Scarne's Magic Tricks (Dover Magic Books)

Make broken objects whole, read minds, make objects vanish and reappear, induce a hypnotic trance — all these and many other classic maneuvers are within the grasp of aspiring magicians. One of the world's most famous practitioners reveals 200 masterful deceptions that can be performed without training or special equipment. Drawing both from his own extensive repertoire, John Scarne explains the secrets behind a tremendous variety of illusions that can be pulled off in any situation, from a large stage to a small room. His streamlined, simplified explanations reward a brief study with an impressive repertoire of tricks.