What’s on your shelf?
It seems most magicians eventually become book collectors. Not by choice, but by habit. There is a culture that compels magicians to buy new tricks, and new books with some regularity. It has been my experience that the magician’s book buying trend is bell-shaped.
When I was beginning as a magician I’d buy an ocassional book, interspersed with incessant purchases of props and gimmicks. As an amateur I found myself buying at least one book per trip to the magic shop. They did not provide the immediate gratification that buying packet tricks did, but I found they lasted a lot longer and continued to dribble little bits of information into my performance in the long runs between trips to the shop. Slowly, my shelves sagged with the weight of the most recommended books and I slowed down. Only the occasional book was worth picking up and adding to the collection.
Working on my thesis at Hampshire College on the future of magic, I had an excuse to buy many books that I’d been dreaming of, related to all sorts of topics. My library continued to grow.
Eventually my shelves filled up, and overflowed. I moved several times and each time had to cherry pick which books would make the cut. The others were put in boxes and storage, and revisited only when it was time to pack up and move.
This continuous winnowing process has left me with a small selection of books on my shelf. Reading over the titles gives me a very interesting view of where I have evolved as a magician. I realize now that what’s on your shelf says a good deal about your interests and focus as a performer.
So tell me… What’s on your shelf?