Hello everyone!

Ben Hart is putting a new book out with Vanishing Inc, Ive just saw this on ShareMagicLive.

They had some copies at the session in January. It’s the beat book I’ve read in ages. Definitely treat yourself when it’s released!

Whats the book about

It looked like parlour/stage magic. But release will be tomorrow. Than there should be more information.

I picked this up after seeing Ben's lecture at Blackpool 2020. First off, I didn't know a huge amount about his work before hand. I'd seen a few pieces from a TV show he did and of course his performances on BGT and AGT. When his lecture began, it took all of 5 minutes for his style and his thinking to become apparent. He sucked me and most of the people in that room in straight away. The room was packed to the rafters, people standing all around, hundreds of magicians and yet, you could hear a pin drop when Ben was speaking. As soon as he mentioned the book, I knew I had to get it.

Firstly, the production quality of the book is amazing. Vanishing Inc always seem to mention how beautiful each book is that they release but this for me, is one of the most beautiful I have in my collection. It oozes quality, class and as soon as you open it and start reading, you will notice the love that has gone into it. Bens magic is an absolute breath of fresh air and the way he thinks about magic is considered, clever and with tons of heart. He performed an effect at his lecture with a matchbox and spoke about how it was intended to be used in the darkness. The entire effect is presented in pitch black which adds a wonderful dynamic to a performance but goes against everything that magic should be. To have an entire piece of magic that is baffling, so incredibly interesting to watch and presented in a way that is unapologetically bizarre, beautifully illustrates what this book is about. Not many performers can use a single matchbox and pure darkness to draw in an audience like Ben seems to!

The material in this book is so intriguing, from the matchbook to the now famous egg on fan trick that Ben got a standing ovation for on Britains Got Talent, there are so many truly unique, compelling and sometimes unusual pieces of magic in here that like me, you will read this book from cover to cover several times, each time with a constant smile on your face. Definitely one of the best books I have read in years and one I couldn't give a higher recommendation too!

Jamie Daws

12 tricks taught from this Britain's Got Talent Finalist! Many are easy to do and can be done for 20 or more people. More than the tricks, there is real knowledge in this book tucked away in essays and personal statements. Ben gives advice on how to structure and develop a stage show, and how to use camera projection not only to present magic in a large theater, but to take advantage of the blind spots you choose not to film. Includes 300 pages with over 250 large full-color photographs. The cover is a hardbound cloth with reflective rainbow foil.

More info:
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=66404

best regards,
Titanas

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for your interest in The Darkest Corners, and for the kind words too!

It’s great to hear that you’re enjoying the book.

There’s a video review of the book by Steve Faulkner on his channel Real Magic Review which walks through the book - you might like to check it out: https://youtu.be/UDNEwr8r8lg

Thanks again for your support, and kindest wishes to you all.

Neil 😊

I immediately picked this up the moment it went on preorder. I don’t know Ben, I’ve never seen his show, but the content sounded right up my alley.

I’m excited to dive in.

Madison Hagler

Here is my take on this latest release from Vanishing Inc.

Great book. Very well written and an easy read. Material is different and fantastic.

Beautiful book. I like this book because it is full of stand-up/parlor material, and I had a chance to see many of the pieces performed. It's also full of scripting.

Ben is a magical maverick and his biographer, Neil Kelso, is no less inspired. There is passion and curiosity and hope and revelation and even some fire and brimstone between the covers of this landmark must-read. This is a treasure box filled with radiant gems and devilish goblins. I am so very sad to have finished it, but thrilled to dig in a second, a third, a fourth time... I cannot recommend this book enough.

This has been such a quiet thread... I don’t understand it.

Maybe my review will help spark more conversation as I think it’s one of the best books in a long time.

https://www.magicreview.org/post/the-dar......ben-hart

Madison

I love the organic nature of the material in this book. The thinking is great, the magic is rock solid, the scripting is excellent, and the tricks feel like miracles, not classic magician stuff.

My thoughts on each trick - A shot in the dark - not a fan 3/10
Melocoton (peach pit trick) - Such a phenomenal trick, Poetic and perfectly structured. Props sound annoying though. I hope to get to the point where I can do this. 9/10
Incubation (egg trick) - One of the best tricks that exist, but I can't imagine more than two or three people who bought this book will do it. Super inspirational. 8/10
Nuts - Phenomenal trick. An absolute miracle but you kind of have to have a theater show to do it and you need a workshop or a 3d printer to make the gimmick. 8/10
Glitterbomb - I love this trick and would totally do it. 10/10
Cards across the airwaves and cards rising through the airwaves - I guess if I ever did radio or a podcast I would do on of these although I can't imagine right now that I'm likely to have that opportunity anytime soon. Very smart stuff. 7.5/10
A gift from Venus - practical. Good chance I'll do it in the right environment. 8.5/10
Cards in balloon - I'm so curious if this is practical. Maybe one day I'll workshop this and find out. Such a great effect. 8/10
Roots - such clever thinking. An absolute miracle, but the prop necessary has been out of stock for forever and will probably never be reproduced and even if they did, I'd probably never make it anyway. Great tip on acidus novus to make the corner make sense. It may be obvious but I didn't know it. 6/10
Pen through note ideas - a little tip on pen through dollar that can make it a miracle when performing for a large group that can't really see what's happening. I can't see myself performing this in those environments, but maybe I should. 6/10
Hart to Hofzinzer - Beyond brilliant. Will I do it? Unlikely, but so smart. 8/10
Human lottery machine - I'd love to do this. Unfortunately I don't have the skills to make the balls and I don't think they can be purchased. Would have liked more details on what add a number pad he prefers, not just what he doesn't like. 8/10
Fake news - doesn't excite me as is. The kernel behind it has a lot of potential. 4/10
The boy who cried diamonds - I need some details on the diamonds. I would totally do this. I love sticking stuff in my eye. 5/10. Would be 10/10 if I could find out what diamonds he uses that look realistic, fit comfortably so I can hold them until the middle of the show, and aren't expensive.
Written in your blood - Amazing Jonathan basically did this. AJ's switch was terrible and Ben Hart doesn't really explain his switch ell, but it doesn't sound like something I could really do in environments I perform in. 6/10
The matrix rings - brilliant, but I don't think it makes sense for me to be doing the himber rings. 7/10
Advertising banner - I can't imagine anyone who bought this book will do this. Ben claims to have done this multiple times including at private parties. It seems hard to imagine that that's true. This is beyond impractical, although I guess it could be done for TV where if it doesn't work you just do it again for another participant. Still crazy to read the method. 5/10
A word in amber - Cool idea. Trick isn't something I would do. Perhaps a female magician would enjoy this if my daughter would ever get properly into magic. 6/10
The fragility of life - I love this. I'd pay good money if someone would make a professionally made prop for this that would last hundreds of performances. I'm likely going to try the backup method. Dan Harlan recently said about the trick this was based on that it's the only pateo that makes sense and this reworking of the effect is so good. I'm not confident that I have what it takes to keep the whole process engaging. 8/10