Foundations
Magic and Showmanship
Henning Nelms (Dover)
This book has become a modern classic on the art of presentation. Highly recommended.
Advanced
Magic and Meaning
Eugene Burger & Robert E. Neale (Hermetic Press)
A series of essays on how to make magic relevant to modern audiences. I consider this one of most important books ever written; even if you disagree with their opinion, it’ll make you think–a lot! Highly recommended.
Strong Magic
Darwin Ortiz (Kaufman & Greenberg)
An excellent, scholarly analysis of what makes good close-up magic, by an acknowledged master.
Magical Adventures and Fairy Tales
Punx (Exclusive Magical Publications)
Athough Punx is best remembered as a mentalist, he performed close-up and stand-up magic as well. In this book, he explains how to make magic more compelling by giving it a theatrical flavor. I consider this one of the most important books in all of magic and undertook to republish it (now available as Once Upon a Time…).
The Five Points in Magic
Juan Tamariz (Editorial Frakson)
A course in misdirection and presentation by one of the top magicians of our time.
The Magic Way
Juan Tamariz (Editorial Frakson)
A treatise on creating magic that cannot be explained or reconstructed.
