hillcountrymagic
$70.00
Condition: Good to Very Good
Inscribed
Published in 1939 by Kanter's Magic Shop, John Booth’s Forging Ahead in Magic is a landmark text in conjuring literature, shifting the focus from secret tricks to the professional, commercial, and artistic aspects of performing. Drawing from his background as both a successful nightclub magician and a journalist, Booth details practical strategies for career advancement, including publicity generation, agent negotiation, repertoire building, stage presence, and venue management. It quickly became standard reading for mid-century performers seeking to transition from amateur entertainment to lucrative professional engagements.
The book is structured into distinct modules covering business, presentation, and routining rather than isolated mechanical tutorials. Booth emphasizes the psychological framing of routines, showmanship, brand identity, and adapting magic for sophisticated settings like hotel lounges and supper clubs. Because Booth went on to become one of magic's premier chroniclers and lived to be nearly 100 years old, inscribed copies offer a notable direct connection to a figure who personally knew nearly every major icon of 20th-century magic.
