The 11 Best Magician Books to Help You Perfect Your Tricks

Learn Magic

Magic is the art of seemingly breaking reality to induce a moment of wonder in your audience. It can re-enchant the world around us. Anyone seeking the best magician books likely wants to join this illustrious tradition of infusing mundane reality with a glimmer of the supernatural.

However, in real life, wizards aren’t born. The world is not divided into muggles and Harry Potters. If you wish to wave a wand and produce a rabbit from a hat, you need to consult some of the best magician books.

The only thing standing between you and the ability to amaze your friends is a stack of the best magic books around.

It is for this reason we put this list of what we have assembled a list of 11 essential, magically educational books to blow your friends’ minds.

We’ll provide you with these 11 titles, but first we answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about the best magician books on today’s market.

Magician Book FAQs

Here’s everything you need to know about magic books, and how to choose the right ones to learn about tricks.

1. What Is a Magician Book?

We should be clear; we do not mean “grimoires” or “spellbooks” or other trappings of what is known as “Magick.” If you want to avoid books on the supernatural, there is no need to worry.

The best magician books we found do not tell you how to summon demons or unlock your inner psychic potential. Instead, these books focus on redirection, trick objects, and sleight of hand.

You will still amaze those around you, but you won’t risk provoking the ire of anything demonic in the process.

2. Where Can I Find the Best Magician Books?

We highly recommend going to a premium magic shop to find the best magician books around. The best magic shops will even teach you how to do the trick once you have purchased the necessary materials. If you’ve been to a magic shop that has a curtained-off area, this is often the purpose.

However, we know that many of our readers are citizens of the internet, so the best magician books on this list are available online at Amazon.com.

3. What Other Materials Will I Need?

The additional materials you will need to pull off the illusions listed in these books vary. Some books require nothing more than ordinary coins and cards, whereas others will require you to craft some items.

The additional materials required is a consideration to be made before purchasing one of the best magician books we’ve listed.

4. Is There Anything Else I Need to Consider Before Purchasing a Book About Magic?

It is helpful to ask yourself what sort of illusionist you would like to be. Knowing what tricks you’d like to do or illusions you’d like to perform will help you find the ideal book.

How We Reviewed

After combing the internet for the best magician books, we narrowed our list down to 11 entries. Each of these we evaluated in terms of a summary, where to buy them, their areas of concentration, their length, and their format.

Each of these factors ought to help you decide which of these top 11 are perfect for you.

What We Reviewed

  • The Amateur Magician’s Handbook
  • The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Street Magic
  • Now You See It, Now You Don’t!: Lessons in Sleight of Hand
  • Magic For Dummies
  • Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic
  • The Royal Road to Card Magic 
  • Strong Magic 
  • Magic: The Complete Course
  • Modern Coin Magic: 116 Coin Sleights and 236 Coin Tricks
  • The Trick Brain
  • The Art of Astonishment 
  • Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards

The Amateur Magician’s Handbook 

(by Henry Hay)

Image via Amazon

Summary

A great beginner’s guide, this is a no-frills magician book that will provide the tools you need to perform illusions. It is likely that even experienced illusionists find parts of this book enlightening or mentally refreshing, but this book is written to the amateur. Over 200 illustrations make this book quite easy to read and understand.

Where to Buy

You can buy this book used through Amazon’s offer listings, as it is no longer being printed.

Areas of Concentration

Fundamentals of illusions, object-based tricks

Length

430 pages

Format

Paperback

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Street Magic

(by Tom Ogden)

the complete idiot's guide to doing street magic
Image via Amazon

Summary

You don’t have to be a complete idiot to enjoy this guide. While everything that Tom Ogden illustrates can be understood by a complete idiot, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Street Magic will teach even geniuses great illusions to perform on the street. If you’ve ever envied David Blaine, this is the book for you.

Where to Buy

This book is available through Amazon’s offers section, as it is no longer in print.

Areas of Concentration

Street magic

Length

400 pages

Format

Paperback

Now You See It, Now You Don’t!: Lessons in Sleight of Hand

now you see it now you don't magicians book by bill tarr
Image via Amazon

(by Bill Tarr)

Summary

Sleight of hand is more than just a Dungeons and Dragons skill for Rogues. Sleight of hand is an essential skill for the practiced illusionist. Bill Tarr’s book provides a great format for learning about this subtle and impressive art. You can trust this book, which has been in print for over twenty-five years.

Where to Buy

This book is available on Amazon through their offers section, as it is not currently in print.

Areas of Concentration

Sleight of hand

Length

224 pages

Format

Paperback

Magic For Dummies

(by David Pogue)

magic for dummies by david pogue
Image via Amazon

Summary

So maybe you’re not a “Complete Idiot” and you want to master magic. If you’re just a “Dummy” (or really, anything more intelligent), then this is the magic book for you. David Pogue applies his vast experience to teaching new magicians how to amaze their friends.

