A Review of an older book...

Actually, it's a set of lecture notes. I am a big fan of books in magic, they are efficient, beautiful, and often contain the detail and excellent tricks that people are looking for! The practical stuff, a magician's life of magic in a volume. Any magician who has accumulated a significant library knows there are certain hidden gems. Specific books that people disregard, but you know better than that. Under appreciated works full of information most people are constantly looking for.

A common day example would be the Dale Carnegie book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. I recently found a set of lecture notes by Denny of Denny and Lee's in a bargain bin at my local brick and mortar.

Let me tell you first what these notes are not, they are not full of tricks (there are actually no tricks at all!), this set of notes is a very concise clear set of instructions on defining yourself in the magic world and making a real living from magic.

My first impression was that these notes are dated, and this is true in many ways, the advice on using a tape player instead of recorder for example. Also these were written in a time before the Internet, so no info on that either.

But this book does write a few things that are must knows, a formula for a "club date act", how to charge 5 times more than everyone else doing close up magic and have the client be HAPPIER about it!
Some great tips on getting your publicity together, although he advocates black and white photos over colour, I'm not an expert in this field but from an expert, Paul Romhany, states in his cruise ship book, that a black and white is advisable but colour photos are worth the extra cost. I would wager that the artistic integrity and feel of the photo lends itself to being either black and white or color. Take a peek through some posters at a music store and you will see black and white and color ones, if either were the other way (black and white being in color instead) they would lose a certain flavor I'm sure.
The notes are 41 pages in length, and to be honest I was slapped in the face after reading these notes. The ins and outs of performing magic for a living are all covered and I couldn't be happier!

I would highly recommend these notes, although I would love to see them updated. At 12.50 from Denny and Lees I don't know how any working pro or wanting to be working magician can afford to be without these notes. I am sorry it has taken me so long to get them!