Issue 28 - Sept. 09
Chrysalis Of A Polymath
Paul Brook
Available from www.paulbrook.co.uk
Approx. 572 pages soft bound
Price: £48.99
All of the effects in this book have, at some point, been a part of Paul's working repertoire and he provides all of the subtleties from these live performances.
Let me start by saying that this book will not be to everyone’s taste. All of the 15 effects explained required some sort of memory/mathematical ability. Having said that, if you are prepared to give the effects in the book the time and study they deserve you will be richly rewarded. If you have a good head for mathematics then you’ll pick everything up fairly easily.
You can literally perform all these effects on the fly or incorporate them into routines you may already be performing.
Approximately the first 200 pages of the book are dedicated to Paul’s ‘Knight’s Tour’ routine. This is a complete act in itself. To the majority of readers I would image this would appear to be a near impossible effect to learn as you are required to commit to memory a 64 digit number. There are of course various memory systems available to aid you.
‘A Day For Any Date’ is a method of working out what day a particular date appeared on. There have been many methods before for this but all had flaws in them. Paul’s method is 100% correct every time. It’s actually easier than it first looks. If you know your 12 times table you’ll be able to do this. It took me around half an hour to get the method down in my head.
I can now calculate the day for any date in around 30 seconds, which I am amazed at.
‘Data Spaced’ is my favourite routine from the whole book. It’s a combination of classic mentalism techniques combined with mathematical trickery. ‘A Day For Any Date’ can be added at the end of the routine should you wish for a stunning climax.
‘Tossed Out Thoughts’ is an effect where you correctly name every one of 10 people’s chosen random numbers from a bag that's been in the audience since the start of the show. You’ll need to learn part of the Knight’s Tour routine to be able to do this. However, each number is called out individually, and not as the classic Tossed Deck routine. Definitely worth learning!
‘Thumbthing Boontiful’ is a nice routine where with the help of an impromptu stooge you are able to reveal a three digit number that’s been generated by a second spectator moments earlier.
Throughout the book, Paul gives hints and tips on learning the methods needed using clever memory aids. For ‘Data Spaced’, for example, at the end of the routine you are able to tell the spectator their own star sign. Paul teaches this using a mnemonic that really does make it easy to remember.
Other effects taught are: ‘Any Word On Any Object’ a kind of impromptu book test without the need for a book. Impossible Memory, Rainbow Memory, The Mental Block, ADDMBADD/ Adam Bad, Nin-e-sin, Single Malt, Double Malt Circa. 1119 Code Read, Tell Tail Sign. There are also mathematical methods that will help in everyday life too such as long multiplication.
The final chapter in the book is on Mental Giveaways. Much of what is in these final pages will have been encountered before.
The book is nicely typeset and is easy to read. No expense has been spared on the page count either. To help in the learning of some of the mathematical formulas needed, Paul has given one question per page leaving ample space to work out the answer in the actual book should you wish to.
Chysalis Of A Polymath is the first book of Paul Brook that I have encountered. I liked it and have already acquired several skills that I know I will use. Highly recommended. PS
What’s Hot: contains some really strong routines
What’s Not: bit heavy going in places if you’re not mathematically minded
Star Rating: ****
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