Harry Lorayne, one of magic's most sought after teacher, will teach anyone the ins and outs of excellent magic. I started with this book 9 years ago and still use it today for reference. This book is organized into card tricks, coin tricks, impromptu magic, and sleights. The best part is Harry's personal presentation tips for making a lasting impression on your audience. The tips alone in this book are worth more than the price of the book.

If you've dabbled in magic and decide you want to get serious, this is the book to get. If you need a gift for a budding young magicion, this is the book to get. Many people know Harry as a memory expert, but magicians also know Harry as an accomplished performer, teacher, and author of magic.

``The Magic Book'' contains descriptions of solid, professional style (no pulling coins out of ears magic here!) close up magic. Indeed, many magicians complained to Harry that he was giving too much away. Their loss is definately your gain.

As a note, this book is in print, having been republished recently by L&L publishing. You might have to search for it. Any magic shop should be able to get it for you, or search the web for a magic supplier.

Harry Lorayne is best known today as a memory expert. Six Las Vegas casinos won't deal Blackjack to him because of his ability to remember cards. However, within the magic fraternity, Lorayne is both a top notch entertainer and original thinker. I've used two card sleights he invented, the halo cut and the ultra-move, to perform what look like card miracles for audiences. In "The Magic Book", Lorayne presents a complete and solid grounding in the basics of sleight-of-hand magic. Starting with cards, he explains the basics of false shuffling, false cuts, double lifts, palming, and forces. His explanation of the jog shuffle is vital for every magician who works with cards. The following two chapters describe effects and routines that use the sleights just explained and essentially self-working card routines. Many of these routines are real stunners, quite literally reputation makers. Whether easy or difficult to perform, the routines give the illusion of the performer being a wizard with cards. Turning from cards, basic coin sleights and routines are explained next, followed by number magic, mental magic and miscellaneous magic. One of the most important parts of the book is the "Afterthoughts" paragraph that follows the description of a particular sleight or routine. Here, Lorayne explains both important points to remember and why certain moves or patter work. These explanations turn the tricks into real magic. Harry Lorayne is one of the best teachers of magic around. "The Magic Book" supports that contention by demonstrating that Lorayne teaches one how to be a magician, that is, how to make real magic happen, as opposed to simply doing tricks. This book is one which belongs in every magician's library.

This book taught me methods to solving math problems quickly and easily. I have owned it for many years, but still refer back to it. The author explains each step in detail, in simple to understand instructions. I recommend this book to anyone, especially if you have to take mathematical, timed aptitude tests. It's actually a joy to read.

For someone who is pained by the very thought of math, I found this book such a relief! It truly teaches very simple techniques to quicken and ease the practice of math. Frankly I'm kind of annoyed that this book was available when I was in grammar school, but I was taught math using the old tired and tedious methods we all know and hate. This book was published in 1966 and should have augmented, if not outright replaced, many math books in every classroom. This book should be a perennial bestseller. Even if you're a math whiz, this book will make you an even greater whiz. Even if you only use a sliver of what this book teaches (which I doubt!) it will still be worth your time and expense many times over. God bless Harry Lorayne!! I can not recommend this book enough!!

I got this book as a kid, in the 60s. The ad in the magazine said, "I'll give you a push-button memory in one evening, or your money back." Mnemonics has been a hobby and asset, vocationally and academically, ever since.

"Secrets of Mind Power" introduced me to Lorayne and his more-detailed "How to Develop a Super-Power Memory."

This book has all the memory techniques that are typically taught in memory courses and other memory books. Even if they are sometimes introduced by other names, all of the techniques are variants and combinations of word-substitution (mostly used for foreign words, but also people's names and words that can't easily be pictured), link, peg, loci (sometimes called Roman Room technique) and phonetic (letter for number substitution) systems. The book is mostly re-hashed information that has been presented earlier (even by Lorayne himself), but the writing style makes it a book worth keeping.

The real strength of this book over others of its kind is the dialog between Lucas and Lorayne. They are fun to read and almost never get boring. There are anecdotes to at the beginning of most chapters and spread throughout the book.

Personally, I found Kenneth Higbee's "Your Memory" a better book, it's more complete a reference and gives much more of the why of memory rather than just the how of remembering. Depending on your needs, you might like this book more, it's got more examples on how to use the systems it introduces and is much lighter and a little less dry, although Higbee's book is very readable.

