The Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue

Created by: Jean Hugard, Frederick Braue

The Royal Road to Card Magic is a foundational book in close-up card magic, widely regarded as an essential primer for beginners and a valuable reference for experienced magicians. It provides a structured course in card handling, sleight of hand, and classic routines, covering everything from basic shuffles and cuts to advanced flourishes and full performances. As a comprehensive guide, it includes step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and practice exercises to build a solid foundation in card magic, making it ideal for anyone looking to master the art from the ground up. Buyers should note that this is a book, not a physical trick, and requires dedicated study and practice to achieve proficiency.

Key features

Comprehensive coverage of card magic fundamentals, including shuffles, cuts, and sleights
Structured lessons that progress from beginner to intermediate levels
Includes classic routines and performance tips to enhance presentation
Serves as a timeless reference for magicians of all skill levels
Emphasizes practice and mastery through detailed explanations and illustrations

Pros

Highly regarded as one of the best introductory books for card magic
Builds a strong foundation for more advanced techniques
Affordable and widely available in various formats
Encourages disciplined practice and skill development

Cons

Requires significant time and effort to master all content
May be too basic for advanced magicians seeking new material
Lacks multimedia elements like videos for visual learners

Effect

The Royal Road to Card Magic teaches a magician how to perform many card tricks. An audience sees a magician handle cards with skill and confidence. They see cards change, vanish, and appear in impossible ways. The tricks range from simple surprises to complex routines that amaze spectators.

Full details

The Royal Road to Card Magic is a book written by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue. It is a complete course in card magic. The book starts with basic card handling and fundamental sleights. It then builds to more advanced techniques and full routines. Each chapter explains a sleight and then provides tricks that use that move. The book contains over a hundred tricks and routines. It covers forces, controls, palms, and shuffles. Many professional magicians learned card magic from this book.

Who should consider the trick

This book is for anyone who wants to learn card magic. It is ideal for beginners starting their journey. It is also valuable for intermediate magicians who want to strengthen their foundation. Magicians who perform with cards regularly will find it a useful reference. Alan Jones mentioned it was a pivotal early purchase in his career. Erudite Magic calls it a foundational text for technique.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The book is designed for learning. It begins with very easy material. The difficulty increases gradually. A beginner can start performing simple tricks quickly. Mastering the entire book takes significant practice. The sleights require dedicated repetition to perform smoothly. Alan Jones noted he "quickly devoured the book," indicating its accessible start. The structured lessons help manage the learning curve.

What magicians say

Alan Jones recalls the shopkeeper's advice when he bought The Royal Road to Card Magic: "take it, read it, and if you don't like it, bring it back." He returned the following week, having read it completely, marking the start of his magical education. Erudite Magic categorizes it as a foundational text essential for a magician's library. They emphasize that such books are creative catalysts that offer solutions and inspiration. The book is consistently recommended as a first serious step into card magic.

What people are saying about The Royal Road to Card Magic

AlakazamMagicUK says...

Jones emphasizes the importance of this early mentorship, recalling the shopkeeper's advice to 'take it, read it, and if you don't like it, bring it back.' He quickly devoured the book and returned the following week, marking the beginning of his magical education.

EruditeMagic says...

Foundational texts like The Royal Road to Card Magic are essential for technique, serving as a creative catalyst that sparks new ideas and refines performance approaches.