Ever wondered how the masters of magic made it happen? Here are your keys to the Kingdom
How to do Magic: Tricks, Secrets and Showmanship With Things You Already Own
A new magic book that unlocks the secrets of the Masters.
Borrow a coin at dinner tonight and make it vanish. Tear a paper napkin to pieces and hand it back whole. Everything you need is already in your kitchen drawer, and James, the BBC magician behind five international smash-hit tours, shows you exactly what to say so every trick lands. It works whether you've never done a trick or you've been performing for years.
Three years in the making and filled with some of the world's most amazing magic.
Meet your tutor
Star of The Greatest Magician™ and the BBC magician behind five international smash-hit tours. James went from tiny rooms at the Edinburgh Fringe to huge theatres around the world, and this book puts his favourite tricks and real secrets in your hands.
What reviewers say
- ★★★★★
“This isn't for people who want to see magic, this is for the ones who want to feel it.”
World Magic Review, on James's live show - ★★★★★
“British magic at its finest. Utterly magnificent from beginning to end.”
London Theatre, on James's live show - ★★★★★
“Magic with heart. A full-throttle celebration of charm.”
Suzzi Spotlight, on James's live show
Seen on
What you'll learn
- See every trick the way your audience will
- Practise the smart way, so tricks feel natural fast
- Write lines that turn a trick into a moment
- Control exactly where people look, and when
- Turn single tricks into a show people remember
- Win over any crowd, from kids to sceptics
- Recover from mistakes so nobody ever notices
- Beat nerves and find a style that is all yours
- Protect your secrets so the wonder lasts
- Make your own props for next to nothing
Chapters (11)
011. Coin Magic
Make coins vanish, appear from behind ears and pass straight through tables and glasses.
022. Tabletop and Restaurant Magic
Turn cutlery, straws and napkins into miracles right there at the dinner table.
033. Rubber Band Magic
Make rubber bands jump between fingers, link together and melt through your thumb.
044. Sponge Ball Magic
Make soft sponge balls multiply in your friend's own hand.
055. Salt and Pepper Magic
Vanish a salt shaker, push it through the table and make pepper flee on command.
066. Magic with Food
Float a bread roll, peel a banana that's already sliced and crack a walnut in your elbow.
077. Fingers, Hands and Body
Baffle people with nothing but your hands, from a removable thumb to arms that float on their own.
088. Card Magic
Find, predict and reveal chosen cards with tricks that need no sleight of hand.
099. Paper, String and Handkerchiefs
Cut and restore rope, tear and restore paper and make a handkerchief vanish into thin air.
1010. Parlour Games and Puzzles
Classic games, puzzles and bar bets that get the whole room joining in.
1111. Mind Reading and Mentalism
Read minds, predict numbers and reveal thoughts like a real mentalist.
Use it tonight
Create real magic. No expensive magic set.
Forget the box of plastic props. Every trick in this book starts with things you already own: a coin, a napkin, a bread roll, a rubber band. Learn one this afternoon and you can perform it at dinner tonight, with nothing to order and nothing to wait for.
Some of these tricks have been fooling clever people for 150 years. Others are James's personal favourites, the ones he still performs because of the gasps they get. Plenty need no sleight of hand at all.
And the secret is only the start. A trick on its own is just a puzzle. What turns it into a moment people talk about for weeks is how you perform it. You'll learn exactly what to say, where to look and how to turn a handful of tricks into a short show your friends and family will beg to see again.
Here's what that looks like in front of a real audience:
What readers say
From people who bought the book
- ★★★★★
“Did a few of the coin trick on my husband and he still isn't talking to me until I tell him how I did it. He can't work it out. I've never done magic before so was rather pleased with myself!”
Rachel Morris - ★★★★★
“The salt shaker trick got a proper reaction at the pub last night. That alone made the book worth buying for me.”
Richard Evans - ★★★★★
“My 11 year old absolutely loves this. He's been showing us tricks all week and getting quite good at them too. Money well spent.”
Julie Harris - ★★★★★
“I've been performing magic for nearly 15 years and there's some really good stuff in here. A lot of classics I've used myself over the years, explained properly and with extra notes and subtleties. The advice on presentation is particularly good. Wish I'd had something like this five years ago.”
DF - ★★★★★
“I've had a few magic books over the years and this is probably the easiest to follow. Nice that you don't have to go out and buy loads of stuff either.”
Paul Bennett - ★★★★★
“Bought as a birthday present for my dad. He's 68 and has always loved magic. Never dabbled. He loves it. Great book.”
Mandy Watts
Read more reviews
- ★★★★★
“Bought this thinking I'd learn a couple of card tricks. Ended up spending most of Sunday afternoon trying things out. Really good book.”
Mark Thompson - ★★★★★
“Really enjoying this. It's written in a friendly way and doesn't make you feel daft for being a complete beginner. Already learnt a few things.”
Louise Carter - ★★★★★
“I liked the advice on what to say and how to perform the tricks. Never really thought about that side of magic before. Makes a big difference. Superb”
Chris Walker - ★★★★★
“Good selection of tricks, genuine bafflers. Some easier than others. Took me a while to get a couple right but getting there.”
Stephen Clarke
Fool someone or your money back. If your first trick doesn't fool someone within 30 days, get a full refund.
Free shipping and handling. Fast delivery.
Who's this book for?
- 1
You're a complete beginner who has always wondered "how?" You don't need special hands, just curiosity and a bit of patience.
- 2
You want something to do round the table at Christmas, in the pub or with the kids, using whatever's in front of you.
- 3
You already perform and want sharper routines, better scripting and the stagecraft James uses on tour.
- 4
You've seen one of James's shows and want to take some of the magic home, including how he performs it.
Meet your tutor
James Phelan
“When I was four, my teacher told me I'd never make anything of myself doing magic. Years later she bought a ticket to one of my sold-out tour shows and waited at the end to apologise, in person. Everyone starts with one small trick and at least one person who doesn't believe in it. This book is for your first trick.”
James is the BBC magician behind five international smash-hit tours: The Man Who Was Magic, The Greatest Magician™, The Secret Room and Showman among them. London Theatre called it "British magic at its finest."
His shows started tiny. Small rooms, a handful of people, a bag of props. He took them to the Edinburgh Fringe and, show by show, they grew into theatre tours. This book is where he'd tell you to start.
Fool someone or your money back. If your first trick doesn't fool someone within 30 days, get a full refund.
Free shipping and handling. Fast delivery.