As with every other memory book, the techniques take time to learn and take considerable effort, but work very well. For a book on memory techniques, this book doesn't dissapoint.

This book was an absolute joy to read. The book contains information on mnemonics, pegs, etc. This information is not particularly new, or unique to this book. But I've read other books on the subject and have not gotten as much use from it as I have this book.

In the first few chapters, you'll already begin to memorize things that you thought couldn't be memorized. I still remember a practice list of random objects in the first couple chapters, with no review or real thought about it since I purchased it back about 2 or 3 years ago (I can't remember when I purchased it, but can still remember the list - ironic, no?).

As much as I enjoyed this book and think how much it has helped me...this book did not provide me with solutions to memory issues such as "where I placed my keys" or "where I parked the car". However, I have memorized Pi to over 100 digits now using the techniques of this book.

Overall, this was a great book, as well as an enjoyable read. For memory books of it's genre, I highly recommend it.

It's a fantastic book that will help you instantly to memorize all 50 states in alphabetical order or any number of items on a shopping list (even two days later). But be prepared to spend some time and effort until you will be able to make the system work for you for some "real-life" challenges like giving a speech, improving reading abilities, or memorize difficult vocabularies of a foreign language. If you make the decision to do so, the techniques described will add a lot of value in all areas of your life, especially for those who suffer from a poor memory. The text and the dialogues are written nicely, so it is actually fun to read. Also, the chapters are categorized into specific abilities, like name remembering, again, speeches, etc., which makes it easy to pick your own selection without reading the entire book.

When I first heard the name I thought it was a speed reading book, but it turned out to be a memory book. This book is good if you are on the go, but if you have some time in your hand then you should definetly read one of his other books. All the stuff he says in the book really works. It's really great. If you buy this book, and you just read, it is usless YOU MUST TRY THE TECHINUQUES HE TELLS YOU. It really improved my memoy a lot.

I think some of you guys are missing the point. If you recall Mr. loryane teaches the principles of memory and association at the beginning of the book. The examples in the book are used only to get you started using the systems not to teach you every single instance in which you might use them. You must grasp the principles of association and visualization first. When an understanding of those concepts have been established then you will clearly see how to twist and apply it to your own memory situations no matter what they may be. He says that at the end of the book. Read the first half carefuly then you will clearly see how he applies the concepts to situations and so will you. I have to say applying the systems to school is a lot better than my old rote technique I used all my life. I used these same techniques to raise my GPA a full point and get on the deans list twice in a row. So, any arguements are lost on experience. All those looking for a way to improve memory for school and life this is it. When you read the book don't skim and pretend like you are in some sort of training because you are. Finally, If you take it seriously, practice, and USE the systems you will reap the benefits, dont and you won't. Bye

This book is a breeze to read. Your memory starts improving with very little effort - this stuff really works.

This little inexpensive gem should be required reading in school. - You can memorize everything.

I espcially like the parts about foreign language vocabulary.

No change for me.I need more than just this, cos i can do it better with my style of learning.Anybody else can tell me more than just 'kiddy way'?

To the person from Indonesia who called this "the kiddy way," I must say this: When I was in college (40 years ago), I searched for memory aids and found only mnemonic methods; I considered them to be artificial and did not use them.

A year or so later, I met Harry Lorayne during a show (he was a mental expert and I was a musician). I was absolutely astounded at what he did and decided that however he did it, I would do the same thing. I told Harry that, and he laughed and said, "Just buy any of my books--they all say the same thing."

I promptly bought ALL of his available books, found that he was correct, and returned all but one, "How to Develop a Super-power Memory." Yes, the method Harry teaches may seem to be a "kiddy way" or simplistic, but it REALLY works. My grades were "A"s thereafter. I remembered whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, regardless of the detail.

If Harry Lorayne's methods don't work for you, it is ONLY because you did not apply them. Period. Do not for a moment think that "miraculous" results cannot spring from "simple" methods.

I also recommend anything Dr. Kenneth Higbee has written.

Get Lorayne's and Higbee's books; do what they say; you WILL be successful.

Peace.

This book can make you an amazing student if you stick with it. It covers all the major memory systems and has some great chapters focusing on certain hard subjects (chem, history, music)

I also reccomend The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas. Its kind of like a big brother to this book and covers a llittle more info but does not focus specifically on school.

This is the first book I've every read on improving memory. It isn't a bad book, all of the memory techniques work and are a complete set (remember faces, numbers, facts, lists etc..) and the book is well written.

