Pure Imagination by Scott Robinson

For over 20 years, Scott Robinson has been sharing fantastic magic in hard-to-find publications such as The Trapdoor and in booklets only available at his lectures. At last, all his work has been made available in one place. And you can get it today.

His work is an unusual mixture: deceptive, fun and fantastically visual. John Campbell and Andi Gladwin have collaborated to describe forty-six of Mr. Robinson’s best ideas. These are tried and tested “workers” that have been used in the trenches for decades. His impromptu Invisible Deck (“Riding The Wave”) has become a foundation that almost every version you’ve seen was based on. The book is beautifully illustrated with exactly the level of information you need to study each effect.

There’s something for everyone here, whatever your skill level, although most do rely on sleight of hand. However, routines such as “Different Differences” are just as visual as they are simple to do. Here’s what happens: you put three half dollars in a purse, and make them change places with a single copper coin instantly (with the three half dollars instantly appearing in three different places).

The book contains an equal mix of knuckle-busting and easy-to-do material. For example, “Sucker Monte” is a close up magician’s dream: a simple Monte routine with no set up or anything tricky to do. Coin magic for children? Yup. Scott’s “Tooth Fairy” is something kids will love. However, if you enjoy putting the work in, “Heavy Metal” is an eye-popper where twelve changes using the Spellbound move happen in quick succession. Fans of Wild Coin are in for a real treat. Scott takes this from a little coin trick into a fully-fledged performance piece.

The book itself is one of Vanishing Inc.’s most gorgeous. It’s 10″ by 10″. There’s 304 heavyweight, glossy pages with in excess of 740 photographs – all of which are in full color. A satin cover and bound-in ribbon book mark all go to make this tome one of the best looking in your library.