Magic,” to me, is much better.
Now You See it… is a very good book, but once again fails to give really good tricks.
Magic For Dummies has a great beginning part and a great theoretical approach, “some good” tricks, but otherwise is not so impressive.
Okay, so there was my moaning. Here is my list of the best beginner books of all time:
5. The Amazing Book of Card/Magic Tricks – Jon Tremaine. If you don’t know who Tremaine is, check up on him in 13 Steps to Mentalism. This set can be found in individual books or as a combined volume, which has less content than most of the books mentioned here but has much better value in the context of great magic. The impromptu tricks alone are reputation makers. Coins falling from the sky, ala Michael Ammar, Acrobatic Matchbox and Superman – which is a 3 ball routine, that is impromptu and has been my pet favorite for my life, kills most of the books mentioned.
In the card section, there is a 3 card monte that slays most, Card Through Window (if you combine it with the torn and restored card) can make you look like Blaine/Copperfield with minimal effort, a fantastic Oil and Water, Out of This World and an excellent self-working trick called 7-up.
4. The Magic Digest – George B. Anderson. The ring and string effects are top-notch, Sponge Ball routine, which resembles “a famous magician that used a bowl” routine, Card Through Table, 3 shell game, Mentalism section, and illusions are amazing.
3. The Illustrated Compendium of Magic Tricks – Nicholas Einhorn (yes, the guy that has the almost seemingly hands-off Haunted Deck routine). 512 pages of colour (and yes, again, British English spelled) of amazing magic. Card Tricks, Money Magic, Close-up, Matches,Ropes and String, Silks, thimbles, paper, party tricks, Mentalism, Stand-up/parlour and Stage magic. All in fantastic full colour photos. A brilliant book.
2. The Magic Book – Harry Lorayne. Harry was a genius and also a controversial character. This book alone had many magicians breathing up fire because of the content. Pet secrets that known magicians hated to be discovered at the time. Copper/silver, retention vanishes, color changing deck…etc. Not only was he a great magician and could write as clear as daylight, but he released this book explaining how to do it. Please see the Michael Vincent video of his favorite and most influential books that shaped his performance/career. I don’t even need to comment further on this book – it is that good.
1. Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic. I absolutely agree with you on this one. It is absolutely magnificent. I am sure that this is the book that started the most magician’s careers. I am also “almost” certain that this is the best-selling magic book of all time. And rightly so. It contains everything. There is nothing I can add to the highly deserved praise that it always gets.
Only Greater Magic (the 9 billion volume, that Richard Kaufman is busy writing) has the ability to surpass it…
Honorable mentions:
1. The Complete Magician/the Stein and Day Handbook of Magic – the British version “Complete…” is better and bigger with photos. In this book, there are the instructions to my favorite control of a card…p100. So much good advice.
2. Secret of Alkazar – Allan Zola Kronzek. Although it only has 12 short chapters, the tricks and advice are golden. My favorite tricks include Coins Through the Table (no gimmicks, no extra coins), Bill in Lemon, Homing Stones, and the illusion at the end of the book.
3. Magic Tricks and Card Tricks – Wilfrid Jonson. This book is much like the above-mentioned Secret…
4. Magic a Complete Course – Joshua Jay. Yet another book I agree with you. It is well worth the money. There are some gems in this book. I love Hand-eye Coordination, Match-ic Wand, Lord of the Ring and so much more. Unfortunately it is not in my top 5, but it is close…
I have all of these and they’re all great. I would add Nicholas Einhorn’s Encyclopedia of Magic, as well.
There’s also a small version of Mark Wilson called the ‘Cyclopedia of Magic which has most of the material in a somewhat more portable form.
My favorite was or is, Magic for All by Bob Dunn.
It was written and illustrated by the author. And it has a lot of great magic in it. Despite it being kind of a introductory magic book. It even has a section of famous magicians and history of magic and magical practices such as alchemy. I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful book.