The biggest reason that I give it a 3 star rating instead of a 4 or 5 is that the book is badly dated. It needs a re-write or a new edition with photos instead of bad line drawings (of people's faces for the remembering names section) and the constant references to cigarettes (I don't know why, but there is always cigarettes to remember on half of the word lists and various examples, a pet peeve for a non smoker).

If you're looking for a better book, check out Kenneth Higbee's "You Memory" which I consider THE book on memory and memory techniques. You can also check Lorayne's newer books. "The Memory Book" by Lorayne and Lucas is much better and much newer, although it contains almost identical information.

An excelent read for anyone wishing to remember anything ay all. I no longer need a note book to keep track of everything. the time needed to remember is less than writing it down. YOU MUST READ IT

If this book was required reading in school, everyone would be a straight "A" student. All my friends think I'm blessed with a photographic memory. If they only knew all I did was just read this book. (I didn't tell them either!)

I'll try to be brief. Ok,Mr.Lorayne uses the Link and Peg system throughout the book. For instance if you had a list of things you would use the link system. You make up a picture of each item on the list than use an ilogical visual story to connect each item. Your visual story must be ilogical as he stresses throughout the book. The problem is you have to be good at making illogical stories and be able to memorize those stories. Of course he doesn't teach you how to do that. The peg system works on the fact that you only remember something unless it's associated to something else. He uses a phonetic alphabet system by which each sound stands for a number. This way you can memorize words by numbers and vice versa. If you memorize the alphabet you will recall the numbers or words. Now you have a group of words that have no relationship to each other. Therefore he uses the link system to memorize the words. Again your back to the problem with the link system where you have to be good at creating and memorizing stories. Honestly this is just Mnemonics. If you like to create stories of fish sitting on couches to memorize, than buy the book. For the rest of you, use the tried and true repitition way. I know it's slow and frustrating but what else is there. If anyone has a better way than Mnemonics, email me at dreamycastle21@aol.com

This book is my Bible. I was introduced to this book by a referral from another book, interestingly enough, a magic book. The "pitch" was: "memorize a whole deck of cards." Just the mere thought of that intrigued me. The potential of this book is formidable. I've put fear into people by using the techniques in this book, not because I wanted to. Our society seems to deem memory as a...well, sin, something of a taboo. People, as mentioned in this book, are used to the idea of "sporting" a bad memory. People seem to be encouraged to forget things. When one can remember, one is labeled "supernatural." I often "teach" the simple techniques to associates only to realize that they come to look at it as just simply a novelty. Yeah...right, whatever. This "novelty" has yielded a plethora of rewards for me. I'm also bewildered at the myriad of "sceptics" who seem to deem the techniques as "unworthy" of their time. If it works, use it. Never mind the simplicity that's involved. I think the simplicity is the most redoubtable aspect of it all. By the way, I credit this book, soley, for the aid in building my vocabulary.

The book is written in very simple language.It is pretty thin so it does not discourage you from reading it in case you don't have too much patience. I found it extremely useful in my final semesters of engineering when I was required to appear in exams which at times were just a few hours apart.The chain links and peg methods were very useful and allowed me to remember important points and numbers,many of which I had studied more than a month before by exams .Just a last minute glance at the pegs was enough to allow me to recollect all the data on the subject.

...the other 1/2 is quotes.

Lorayne seems to peddle his other works in _Mind Power_, a book touted to increase one's memory skills and positive thinking. After a careful read, though, one doesn't gain any more information than what a few minutes with a positive-minded friend would yield.

Lorayne taps from his other two memory books to bore the reader into inane mnemonics and tricks at remembering names, practices now long-jejoun.

At the price I paid, though ($0.00 at a used book store), I can't completely discredit it as being worthless.

This book cost less than two at the movies. The knowledge I obtained from this book enabled me to memozize thousands of pages from networking manuals. I successfully became a networking engineer with a major corporation. Before I became a engineer, I used the techniques to become a Visual Basic programmer. Which required me to memorize thousands of commands and sub-routines. I would recommend this book to anyone attempting to succeed in a internet based society.

I was plesently surprised by the information on the tape. Mr. Lorayne has a very different yet simple way for you to think about and remember people's names. It's a short tape but very succinct and he touches on possible questions you might have. I plan on listening to it a few more times and would definately recommend it to anyone!