Stand-up magic and optical illusions

Pulling one over on family and friends in a way that doesn't end in disaster is a sought-after skill, and this volume of the Inside Magic series provides just the solution. A brief introduction establishes that these audience-friendly acts revolve around being highly visible, and then this guidebook-style compendium gets down to business. A roughly two-sentence trick summary begins each chapter, and what follows is notable for its lack of razzle-dazzle. The layout is repetitive, and the step-by-step pictures of an adult male magician are uniformly bland. But what the book lacks in style, it more than makes up for in usability. Classic head-scratchers pushing needles through balloons, escaping from tied wrists are made remarkably clear with patient and cogent instructions and photos, especially the Secret View pictures showing you what the audience isn't supposed to see. Serious tricksters will want to stock up on supplies first (disposable cups, construction paper, even diapers), while struggling magicians can rely on the optical illusions printed on the latter pages.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist