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Selections from the Tim Conover Notebooks by Tim Conover

Created by: Tim Conover

Selections from the Tim Conover Notebooks is a supplementary volume to the main Tim Conover collection, offering a deeper dive into unpublished notes, ideas, and routines from this master creator of close-up magic. This book focuses on elegant, practical magic that blends sleight of hand with cleverly constructed props, particularly in the realm of coin magic with variations of the Okito coin box. As a close-up magic resource, it contains complete, audience-tested routines with detailed presentations and scripting, aimed at serious performers who want to build a professional reputation. Buyers should know this is not beginner material—it assumes a solid foundation in sleight of hand and a willingness to work with specialized props that may need to be constructed or sourced. The physical production is sturdy but utilitarian, with dense text and no color photographs, making it a significant investment for dedicated magicians seeking profound, professional-caliber material.

Key features

  • Contains unpublished notes and ideas from Tim Conover's lifetime of professional work

  • Focuses on close-up magic with an emphasis on coin routines and Okito coin box variations

  • Includes complete, audience-tested routines with detailed presentations and scripting

  • Aimed at serious performers with a solid foundation in sleight of hand

  • Requires willingness to work with specialized props that may need construction or sourcing

  • Physical production is sturdy but utilitarian with dense text and no color photographs

  • Represents a significant financial investment but offers exceptional value for dedicated magicians

Pros

  • Treasure trove of elegant and practical close-up magic routines

  • Complete, audience-tested material with detailed presentations

  • Professional-caliber content for building a reputation in close-up magic

  • Sturdy physical production that will last

  • Exceptional value for dedicated performers seeking profound material

Cons

  • Not suitable for beginners—requires solid sleight of hand foundation

  • Specialized props may need to be constructed or sourced separately

  • Utilitarian production with dense text and no color photographs

  • Significant financial investment for the full set

  • Might feel daunting to readers accustomed to modern, visually-driven magic books

Effect

The magic in these books creates strong audience reactions. Performers can make coins appear, vanish, and travel in impossible ways. Mentalism routines reveal thoughts and predictions with clarity. The effects are direct and often use everyday objects. The presentations are complete and designed to engage spectators fully.

Full details

The publication is a multi-volume set titled Selections from the Tim Conover Notebooks. It compiles the professional work of creator Tim Conover. The main volumes are 'The Magic of Tim Conover' and 'The Mentalism of Tim Conover'. A third volume is 'The Cylinder & Coins'. An optional fourth volume contains notebook selections. The books contain many routines. Each routine has detailed instructions and full scripts. The material uses sleight of hand and specialized props. Some props are variations of the Okito coin box. Performers may need to build or find these props. The books have a lot of text. They use black and white photographs. The physical books are strong and built to last.

Who should consider the trick

This set is for serious performers. It is for magicians with a solid foundation in sleight of hand. It is good for those who perform close-up magic professionally. It is also valuable for dedicated students of magic history. The material is not for beginners. It is not for hobbyists looking for simple tricks. It is for magicians who want to build a professional act. EruditeMagic states the content is "aimed at serious performers."

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The routines have a high difficulty level. They require practiced skill in sleight of hand. Many routines need constructed props. The performer must source or make these items. The presentations are detailed and require study. The books do not have color photos, which may make learning harder for some. EruditeMagic notes the material "assumes a solid foundation in sleight of hand." The density of information can feel daunting.

What magicians say

Reviewers praise the quality and depth of the material. EruditeMagic describes the books as a "treasure trove of elegant, practical routines." They highlight the value of having "complete, audience-tested routines with detailed presentations." The reviewer loved the volume of professional-caliber material. They state the set offers "exceptional value for dedicated magicians." They also mention considerations. The physical books are "sturdy but utilitarian." The "density of text and lack of color photographs" is noted. The cost is a "significant financial investment." However, for the right performer, it is framed as a "foundational resource for building a reputation."

What people are saying about Selections from the Tim Conover Notebooks

EruditeMagic says...

The host loved the sheer volume and quality of material, describing it as a 'treasure trove' for the serious student of close-up magic. [...] For magicians committed to the craft of close-up performance, this publication is framed not just as a set of books, but as a foundational resource.

Review videos