I found this book in a used book store in New York City for under $3 (including tax). Being an amateur magician is one of my hobbies. This book definitely has numerous great magic tricks for both beginners and experienced amateurs. The only problem is that it includes long introductions and long explanations. Also it has a mixture of both weak tricks as well as great tricks using items that are easily obtainable. To get the most out of this book you've got to browse over and skip tricks or parts that are not appealing to you. When you get to the good tricks read them carefully and practice often. Then you will see that this is a very good magic book. Another plus is that the most tricks do not require sleight of hand (which can take hours or days to learn). Some of the better tricks do require some preparation and practice. If the author would have selected the best tricks only and shortened the excessive explanations and advise, I would've given this book a 5 star! It does deserve 4 stars, however, because among the bad tricks are some very clever and original classics that most people can learn with some patience and effort. Since the aim of this book is to learn some good magic tricks I strongly recommend it.