Best books

Magicman007: Mr Williams.

A simple question:

What have been the most influential magic books in your library, and why?

Thanks for taking the time to be here.

Alex

Geoff Williams: Okay, Alex, you asked for it...

Most influential magic books (in no particular order):

The Mark Wilson Complete Course in Magic

Carneycopia (Stephen Minch)

The Books of Wonder (Tommy Wonder)

Leading With Your Head (Gary Kurtz)

The Magic of Michael Ammar

Tricks of the Imagination (Robert Neale)

Magic and Showmanship (Dariel Fitzkee)

Anything by John Bannon (especially Smoke and Mirrors)

Anything by Paul Harris

Close-Up Illusions (Gary Ouellet)

The Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic (Martin Gardner)

The Complete Almanac, Williamson's Wonders, 100% Sankey and Show Time at the Tom Foolery (all by Richard Kaufman)

The New Modern Coin Magic (J.B. Bobo)

Mystification(Richard Bartram Jr.)

Everything's Funnier With Monkeys (Doc Dixon)

The Commerical Magic of J.C. Wagner (Mike Maxwell)

Reputation Makers (Harry Lorayne)

Million Dollar Card Secrets (Frank Garcia)

Variations (Earl Nelson)

Life Savers (Michael Weber)

The Five Points in Magic and The Magic Way (both by Juan Tamariz)

Seabrooke's Book: Around the World With a Baking Tin (Terry Seabrooke)

Card Craft (J.K. Hartman)

The complete Tarbell Course

...and too many more to mention. I have a HUGE library (about 1700 books).

Whew!

I would suppose I came away with something from the reading of the book: a new technique, an insight, a laugh, something that made me a better magician. Something that made me feel, "Yes! I'm glad I read that! Now I can grow a little bit more...Now I can understand some of these subtleties just a bit better...Now I can understand what others must have gone through in their struggle to make their performances stronger...Now I know how Copperfield's "Heaven On The 7th Floor" elevator works...

Okay, maybe not that last one...

Who, What and Where

Garethwitty: Hi Geoff, I have read that you have been into magic for many years. I would love to know what magicans have influenced you during the course of your magical travels.

Gareth

PS Can you get a discount for us for your DVDs?

Geoff Williams: Gareth,

I have been involved with performance magic for about 20 years now. For some of you, that's not very long, unless you're a mayfly in which case that's thousands of generations.

I tried that once. I told them I wanted half off so they cut the 2-hour DVD down to 55 minutes.

In retrospect, it seems they may have misunderstood me.

Garethwitty: Nice one, but has or is there any magicians out that who helped or gave advice (good or bad!)

For me it has to be Paul Daniels and Paul Zenon who make magic more fun.

Geoff Williams: Most influential for me (in no particular order):

Michael Ammar Aldo Colombini Tom Mullica Bob Sheets Doc Eason Juan Tamariz Jay Sankey Daryl Mike Rogers

Not a bad lineup for a super show.

Garethwitty: Now that would be a great show with all that talent!

Favourite

Aaron_ade: Hi Geoff welcome to magicbunny hope you enjoy answering our questions and who knows even maybe stick around!!

My question for you is

There must be one effect you do when performing that you really look forward to, the one effect that when you do it, absolutely spins people’s heads (not literally of course as that would be freaky yet highly entertaining)

So the question is what is your favourite effect not to watch but to perform?

Geoff Williams: Aaron,

Several come to mind but, having to pick one, I have to say I love performing "The I Hate David Copperfield Trick" for folks as it's so visually stunning and gets such a strong reaction.

I remember Jay Scott Berry and I were booked at the same magic convention in the Midwest. I performed The I Hate DC Trick for him one evening and he just started laughing like a little kid. You could tell he had no clue as to the method and it delighted him. Of course, he never asked for the secret; I'm sure he wanted to hold onto that "moment of astonishment" as long as possible. Isn't that the reason we all got into magic in the first place: to see miracles happen right in front of our eyes?

Technically easy effects

Ethan: Hi Geoff,

Most of your effects appear to be far from sleight heavy, do you purposely seek out the technically easier effects in order to concentrate on presentation?

Also, as good as your DVDs are, from the little bit I've seen of what's coming, I really can't wait. Do you have an approximate date for your next DVD? Can you assure me that it's not just all camera trickery? Cos I'm really having difficulty coming up with other methods.

Geoff Williams: Ethan,

Actually, I could care less how easy something is to do; the effect is everything. I purposefully left off of the DVDs some of the tougher stuff because, well, it's not significantly more impressive than the easier stuff and I wanted the material to appeal to a larger base of magicians (beginner to intermediate).

My next DVD set will be "Really Hard Stuff to Make Your Ears Bleed" filled with things that only myself, and the ghost of Fred Kaps, can do.

As for approximate date of my next DVD...sometime around the 8th of the month of Hellfreezingover. Actually, it'll be awhile as I want to build a bit of a reputation with the MFM stuff and maybe tour some lectures with it. Which reminds me of an ancient extinct Indian tribal saying: "I want to milk this horse for all it's worth!" (which sheds some light on why that particular ancient Indian tribe is extinct)

BTW, if by camera trickery you're referring to my lack of hair... I want you to know I have it professionally thinned.