3510

LUKE JERMAY
3510
JMOM Price: $45
Suggested Retail Price: $50

THE BLURB:
INTRODUCTION [Excerpt]

As I write the introduction to this book I am on a flight
from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. I am presented with exactly
forty-five minutes to sum up my feelings about the book.

A lot has contributed to the style in which this book has
been written; among other things a recent transatlantic
relocation from the UK to the USA to make a home in Las
Vegas. I now find myself a married man, and to top it all
off I have even begun work on that traveling freak show I
have been dreaming about for oh so long. As I write this I
am currently on my way out of Las Vegas--the magical capital
of the world--feeling very ill from the extreme turbulence
on an otherwise uninteresting flight. Vegas is a town that
has in the short while I have lived here already deeply
affected my approach to magic and mentalism. Las Vegas
really is the best place in the world to see both great and
terrible magic. From the best of the best to the worst of
the worst, Vegas is your place.

The bulk of this book was written as I lived and worked as a
traveling performer. Much of the book being written on
planes, in hotels and while generally on the road. There
really is a great advantage to having a mobile office. As
one of the publishers of this book would say: “as long as
there's a Starbucks, we're good to go.”

The book was written in this fashion with my thoughts being
collected in essay form while on the road. Now, looking back
over it, I find it a genuinely nosaltigic read. The task of
elaborating on my traveling essays to make them more
complete and lucid was much like reading an old travel
journal or diary from years past.

Certain essays remind me of specific performances and
places. Others remind me of various TV shows I have worked
on. I hold many good memories attached to the writing in
this book and some not so good memories.

The one thing the ideas presented in this book all have in
common is that they were formed in part because of the
countless “bad” magic and mentalism shows I have encountered
on my journeys. From live performances to certain recent “TV
Stars”, bad magic is simply bad magic.

It is these “bad magic/mentalism shows” that are the true
inspiration for this book. Without having witnessed so much
bad magic and mentalism I would never have been moved to
examine my own performances at a deeper level. It was this
examination triggered by these performances that inspired my
feelings and thoughts as recorded in this book. So in a way
I have all the shows that have made me feel sick watching to
thank for their inspiration in questioning my own
performances at a deeper level.

It is my hope that you enjoy what is presented in this book.
You will of course not agree with everything I have written,
and this is the whole point!

The best thing I could ever hope to achieve with this book
is to encourage you to question your own performances in the
same way I have questioned my own. If you do this, we
together are fighting against those “bad magic/mentalism”
shows I know we both hate so much. Together with our love
for the art that has given us so much, we now have the
chance to give it something back. Lets keep magic and
mentalism as exciting to our audiences as it is to us.

Enjoy your journey and maybe our paths will cross along the
way.

With all sincerity I am;

Luke Jermay

Beginning his descent into LA, 2006.

CHAPTER ONE

DEVELOPING COMPELLING DEMONSTRATIONS

This chapter outlines my own personal beliefs on presenting
contemporary mentalism. From the structure of an effect to
building a routine and a show. Each point is complete with
working examples from my own repertoire.

CHAPTER TWO

A WORKING EXAMPLE OF MY GUIDELINES

In this chapter we handle a working example of all the
guidelines outlined in chapter one by creating and applying
these rules to an effect.

CHAPTER THREE

AN APPROACH TO “PROP FREE” MENTALISM

A brief look at performing modern mentalism without the aid
of apparatus and props of any kind. This chapters features a
breakdown of what I think are the most useful methods for a
performer to have in his or her tool box when it comes to
performing mentalism with no psychical props at all.

CHAPTER FOUR

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

This chapter outlines the attention to detail that I feel is
needed to make a truly compelling performance. It also
features a working example of how applying the small touches
to an effect can make all the difference.

CHAPTER FIVE

PRESENTATIONAL TOUCHES

A collection of presentational additions that can be added
into many effects that you already perform as well as all
the effects featured within this book. These range from the
use of a slinky as a pendulum right the way up to saying the
alphabet backwards and writing inside out verse. These
touches are used throughout the book to build compelling
demonstrations and will be referenced throughout from this
chapter.

