How many of these books do you have in your library:

Stanyon, Magic (periodical, 15 vols., complete)
Tarbell, Tarbell Course of Magic
Stanyon, The Stanyon Serials, (l-21)
Downs, The Art of Magic
Hilliard, (Sequel to above now being published)
Sachs, Sleight of Hand
Maskelyne and Devant, Our Magic
Hoffmann, Modern Magic
Hatton and Plate, Magician’s Tricks
Clarke, Annals of Conjuring (Magic Wand Nos.121-140)
Houdin, The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic
Thurston, 200 Tricks You Can Do
Thurston, 200 More Tricks You Can Do
Erdnase, The Expert at the Card Table
Annemann, 202 Methods of Forcing
Johnson, The Open Book
Lloyd, Thimble Manipulation
Dereen, Expert Cigarette Manipulation
Hull, Billiard Ball Manipulation (2 parts)
Lippy, Chemical Magio
Houdini, Paper Magic
Hull, 33 Rope Ties and Chain Releases
Gibson, Houdini’s Escapes
Hurst, The Georgia Wonder
Houdini, Miracle Mongers
de Laurence, Medical Hypnosis and Magnetic Hypnotism
de Laurence, The Book of Black Ma«lc and of Pacts
Prince, The Whole Art of Ventriloquism
Roth, Roth Memory Course
Carrlngton, The Physioal Phenomena of Spiritualism
Abbott, Behind the Scenes with the Mediums
Alexander, The Life and Mysteries of Dr.’Q’
Hull, How To Answer Questions
Dusenbery, Making Magic Pay
Glen, The Road To Fame
Funk and Wagnall’s, The Practical Standard Dictionary
Globe Book Company, Elementary Grammar

I don’t have all of those, but that list is pretty well represented in my library. I am particularly fond of my set of Stanyon’s Magic and Serials (the Kaufman slipcovered reprints put out by Richard Kaufman, this set I got from my friends at H&R Magic Books); first editions of Art of Magic and Greater Magic; Maskeylyne and Devant’s Our Magic; and, of course, Tarbell.

Of this list, the author writes:

Down through the years have come many books on the art of magic and allied subjects. Of late the production of such literature has increased until hardly a week goes by without the appearance of a book, brochure or manuscript. Many are good and many are not. The titles given here is an impartial and unbiased opinion of my own as to what books constitute a working library on the art of mystifying.

Every included work has its value and I take my stand now that the shelf of magic as herein listet covers every phase and known principle necessary to a modern performer. There are hundreds of other books, magazines and pamphlets which contain excellent and practical effects but I’m not listing trick books alone. I’m listing what I think are textbooks and if an absolute stranger to magic asked me tomorrow what books he should buy I’d give him this list. Check it over carefully and see if you can think of a subject connected with mystifying that isn’t covered with the best book (my opinion) obtainable.

It’s an interesting list for many reasons, not the least of which is that this particular list is almost 70 years old. It’s from the May 1935 issue of Ted Annemann’s The Jinx. I’ve been re-reading my reprints over the last couple of days and I am amazed all over again how much great stuff was printed in this monthly publication. Ted promised “the biggest quarter’s worth ever put before a magician.” (That’s a quarter, as in twenty-five cents.) Mission accomplished, without any doubt whatsoever.

I read through these issues and I wonder what Ted would think of the fact that his own monthly would feature so prominently in the canon of “absolute must haves” in magic and mentalism. I wonder what he’d have thought of Corinda’s 13 Steps.

Every once in a while studying your library, like studying your navel, is good exercise.