I'm interested in hearing more about the Bob Longe books (e.g. World's Best Card Tricks, World's Greatest Card Tricks, 101 Amazing Card Tricks, Little Giant Book of Card Tricks) from those who are familiar with them. Years ago I borrowed some from the public library, and at that time I noticed that they do include some classic self-working tricks (e.g. Out of This World). On the whole, how do they compare with the books by Karl Fulves, for example? Which would you recommend first - Karl Fulves or Bob Longe, and why? The Bob Longe books are published by Sterling, and perhaps I'm mistaken but they seem more to be geared to a broader market (you see them in public libraries, places like Chapters, etc), although that doesn't necessarily mean that the content is inferior to the Karl Fulves books. Any thoughts?

I have the first 3 titles you mentioned. I don't have the vast library (or experience) of many posters here, so I can't offer much comparison, but...

I believe that, as you noted, quite a few well known tricks appear in these books, and often the handling was changed to simplify them (according to what Longe says.) This is essentially the same sort of thing as "Scarne on Card Tricks" which contains modified handlings of sleight tricks.

However, Longe's books are not all "self-working" tricks. There are some sleights required, although I think they would be considered the more basic or elementary ones by most. Most but not all are one deck impromptu tricks, some require setups on the fly.

The methods are simply explained, although not in the frequently seen "Effect" & "Method" style. There is more emphasis on method than effect. In "101 Card Tricks" particularly, there is only the most barebones description, with little if any patter (to be expected I guess in a small paperback with this many effects in it.)

I have not seen much mention of the books around here, good or bad. I'm a little surpised since the books are in the same vein as "Scarne on Card Tricks" which seems to garner favorable opinions. I think "Longe" doesn't carry quite the same weight as "Scarne" in the world of cards. If you picked up these books and learned the effects I imagine you could have a good time with friends and relatives but you likely won't fool a room full of card guys, if that is your thing. (If it was you wouldn't be looking at Longe books anyway...)

Compared to Fulves - I have "Self Working.." and "Charles Jordan's.." by Fulves. The first was the first magic book I ever got as a kid. Some simple self workers, some requiring setups. I don't have "More Self-Working," which I believe contains "Gemini Twins," which is a pretty highly regarded effect as far as simple self workers go.

In the "Jordan" book Fulves goes more into the analysis of the method/principles and sometimes describes an altered handling or an extension of the idea. The Jordan book is a "sort of" textbook on these tricks. There are impromptu, stack, gaff, 2 deck, etc. etc. tricks in here. Some are practically self working and some require sleights that might need a lot of practice.

As for how "good" the stuff is in any of these books - -they are so cheap that you are almost guaranteed to find a good effect, or at least useful ideas, in there somewhere.

Since I only own two Bob Longe books (and only one on card tricks), I can not claim to be an expert, but it seems to me the majority of his books published by Sterling are geared to more a juvenile audience, while most of the Fulves books by Dover are aimed to readers of all ages.

I have a couple of these and found a few real easy but good tricks and there cheap too.

I think Fulves is a little more selective to good tricks that Longe is.

I have five of Bob's small card magic books from Sterling. The ones published earlier (the first three you listed above) contain some excellent tricks, all explained in a very readable way intended for a general audience. I agree with cristo; they are well worth the very low price.

There is an older thread here that has some information about Bob Longe the man:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=134

Although I don't have any of the Fulves books I can highly recommend Bob Longes books.His giant book of card tricks book has some real gems in it using basic slights as well as some really good self workers.I think this book is an amalgamation of some of his other card books so it would be an ideal place to start.I got mine from my local bargain bookstore years ago and you can get his books very cheap on amazon.

OK I've fished out my Bob Longe book Giant Book of Card Tricks and the notes I keep with it.This is a fantastic book far better than I recalled.It starts off teaching forces sleights controls shuffles and false cuts.There is also tips and advice.There are 79 tricks in this book over half are in my notes to try.Some are in my repertoire already.Some I have fooled magicians with.I am now going to read through this book again and see what I can add to my stuff.I cant wait to try out the outrageous three phase oil and water routine that is just about self working.Bob gives lots of credits to other magicians.All this and it only cost me £3 from a bargain bookstore.I would highly recommend this to beginners and those wishing to take the next step on from self workers.

Is this a different book than The Little Giant Book of Card Tricks (a pocket sized 350 page book) mentioned above? From the preview at books.google.com, The Little Giant Book seems quite good. The contents of the first 80 pages include chapters on:
Some Thoughts on Magic: The Secret, The Presentation, Entertainment, Misdirection, Patter
Sleights: Forces, False Cuts, Double Lifts, False Shuffles, The Glide, Card Controls, Peeks
The remaining 260 pages contain 58 card tricks, under the headings:
Location, That Certain Feeling, Transposition Tricks, Setups, Mental Tricks, Reversals, Mental Competition, Coincidences, Four Aces, Gambling Feats, General Tricks, Sucker Tricks.

