Erudite Magic

01/10/2025

This week, I'm looking into lessons we can learn from old masters, setting the record straight on Al Baker, sharing Stewart James's structure for increasing audience appreciation, and even disclosing a hidden gem in a magic book you might own. Thanks in advance for reading (or listening, if you're a paid subscriber!).

Magic lessons from Michelangelo, Al Baker, and Stewart James

01/03/2025

A new book, a retrospective look at 2024, a MagiFest party plan, and a trick to add to one of Asi Wind's for a synergistic routine...

https://eruditemagic.substack.com/p/onward-into-2025

12/20/2024

Sharing some of the exciting moments from my recent trip to India in my latest post. Much love to my friends there - I can't wait to go back!

Full report from my first time in Asia

12/18/2024

Humbled and excited. What a year for Erudite Magic thanks to all of you!!! 🥳

12/16/2024

I just realized that I never posted these after my discussion of 's The Particle System on Erudite Magic! 😱

This is such a gorgeous set of books, and some *killer* card magic. But really, the best part for me was learning the system and the thinking behind what makes a good stack.

I've started to work on memorizing the Particle Stack, but these books have also informed my Aronson stack work. So many of the tricks work with any stack, and it's nice that there are designations for each trick so you know the flexibility and restrictions of each.

What about you? Do you use any kind of stack in your card magic/mentalism?

12/14/2024

I have been wildly inconsistent with the Erudite Magic Digest the last few weeks, but we're starting to get things back on track, starting today with the books that are coming in as well as a sneak peek of books still on their way. Enjoy!

'Tis the season

10/27/2024

What are some of your favorite tricks from Practical Mental?

In my budget 5 foot shelf of magic, I made a glaring omission. Some of you caught it, but many did not, so I'm here to fix this and recommend one of the best...

10/26/2024

New debrief from my recent magic getaway to Washington DC:

Erudite Magic learnings from a recent trip

10/24/2024

I was inspired this weekend to pull this book off my shelf. Michael Vincent dazzled us with his rendition of the cups and balls, using the gorgeous Sherwood cups and some incredible, entertaining sleight of hand.

Even though I'm a mentalist, I think it's important to study classical methods to learn both the sleights, psychology, and misdirection necessary for all types of magic.

What about you? What's your favorite classic magic to study?

10/23/2024

I just received this version of The Expert at the Card Table by David Ben and Magicana. It's not a complete reprint of everything in the original, but it's an excellent supplement, rearranging the text for clarity and including pictures to aid in learning the techniques.

Have you deeply studied the works for S.W. Erdnase?

10/22/2024

I made so many memories this weekend at ’s The Retreat: Washington DC. One of the [many]perks is getting ahold of some great material in these smaller booklets. Throughout the weekend, we were introduced to magic by , , , and . I learned a lot, but I’m glad the story doesn’t end there…

I’ve got more studying to do in the pages of these books. They’ll be offered for sale in the future, but for now, here’s a sneak peak for my Erudite friends.

10/11/2024

Let's talk about books that are coming - this is going to be an epic end to 2024! What are you most excited about in magic books right now or in the future?

Get your library ready! 📚

09/15/2024

How well do you know Paul Curry? Get to know his work better in today's episode of Erudite Magic.

Paul Curry is well known for creating Out of This World (a tremendous card trick). But what about the rest of his magic? Is it any good? In this episode of E...

09/14/2024

A new issue of The Erudite Magic Digest dropped yesterday. As always, it's a smorgasbord of magic-related topics, but I'm sharing my magical EDC. What's in yours?

https://bit.ly/MagicEDC

09/09/2024

Sure, everyone knows Paul Curry for Out of This World, but did you know this fascinating man shared so much more with the magic world?! 🌎

In Worlds Beyond, you'll find 77 ingenious Curry creations that are flying below the radar, just waiting on you to share them with an appreciative audience. Plus, you can learn some really devious sleights like the Curry Swindle Switch. If you don't know this utility move, you owe it to yourself to look it up!

What are your favorite Paul Curry tricks? 🤔

ICYMI: this weekend on Erudite Magic, I shared one foot of magic books from old-time masters, and this was just one of the books...

09/07/2024

ICYMI: another [free] resource for book-loving magicians to help you in your magical journey. Enjoy!

where do you rank?

09/02/2024

Due to some scheduling and technical difficulties, Erudite Magic is being published today - Labor Day - instead of Sunday. Enjoy this special episode!

Do you have a magic book problem? Do you know if you do? In this episode of Erudite Magic, I'm sharing some tips to get past that and illustrating how it's w...