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Reading Is Believing

July 1947 Hardcover

Trevor H. Hall

Author

Publisher:
- Goodliffe

Contents

#	Title	Type
7	Foreword	Foreword
11	To the Reader	Introduction
13	Part One: Card and Mental Magic	Section
15	Mind Power by Proxy
Two spectators assist in a staged thought-reading experiment. With the performer's back turned throughout, a "volunteer thought reader" is guided to correctly name a card the subject has never seen.
20	Stage Telephone Telepathy
A playing card determines a random page and column in a telephone directory. Without approaching the book, the performer correctly names the subscriber's full name, address, and phone number.
27	A Simultaneous Coincidence
Two spectators select cards independently. The performer stops dealing at one spectator's card—and simultaneously the last card dealt by the other spectator proves to be their selection.
31	The Theory of Relativity
A spectator secretly multiplies an unknown person's age and subtracts their own. Given only this difference, the performer correctly names both original ages.
37	Incomprehensible Prediction
Three sealed predictions correctly name a card's suit, value, and exact position in the pack—all determined before the card is selected and shuffled back in.
43	Location, Transposition and Transformation
After two apparent failures, the performer counts to the chosen card's correct position—revealing it is there. The discarded "wrong" card on the table has simultaneously transformed into the selection.
50	The Torn and Restored Card
A selected card is torn up and burned. It reappears fully restored minus one corner—which the spectator held throughout for identification—then even that corner is restored and the card handed out whole.
65	Two Impossible Card Discoveries
A mentally selected card is found reversed in a shuffled pack. Then a second card chosen by secret number and thoroughly shuffled is located—the performer naming its color and suit before looking.
70	In the Middle
A selected card is pushed into the pack. Through a sequence of visible one-handed moves, the pack is spread to reveal the chosen card face-up precisely in the center.
75	Part Two: Presentation and Patter	Section
77	An Ancient Chinese Legend
Introductory overview of a complete nine-minute act combining color-changing cards, Chinese sticks, and rope, woven into a continuous Chinese legend patter story suitable for any audience or setting.
81	Dragons in the Temple Garden
An apparently ordinary pack is sprung and displayed. At the performer's command the entire pack transforms—every face and back covered in vivid green dragons—then instantly reverts to normal playing cards.
86	The Chinese Joss-Sticks
Two Chinese sticks respond sympathetically to each other's tassels, even when held apart at arm's length. The climax has a cord visibly appearing to transfer itself from one stick to the other.
91	Ti Cheng, Kumati
A rope loop around the neck is cut, then cut into four pieces with three knots. The knots vanish in a single jerk as the rope restores completely. The loop then passes visibly through the performer's neck.
98	Additional Legendary Tricks
Supplementary routines for the Chow-King act: Indian Rice Bowls multiplying rice then producing water from thin air, Al Baker's Vanishing Salt, and silk-transformation effects, each with Chinese legend patter.
104	Bibliography