Professional Secrets

A Life in Magic

Book
2008
Written by Geoffrey Durham
Work of Geoffrey Durham
252 pages (Hardcover), published by Selfpublished
Illustrated with drawings by Jay Fortune
Language: English
29 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Wayne Dobson Foreword
v
Geoffrey Durham Preface
vii
Geoffrey Durham Prologue: A Life in Magic
1
Geoffrey Durham The Gypsy Thread detail on preparation to help prevent tangling, and ball remains in center of thread as ends are pulled during restoration
 		29
Geoffrey Durham People Like You being likable, having good stage presence
 		37
Geoffrey Durham The Durham Hand Flasher a large burst of sparks suddenly appears surrounding you, how to construct gimmick, general thoughts about show opener
 		45
Geoffrey Durham Rhythm in Magic
55
Geoffrey Durham The Chinese Rice Bowls
63
Geoffrey Durham Sweet Talk writing scripts
 		71
Geoffrey Durham Durham's Prediction Box any piece of information is revealed written on paper inside box, box self-contained with boon writer, how to construct gimmicked box, general thoughts on radio magic
 		79
Geoffrey Durham Practice and Rehearsal
89
Geoffrey Durham The Linking Wedding Rings the three rings are isolated in a glass that spectator holds, sparks suddenly erupt in glass and rings are shown to be linked, then unlinked while threaded on pencil under cover of tissue paper
 		97
Geoffrey Durham Where the Magic Happens framing magic for standup situations
 		113
Geoffrey Durham Thirty Years of Coins and Bottles
  • Coin In Bottle 1: coin openly placed in jar magically transports to small bottle that spectator holds
  • Coin In Bottle 2: fairly standard Coin in Bottle effect, much detail on handling and staging
 		123
Geoffrey Durham A Volunteer from the Audience
135
Geoffrey Durham The Egg on the Fan rose petal is bounced on fan and changes into egg, egg is cracked open to prove it's real, details on constructing the egg skin gimmick
Inspired by
  • "The Great Carmo Egg Mystery" (Genii, Vol. 45, No. 9, September 1981, p. 577)
 143
Geoffrey Durham On Television
151
Geoffrey Durham The Blocks two sets of blocks numbered 1-6, many phases of one set rearranging itself to match the order and orientation of the other one under cover of a sleeve, uses shells
 		159
Geoffrey Durham The Right Stuff thoughts on making magic relatable, memorable, magic that suits you, etc.
 		175
Geoffrey Durham The Dictionary Test gimmicked book to force page, how to construct gimmick
 		183
Geoffrey Durham In Praise of White advocates using white-colored props
 		191
Geoffrey Durham The Gold Medallion gold medallion is shown in jewelry box, four-digit number is created by audience, medallion is removed from box and number is "engraved" on its back (subtleties to contribute to the "engraved" illusion), how to construct props
 		199
Geoffrey Durham False dump palmed medallion appears to fall from box as box is turned over
 		206
Geoffrey Durham Fear, Bravado and Lies
209
Geoffrey Durham The Magic Square magic square, at end the number is shown to have been predicted, cribs
 		217
Geoffrey Durham The Great Harbin about Harbin and his magic and his influence on Geoffrey Durham
 		229
Geoffrey Durham, Robert Harbin Chair Suspension illusion a few touches employed by Harbin for the Chair Suspension
 		233
Geoffrey Durham The Celebrity Floats Asrah-style levitation and vanish of person beneath cloth, how to construct props
 		239
Geoffrey Durham Epilogue
251
Data entered by Yehuda Rauch, April 2023.