How many books on card tricks did Bob Longe write altogether? Are any of them a "greatest hits" collection of his "best" tricks?

It sounds similar but the one I have has 78 tricks.The headings are not the same in all aspects but similar.e.g.Sucker tricks=Gotchas, Mental tricks=mentalism etc.
I also have worlds greatest card tricks of which every trick is included in Giant book of Card Tricks.Thus I think that some of his books could be a Greatest hits collection.I would reccomend Giant Book as your first venture if you can get it.{Amazon) would be my first search.Incidently it has a pig on the front cover.
ISBN;186515718x hope this helps.

I have already said this in other places, but I agree that Bob Longe's books are well worth looking into. "World's Best Card Tricks" mostly has material you can find in other places, but even there there are some original things. In "101 Amazing Card Tricks," check out his "Invisible Deck;" as Longe says, it's "an amusing stunt to disguise an antique card trick." I think it has the makings of a very easy and very entertaining routine, and one that I have not seen anywhere else. And there are other things in "101 Amazing" that I have not seen other places and that I think are worth knowing about.

I am no expert on these matters, but I am familiar with both Longe's books and Karl Fulves's "Self-Working" series, and I think they're somewhat comparable. If you like the one you will probably like the other. Longe's books actually have a little more sleight of hand material in them, while Fulves assiduously avoids even the simplest sleights. Longe teaches a few simple sleights, not always in the best way, IMHO, but his book "Card Tricks Galore" has a few pages on the subject of getting a pinky break in a deck of cards, and what you can do if you can do that, that is the best, most complete treatment of that topic that I have ever seen (though, again, my experience is limited). I don't agree that Longe's books are mostly for a juvenile audience. I think they are mostly for beginners, but that's a different thing.

For the price, you can't go wrong with Longe!

I for one think that these are great little books. And not to mention Bob was quite a gentleman and a class act.


Although I wasn't real close to him, he did make quite an impression on me. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending sometime with him years ago. I will always remember him. He reminded me of the grandfather that I never knew.

Then, tmoca, maybe you can answer a question I have wondered about but never gotten an answer to. It seems as though Bob Longe's life in magic had two parts: the first when he was younger and published a few things (such as his book on "The Invisible Deck"), then later when he was about in his early 60's and produced a minor flood of books about magic, in the 1990's. I have always wondered if he took time off from serious work in magic until he had retired (from teaching, wasn't it?), and then, in retirement, was able finally to really give free rein to his fascination with magic. I am 60 years old now myself, and I guess I have a personal interest in this. I am hoping to retire after another couple of years, and it would be nice to have Bob Longe as a role model.

I am sorry I never met him personally, as you did. Somehow his personality comes through in his writing. This might be a difference between him and Karl Fulves; while I like Fulves's books, I don't feel that I "know" him as I "know" Bob Longe.

Topov,

If you're still looking, I agree that the Fulves and Longe books are very comparable, however I have always found the Fulves books a little more interesting and useful. Don't ask me why, but I tend to favor them personally. The one exception is the Giant Book of Card Tricks which I always enjoy whenever I come back to it.

I have since bought a copy of self working close up card magic by Fulves.It is very comparable to Longes books.I am finding some real gems in there,add a few false shuffles and cuts etc. and you have some real miracles.Not sure which are better,I suppose its a matter of personal preference.The only real difference is that Longes books include some intermediate sleights.My advice is they are very affordable so why not try both.I have to agree with the fritz the Giant book of card tricks is exceptional.

Some card books by Bob Longe are sleight free, others teach basic controls and/or sleights. All card books in the Fulves self-working series are sleight free as Hushai pointed out.

Here is some information about Little Giant Book of Card Tricks and Giant Book of
Card Tricks

I have a copy of Giant Book of Cards Tricks that is combined with another book called Giant book of Card Games....the copyright year is 1998

I also have another copy of Giant Book of Cards Tricks with 79 tricks in it and then the complete book Clever Card Tricks for the Hopelessly Clumsy. Every trick from World's Best Card Tricks is among the first 79 tricks....copyright year is 2003

In the book with the 2003 copyright the tricks come from four books: Great Card Tricks, World's Greatest Card Tricks, World's Best Card Tricks, Clever Cards Tricks for the Hopelessly Clumsy. Every trick from the last two titles are included.

The book with the 1998 copyright include the same tricks as the 2003 book but don't include Clever Card Tricks for the Hopelessly Clumsy. So the tricks in that book come from 3 books.

Little Giant Book of Card Tricks is not a compilation

I find Bob Longe explanations very easy to understand and follow. Any of his books are magic bargains and worthwhile...

Do check out Bob Hummer's 'One-two-three trick' which is in the book 'Easy magic tricks' (Sterling 1994) by Bob Longe.This effect is a real mentalist gem if creatively presented. Uses just three normal playing cards.