The Books of Wonder — Volume 2

1996
Written by Stephen Minch, Tommy Wonder
Work of Tommy Wonder
342 pages (Hardcover), published by Hermetic Press
Illustrated with drawings by Kelly Lyles
Language: English
53 entries
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Eugene Burger Introduction
vii
Tommy Wonder Prologue: The Encounter
1
Tommy Wonder Sit or Stand?
7
Tommy Wonder The Essence of Close-up
  • Be Interested in Your Audience
  • The Terror of Comedy
  • Inspiring Communication
 		11
Tommy Wonder A Table-Worker's Table
Related to 16
Tommy Wonder Facing the Music
  • The Different Solutions
    • Working the Right Tables at the Right Time
    • Uncluttered Plots
    • Words Complement Actions
  • When the Problem Persists
    • Voice Training
    • Electronic Amplification
    • Silent Close-up Magic
  • Extreme Cases
 		19
Tommy Wonder Fifty Percent Lighter lighter to matchbox
Also published here 26
Tommy Wonder Secondhand Drama
32
Tommy Wonder The Saving of a Cigarette
Inspired by 35
Tommy Wonder Amateurs vs. Pro
  • Time
  • Audiences
 		44
Tommy Wonder Splitting the Profit splitting dollar bill in two that become one again
Related toVariationsAlso published here 46
Tommy Wonder Approaching the Table
  • An Introduction
    • "Some Magic"
    • "Do You Like Magic Enough..."
    • An Uncomfortable Question
    • Monte Carlo
    • "Is This a Convenient Moment..."
  • The Introduction
Also published here 52
Tommy Wonder Toss and Turn one handed toss paddle move
 		59
Tommy Wonder Our Big Happy Family
Related to 61
Tommy Wonder Clear Through single sequence
Related to 65
Tommy Wonder The Sensitivity of the Audience
  • The Blanket
  • More About the Blanket
 		69
Tommy Wonder Through the Eye of the Needle more threads get in the eye of the needle than seemingly possible
VariationsAlso published here 72
Tommy Wonder When We Are Not Amused
76
Tommy Wonder, Paul LePaul, Edward Victor Winged Signatures "cards through newspaper" done with signed business cards and close-up mat, card to envelope climax
Also published here 80
Tommy Wonder And Now a Brief Message four messages on all sides of two small slates appear, two flaps
Related to 86
Tommy Wonder Cups and Balls: A Private History
  • A Two-Cup Routine with Three Cups
  • Loads
  • Loading Techniques
 		91
Tommy Wonder, Bob Stencel Chop-Cup Load loading technique
 		94
Tommy Wonder, Peter Kane A Three-Cup Load loading sequence
 		98
Tommy Wonder Keep on Polishing
  • Impure Imagination
  • Calculating
  • The Hurdle of Reality
  • Honing and Polishing
 		101
Tommy Wonder The Two-Cup Routine
  • Phase One: The Opening
  • Phase Two: The Permeable Cups
  • Phase Three: Twin Ascension
  • Phase Four: Air Transport
  • Phase Five: Sshuwit! Sshuwit!
  • Phase Six: Two in the Hand, One in the Bush
  • Phase Seven: No Room at the Inn
Related to 105
Tommy Wonder Applause
135
Tommy Wonder Recalcitrant box reappears around deck and changes place with cards
  • Phase One: The Vanish of the Case
  • Phase Two: The Case Returns
  • Phase Three: The Transposition
  • Phase Four: The Case Comes Back Again!
 		139
Tommy Wonder A Digression on Attitude
139
Tommy Wonder Conflict and Emotion
  • No Guarantee
 		151
Tommy Wonder The Snail's Progress static fan gets smaller visually and disappears
 		154
Tommy Wonder Colors Three and Through ring and rope routine, with color changing ring
  • Phase One: The Ring Goes On
  • Phase Two: The Ring Comes Off
  • Phase Three: On Again
  • Phase Four: From Orange to Blue
  • Phase Five: From Blue to White
  • Phase Six: Off Once More
  • Phase Seven: One More Time
Related to 161
Tommy Wonder Commercial
  • What is "Commercial"?
 		174
Tommy Wonder Perpetual Motion continuous production
 		177
Tommy Wonder A Sequence with Balls shells & gaffs, multiplying, color changes
  • Phase One: From Red to White
  • Phase Two: A Midair Multiplication
  • Phase Three: The Red Ball Makes an Appearance
  • Phase Four: Red to White Repeated
  • Phase Five: Vanish, Reproduction and...
 		180
Tommy Wonder The Big One giant ball production as climax
 		184
Tommy Wonder Shaking Them Off
187
Tommy Wonder Now That Was a Great Magician!
  • Location
  • Conditions
  • Confidence
  • Costuming
 		193
Tommy Wonder The Tails Topit construction
 		197
Tommy Wonder The Belly Servante construction of body servante
 		200
Tommy Wonder Force and Its Disguise
203
Tommy Wonder On the Pendulum Holdout
206
Tommy Wonder The Frozen Lock addition to the Jack Miller Holdout
 		212
Tommy Wonder Utility Devices
218
Tommy Wonder High Roads and Long on creating magic
 		223
Tommy Wonder The Well-Tempered Birdcage very detailed description of contruction of cage and cloths
  • The Cage-locking Mechanism
  • Attachment
 		227
Tommy Wonder The Express Pull very detailed description of improved sleeve pull (e.g. for bird cage)
  • The Sleeve Tunnel
  • The Cord-stop
  • The Reel Housing
  • The Reel Strap
  • The Cover Cuff
  • Momentum Discovered
  • After the Vanish
 		239
Tommy Wonder The Single-Action - Double-Action Pulley System
  • Sleeve Management
 		250
Tommy Wonder Thoughts in Mid-Air essay on the Zombie
  • Presentation
  • What is Levitation?
  • The Routine
  • The Acting
  • The Test
  • There's Nothing Wrong with Zombie
 		255
Tommy Wonder Animating a Zombie
260
Tommy Wonder A Recipe for Art
  • The Emperor's New Clothes Will Protect You
 		265
Tommy Wonder The Watch in Nest of Boxes "A Quest for Ideal"
  • Method One
  • Method Two
  • Method Three
Inspired byRelated to 267
Tommy Wonder Too Perfect?
  • The Watch in Nest of Boxes
  • Going On or Going Back
Related to 319
Tommy Wonder Epilogue: Impact
  • The Difference Between Belief and Conviction
  • What is Needed for Conviction?
    • Hard Evidence
    • Softer Evidence
    • Soft Evidence
  • Conclusion
  • Unknown Ground
  • The Wave of Conviction
  • Another Tool
  • Watch Out for the Wave
  • Open or Covered
 		325
Data entered by Denis Behr, June 2006.