Introduction by David Copperfield

There are things one gives up when one becomes a magician, like the experience of feeling the wonder yourself. That grabbing, emotional sensation of amazement becomes a rare personal experience for a magician. As children we become so enraptured with the feeling that we devote our life to its pursuit, but sadly, the more familiar we are with creating wonder, the more rare it is to fee] that sensation yourself,

T usually need to review hundreds of effects in order to select one for use on my television specials. So it has become particularly difficult for me to experience that cherished, primal touch of wonder. Years ago, at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Michael Ammar asked if I would like to see something special, I was shown three silver coins and asked to cup my hands together. The first two coins traveled magically from his hands into mine, and I started to anticipate the inevitable ending.

Yet, to my delight, the inevitable happened in an unexpected way. The final coin seemed to materialize in mid-air, before dropping into my hands. It came from nowhere, and for the first time in years 1 got to feel a rare moment of astonishment.

Michael has studied those human experiences, in the same way a scientist tries to unlock the secrets of nature. Ethereal topics such as impact, wonder and amazement have been dissected, crystallized and articulated. You'll find these performance insights sprinkled through the technical explanations in this book. The end result is a book that doesn't just teach, but also inspires. In the magic industry, Michael is truly the magician’s magician. Fortunately, he is also one of magic’s best teachers.

Magic is an Art as well as a craft, but it's ultimate expression depends on the “business” as well as the “show”. Without consideration of the business and self-management facets of magic detailed in this book, the most brilliant magic may never get beyond a dress rehearsal. Here you'll find magic addressed with dignity, but you'll also find it addressed as a career.

In the chapter on Classic Renditions, you can learn the “How’s” and “Why’s” behind two of the close-up effects which have earned tremendous results for me. They've held their own in the company of the most grand illusions, yet both effects can be carried along with your spare change in a single pocket, ready in an instant under the most demanding of conditions. It's hard to imagine that any student of magic wouldn’t consider them required reading in Magic 101.

On one of my specials a rubber band routine may fill as much air time as a million dollar illusion, and on television a quarter can seem as large as the Statue of Liberty. With the proper construction, routines which feature these items can, in fact, be delivered with the same degree of impact. This carries fascinating implications for those considering magic as a profession as, clearly, those reactions are not the exclusive results of television budgets.

In this book, readers of every level can explore the innovative methods, study the construction of the material, and consider the principles that can bring those feelings to life for themselves and their audiences. Read, think, rehearse and perhaps one day your audience can experience the wonder 1 felt that night at the Castle when a coin materialized from nowhere and dropped into my hands.

David Copperfield March 31, 1991