SYNOPSIS:
The Magic of Michael Ammar is a broad collection of Michael Ammar’s professional close-up and stand-up material from the 1980s, bringing together routines, techniques, essays, and practical advice that had previously appeared in sources such as the Command Performance series, Encore I, Encore II, and The Manual of Magic Psychology. Ammar’s goal is not simply to teach tricks, but to show how strong magic is constructed, rehearsed, presented, and turned into reliable professional repertoire.
The book opens with Ammar’s complete Cups and Balls routine, including detailed work on the Vernon Wand Spin and other refinements. It then moves through utility techniques involving coins, cards, rope, thumb tips, vanishes, forces, and switches. A substantial section of eight philosophical essays on magic examines performance, psychology, audience impact, and the development of memorable magic.
Other sections include close-up routines with cards, coins, rubber bands, and everyday objects, along with material for restaurants and informal stand-up settings. The book also contains worksheets and advice on professional performance and the business side of magic, including how to develop an act and increase performance fees.
Book Details:
Author/Creator: Michael Ammar
Publisher: L & L Publishing
Publication Year: 1991
Subjects: Close-Up Magic, Cards, Coins, Magic Theory, Parlor Magic
Pages: 306
Skill Level: Intermediate
Availability: Vanishing Inc.
Performance:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Introduction by David Copperfield (p. i)
• Foreword by Michael Ammar (p. ii)
• Preface by Mike Maxwell (p. iv)
CHAPTER ONE: Cups Balls
• Stand-Up Cups Balls (p. 1)
• The Dai Vernon Wand Spin (p. 31)
CHAPTER TWO: Utilities
• Retention Vanish (p. 33)
• Amazing Coin Vanish by Rick Anderson (p. 35)
• Fingertip Coin Vanish by John Carney (p. 38)
• Ultimate One-Finger Spellbound (p. 40)
• Corner Switch (p. 44)
• Bottom Deal Force (p. 46)
• Wiped Clean 1 (p. 48)
• Wiped Clean 2 (p. 51)
• Clip Card Vanish (p. 54)
• Cut And Restored Rope Replacement (p. 56)
• Side Steal (p. 58)
• Thumbtip Finesse (p. 60)
CHAPTER THREE: Eight Philosophical Essays On Magic
• In The Men’s Hut (p. 67)
• Super Group (p. 69)
• I’ve Got Rhythm (p. 74)
• The Unspoken Performance (p. 76)
• Lying: The Unconscious Dilution Of Impact (p. 80)
• Get More Rubals From Your Magic (p. 82)
• I’m In Training. (p. 84)
• Have No Mercy (p. 86)
CHAPTER FOUR: Social Workers
• This’ll Flip You Out (p. 89)
• Coin On Ceiling (p. 93)
• Card Matrix (p. 95)
• Short But Sweet by Bob Chesebro (p. 99)
• Silver Certificate by Lou Gallo (p. 102)
• Coin In Pen Cap by David Williamson (p. 105)
CHAPTER FIVE: Restaurants
• New Wave Coins Across by Mike Gallo (p. 107)
• Reverse Matrix by David Williamson (p. 111)
• The Vanishing Glass (p. 115)
• Coins Through Table Kicker by Mike Gallo (p. 119)
• Now Cut That Out by David Williamson (p. 122)
• Switching Sandwiches (p. 125)
• Torn And Restored Cigarette 1 (p. 130)
• Torn And Restored Cigarette 2 (p. 132)
• Ring Band-It (p. 135)
• Did You Order Salt Or Pepper (p. 145)
• Bluefield Debut (p. 149)
• Broken And Restored Rubber Band Finesse (p. 154)
• The Linking Headbands Pinch (p. 158)
CHAPTER SIX: Reputation Makers
• Pencil Thru Quarter (with Trade Show Climax) (p. 161)
• The Iceman Cometh (p. 169)
• Card Cubes (p. 172)
• Let’s Hit The Bottle (p. 175)
CHAPTER SEVEN: Stand-Up
• Silk To Egg (p. 183)
• Indoor Baseball (p. 189)
• Signed Bill In Light Bulb (p. 193)
• Billy, The Hypnotized Balloon (p. 199)
• The Two Card Trick (p. 208)
• Haley’s Comet (p. 211)
CHAPTER EIGHT: Magic Management
• Custom Cue Sheets (p. 215)
• Show Sheets (p. 219)
• Personal Project Planner (p. 222)
• Booking Sheets (p. 224)
CHAPTER NINE: Classic Renditions
• The Thumbtip Bill Switch (p. 227)
• The Crazy Man’s Handcuffs (p. 238)
CHAPTER TEN: Bonus Chapter
• False Count With Coins (p. 249)
• Multiple Coin Production (p. 251)
• Double Color Change (p. 254)
• Kointakey (p. 258)
• Inversion by James Lewis (p. 263)
• Incredible Coins Across (p. 268)
• The Vernon Theory Of Artistic Advancement: An Essay by Michael Ammar (p. 273)
• Challenging Your Experiences: An Essay by Michael Ammar (p. 274)
• Where Do You Stand?: An Essay by Michael Ammar (p. 276)
• On Magic Competition – Part One: Technical Preparation (p. 278)
• On Magic Competition – Part Two: Mental Preparation (p. 280)
• Pencil Thru Quarter Finesse by David Williamson (p. 283)
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Making Magic Memorable
• The Development Of Style (p. 287)
• Eight Principles For Making Magic Memorable (p. 289)
CHAPTER TWELVE: Negotiating Higher Performance Fees
• Negotiating (p. 296)
• The Three Stages Of Negotiation (p. 297)
• Nine Gambits (p. 299)
