talkmagic.co.uk

It's well worth it! I'm trying to find an excuse to buy another copy!

Bring out a second edition with a different cover?

Chaps,

I'm down to two copies of each again (you greedy lot! ). If you still want a signed copy of either, please speak up via PM and you could be reading minds and freaking people out over the phone this weekend.

I think its worth it, looks great

Tomo wrote:Chaps,

I'm down to two copies of each again (you greedy lot! ). If you still want a signed copy of either, please speak up via PM and you could be reading minds and freaking people out over the phone this weekend.

Stop tempting me! It's an expensive month!
Although if at the end of the month I have a spare allocation of funds, I may end up getting it...

Next stop: Learning to read...

DenmarkKilo wrote:

Tomo wrote:Chaps,

I'm down to two copies of each again (you greedy lot! ). If you still want a signed copy of either, please speak up via PM and you could be reading minds and freaking people out over the phone this weekend.

Stop tempting me! It's an expensive month!
Although if at the end of the month I have a spare allocation of funds, I may end up getting it...

Next stop: Learning to read...

If you enjoy this friday, every effect came from Naked Mentalism I, II, and III

I've got to say, this book is brilliant! I was at first worried, as I flicked through and saw...Tables. A word more terrifying to magicians than the shocking words "Sleight of hand". But then, I read it. And I suddenly realised that these tables aren't scary tables. These tables are cuddly tables, that are bursting with knowledge, lots of little patter suggestions for each one, and a whole lot of nice, safe text as well. I am still amazed at the naked book test and the coin prediction. In fact, I've just tried the book test with this review, and I got another hit! People will, whatever you tell them, think that to an extent you must be psychic. I would do a proper review, but I've only read it twice so far, and I'm more than a bit lazy. I'll write one later. And it will be 10/10. Quality book!

I was well aware of the issue of tables prior to purchasing this from Tomo via the market place that is Talk Magic, and whilst I was also well versed as to the capabilities and effects in this book, I was more curious as to the actual continuous prose itself, as, being a magic geek, I do enjoy reading about magic.

I do feel that the interruption of tables was like a swaggering drunk trying to cut in on a slow dance between you and a lady trying to foxtrot across a ballroom, but the more I think about this the more I do appreciate the premise and novel way of presenting what is a very hands-on magic effect, all dressed up in an attractive package cum book.

I'm treating this in the same way I have treated Anthony Jacquin's Reality Is Plastic, in that with a certain amount of parotting / memory work, the information contained therein amounts to the Real Deal in mentalism. I've yet to sacrifice a lamb to the gods of my social life as of yet, but know that in future there is a real miracle in the making.

As with RIP, the continuous prose is presented in a matter of fact way, which, whilst hinting at the rationale and reasons as to its effectiveness, it does not get bogged down into jargon blitz or scenic routes of analysis that could quite easily account for a 200 page plus book on mentalism. In that sense, the no nonsense approach makes this product by Jon Thompson the John Smiths of magic literature.

It is also enough of a blank canvas to allow you to shape the Naked Book Test (to quote magic reviews, this is certainly worth the price of the book alone, and quite a steal at £19 I say) into your own persona. I'm sure this is the kind of publicity stunt that Corinda intimated at when you think of the possibilities of using the Naked Book Test on a random, and adopting a Derren Brown esque premise of having her go into a book shop and subsequently divine that merely thought of word... This would be ideal for as an edit for a magic promo video for instance. However, personally I would like to use this effect as an excuse to phone an old friend out of the blue and demonstrate telephone mentalism. Even in that situation it will still be necessary to put in the effort.

I also like the Naked philosophy of having an inexplicable esotoric talent, and to entertain and engage with no props. As with magic in general, it is all a life skill, so I just aspire to one day be sitting half asleep in a rockin chair and my grandkids reading the latest Harry Potter or Twilight or whatever fad becomes the norm and I am able to seriously twist their melon!

As with many effects, my tendency is to show effects prematurely on close friends and family and to hone them later. Whilst the initial guinea pigs are impressed, it is the process of honing one's craft that takes an excellent effect into the realm of garish creepiness and / or wonder [insert child-like state of emotion here]. Effects like Coinvexed by David Penn, or hypnosis, for example, are well and truly capable of such a cerebral reaction and, i am pleased to say, it is reassuring that already I suspect that the Naked Book Test - and to a lesser extent the rest of Naked Mentalism - will undoubtedly fall into such category.

All I need now is Sleight of Mind and Alchemical Tools and my insatiable appetite for magic literature has some realistic end in sight!

It was a treat to read the two Naked Mentalism books. They are much better edited than many magic and mentalism books and the arguments flow logically.

It is not just that Jon structures his mentalism moments with minimal concrete material (or no props at all). He presents a methodology for estimating or predicting what a participant may say or write when giving apparently spontaneous and free responses to questions. I have found these techniques to be an excellent addition to the mentalism arsenal.

I cannot praise this book enough!
I can now do a good hour of material (not that I do, ten minutes max normally), completely impromptu, with no equipment, not even paper and pencil. And it gets better reactions than my prepared routines! In fact, I have found a nice way of incorporating naked stuff into classic mentalism, to make it all scarily powerful.
*runs off to reread naked mentalism*

I'm considering buying at least one of these but I'm still on the fence. I really like the whole game of educated playing the odds and all that goes with it, but too often have I been burnt by a lot of hype over some books that aren't especially useful. This looks like something that could have some useful substance to it, but I'm just wondering a bit about what I'd be getting.

1. I did buy the full scripted book test to get a taste, and I see that it has great potential. Does the full NM1 offer a lot of different things, or is it more ways to do similar things to the book test?

2. Is it worth buying the second edition as a standalone? Priming is what really interests me. Does NM2 have all the same tables and discussion of the first but elaborated, or is it kind of a sequel?

3. If I buy one and then the other instead of both together, does the discount still stand?

4. Are variations and applications discussed in the locked forum on Naked Mentalism? And if so, how does one get access? (not to be presumptuous but I'm curious).

Thanks to anyone who helps answer those. I really like the idea but I feel like i haven't gotten enough of an idea of what I'd get out of the books from reviews and the posts so far. Some might go so far as to call me frugal, but I do appreciate anything that helps me understand what I'm getting into.

I believe that NM2 is not as useful without the first book*. Also, in the book a lot of priming is taught, as well as some very nice effects similar to the NBT, but with new "stuff" (I have no idea what the word I'm looking for is ). I recommend reading the whole of this thread, it should give you a better description than I can.

*NOTE: I do not own NM2, I am just going off what I have heard from the review section, and that is that NM2 is best used as a "companion" for NM1.

I have just received my copy of the first book. I have only had a chance to read a few pages and look over the contents but I can tell this is going to be a very interesting read.

I can see myself buying the 2nd.

Also, Tomo was very helpful and kept me informed with delivery details etc.

If anybody wants to buy the book, Lulu have offered a discount code of 20% off, which they would subsidise towards mr Tomo, if used by may 26th

code = THANKS305

So now is the excuse if you needed one

Thanks for the lovely comments chaps and chapesses. The discount code looks good. If you want signed copies, however, I can do those from here.

I've used my discount code!

Saved a nice £4