CHAPTER SIX

TOUCHING ON HOY – THE REAL WORK

This chapter features possibly the strongest, prop free,
anywhere, anytime demonstration of mind reading available to
the mentalist. Featuring brand new work on my original
effect as well as three different effects that are achieved
with the same basic conceptual methodology. This chapter
also includes new work on the effect eliminating the need
for a psychological force, a new and bold out for the brave
performer, a new idea from which a miracle could spring “the
Stranger’s Name Concept” and also features a guest
contribution from Chicago’s Chris Carter.

CHAPTER SEVEN

HAIL DUNNINGER – A PRINICPLE AND AN EFFECT

In this chapter I take a closer look at the “Dunninger Ploy”
and describe its use in relation to a card effect using a
prop you almost certainly already own.

CHAPTER EIGHT

A LOOK AT TV MAGIC/MENTALISM FROM EDITING TO BROADCAST

Here I share my personal thoughts on the world of TV magic.
From selective editing to pre-show work and dirty “camera
tricks”.

CHAPTER NINE

STANDING ON THE SHOUDLERS OF GIANTS

This chapter is a work inspired by my influences. As
performers I truly think we are building everything we
perform on the work of greats from the past. Here I share
three routines that I feel are directly inspired by Canasta,
Dr. Jak’s and Koran.

CHAPTER TEN

MENTALISM WITH PLAYING CARDS

This chapter features mentalism with playing cards. All
neatly piled together so those who would rather poke
themselves in the eyes with anthrax covered magic wand than
mix mentalism and playing cards can simply skip.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

SUGGESTION

A chapter featuring effects that mix the classic methods of
magic and mentalism with suggestive techniques to create
bold and new effects never before possible.

CHAPTER TWELEVE

A BRIEF JOURNEY INTO THE BIZARRE

No skulls, altars or sacrificed goats rather Mentalism with
a surreal twist. From making time stand still, traveling
backwards in time, scars healing themselves, incredible
coincidences, a game of life and death, demonstrating your
"grift sense" while charmingly stealing from your
spectators, revealing innermost fears and stealing watches
with your psychic power Its all very odd. Featuring guest
contributions from Morgan Strebler, Craig Browing and Liam
Montier.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ZEROING IN

Methods to zero in on the correct spectators for your
effects. This features a cold approach to working with
suggestive methods as well as a honing method design for the
stage performer and a method designed for the close up
worker.

Pages 177 - Hardbound

MY COMENTS:
There is no question that this is Luke Jermay's finest and
most accesible work. It's sort of a greatest hits package
plus an in-depth look at his performance style and
philosophies about mentalism. Though Luke is comparatively
young and still maturing in his knowledge of mentalism and
performing mentalism, he has tremendous talent and has
gained a respectable wisdom through lots of performing
experience and his friendship with many of the top names in
mentalism and magic. There is a whole wealth of topics
covered including staging, patter, presentation, pre-show
work, working on TV, suggestion, mentalism with playing
cards, impromptu mentalism, and the use of props, among many
others. Among the essays and advice are many of Luke's
well-known routines, such as his famous Touched On Hoy which
is one of those routines that is "worth the price" of this
book.

My only complaint is that this hardback book, which looks
nice, was very sloppily edited. In one section he writes
that certain patter that is bolded is emphasized, yet there
are no words in that section that are in bold. And, along
with all the typos and grammatical errors, it could have
used a font that is easier on the eyes to read. These are
certainly bothersome, but any intelligent reader will
understand the text. And this isn't Luke's fault, but the
publishers (Penguin Magic) who should have taken more care
with what they had.

Despite that, this is a highly recommended book.
Experienced mentalists will certainly get some wonderful
routines that Luke has been using and applaud his
discussions of topics that need to be said over and over
again to the new generation of mentalists. Novice
mentalists will certainly get . . . well, they'll get a
whole lot, so they should just get it. It's just that
simple. Definitely recommended.