This book is great for those who wish to perform quick, small-scale illusions that will leave audience members scratching their heads.

Where to Buy

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

Areas of Concentration

Card and coin tricks, small-scale illusions

Length

416 pages

Format

Paperback

Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic

(by Mark Anthony Wilson)

Mark Wilson's complete course in magic
Image via Amazon

Summary

This book has one of our favorite covers of all the entries on our list of the best magician books. As the title implies, Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic is a complete course. It lists detailed instructions on how to perform over three hundred illusions, including those performed with cards, money, ropes, handkerchiefs and even cups and balls. The diagrams are very useful.

Where to Buy

This book is available on Amazon’s offers section, used and new.

Areas of Concentration

Illusions with cards, money, ropes, handkerchiefs, and cups and balls

Length

472 pages

Format

Hardcover and paperback

The Royal Road to Card Magic

(by Frederick Braue and Jean Hugard)

the royal road to card magic
Image via Amazon

Summary

Card magic may be among the most iconic illusions performed by illusionists. The Royal Road to Card Magic by both Frederick Braue and Jean Hugard combines mentalism and classic card trick sleight of hand to make you the master of the classic deck of fifty-two. The great part of this book is that it includes video clip downloads to show you the tricks—great news for all the visual learners out there!

Where to Buy

This book is available used and new through Amazon’s offers section.

Areas of Concentration

Card tricks

Length

282 pages

Format

Paperback with video clip links

Strong Magic 

(by Darwin Ortiz)

Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz
Image via Amazon

Summary

Sometimes that weak magic just doesn’t cut the mustard. Darwin Ortiz’s Strong Magic changes that game. This book has the most mystical vibe of the entries we’ve so far covered on our list of the best magician books available. Its baroque cover opens to reveal a world of easy-to-learn, impressive-to-master, close-up magic tricks.

Where to Buy

This book is available on Amazon.

Areas of Concentration

Close-up magic

Length

379 pages

Format

Hardcover

Magic: The Complete Course

(by Joshua Jay)

Summary

With 500 full-color how-to images, Magic: The Complete Course feels complete. You can learn a plethora of tricks from this book, and it even has sections devoted more toward children than adults. Being a “complete” course, it explores a variety of illusion styles.

Where to Buy

Areas of Concentration

Close-up magic

Length

288 pages

Format

Paperback (Kindle also available)

Modern Coin Magic: 116 Coin Sleights & 236 Coin Tricks

(By J.B. Bobo)

Summary

Nobody knows coin tricks like J.B. Bobo. With one simple object that most people have in their pockets, you can master over one hundred coin sleights and over two hundred coin tricks. These are much more impressive than just pulling a quarter out from someone’s ear.

Where to Buy

Areas of Concentration

Coin sleights, coin tricks

Length

380 pages

Format

Hardcover, kindle, and paperback

The Trick Brain

(by Dariel Fitzkee)

Summary

Understanding the psychology behind a magic trick can take your illusions to the next level. That is exactly what The Trick Brain helps you understand. We find this book to be a bit too advanced for some early learners and teens, but for the magician with their eyes on the prize, this is a wonderful addition to their bookshelf.

Where to Buy

Areas of Concentration

Psychological basis of illusions

Length

314 pages

Format

Hardcover

Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards 

(by Joshua Jay)

Summary

One of our favorite features of Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards is that it includes a section of “bets you can’t lose.” That’s right, if you’ve got a gullible acquaintance with deep pockets, this book can help you befuddle them and make some money in the process. The financial aspect alone puts it on this list.

We were hard-pressed to find a better example of a book of illusions that focuses on one aspect of magic so adeptly. Although the concentration on cards may seem limiting, in actuality, one can learn many skills from the focus on one object.

Card tricks require planning, sleight of hand, and a great deal of mentalism to pull off. Plus, we know how the potential for gaining more money will motivate people.

Where to Buy

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

Areas of Concentration

Tricks, Shuffles, Stunts & Hustles, and Bets You Can’t Lose

Length

208 pages

Format

Paperback

The Verdict

What ends up being the best magician book for you will be determined by the area of concentration you wish to focus on. For instance, if you plan on performing your magic close up, then we recommend you reach for Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz or Magic: The Complete Course by Joshua Jay. If coins are more your style, you just cannot beat J.B. Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic: 116 Coin Sleights & 236 Coin Tricks.

We imagine that most will want a single book with high variety to it. In which case, the Magic For Dummies by David Pogue and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Street Magic by David Ogden will serve you well.

We are highly tempted to give the award to The Trick Brain, which does an incredible job laying out the framework of a magic trick. However, since we know how eager many people reading this list are to amaze their friends, and even make money on some one-sided bets, we award our number one spot to Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards.

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