Mentalism Books Reviewed (The Best 6 in 2022)

If you’ve been practicing mentalism lately, you’ve probably realized that YouTube and Google alone don’t have enough content about in-depth mentalism tricks and concepts.

So where do you look for more mentalism knowledge?

Books, of course!

There are lots of mentalism books out there, some written by the best mentalists. From the selection, you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for whether it be for mentalism tricks, concepts, or ways to quickly learn how to read body language.

In this article, we’re going to review the 6 best mentalism books this 2022. These 6 books are hailed as the best of mentalism.

So let’s take a look at them.

What are the Best Mentalism Books?

Here are the 6 best mentalism books we’ll review:

1. 13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda

If you ask me, 13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda is the book every mentalist should read.

It discusses 13 types of the most popular mentalism tricks that you will perform at least once in your mentalism journey.

And while there are a lot of other tricks not covered in this book, these 13 tricks are considered to be the fundamental tricks you should know by heart – from swami gimmicks to telepathy.

What people love about this book is that each chapter covers one trick in depth. So it’s not just about explaining what the trick is – it’s also about the things you can do to further improve your performance.

And if you’re worried about it being only for beginners, don’t be. This book is best for mentalists regardless of where their journey is.

I have to warn you, though, there are some references here that are outdated. But that’s only because this book was written in 1958.

Despite that, it’s a very good and helpful read. You’ll learn a whole lot about mentalism like you never knew before.

2. Encyclopedia of Mentalism & Mentalists by Tony Corinda & William Rauscher

Another book by Tony Corinda, the Encyclopedia of Mentalism & Mentalists, makes its way to the front row of this list.

But this time it isn’t Corinda who’s writing the book alone. William Rauscher, who’s famous for Mind Readers – Masters of Deception also shares his stories on the best mentalists of our time.

So how is this different from the first Corinda book we mentioned?

Well, the Encyclopedia of Mentalism & Mentalists is a rich version of both technique and history. I’d say it’s great for having a deeper grounding and appreciation for the foundations of mentalism.

It also delves deep into the how-tos of a few mentalism tricks and how you can improve on your technique. This book gives you a good balance of knowledge and history.

I especially recommend this book if you’re a beginner wanting to learn more about the best mentalists of our time.

3. Practical Mental Magic by Theodore Annemann

If you’re struggling to understand the writing style of Tony Corinda, then Practical Mental Magic by Theodore Annemann is worth trying.

Not only is this book a lot easier to read and follow, but it also has a different way of looking at mentalism. It discusses the concepts of mentalism and a bunch of tricks that will help you carry out a stellar performance.

And what’s great about it is that it was written with beginners in mind. You will notice that the tricks mentioned here will have a step-by-step guide.

Even if you’re not a beginner, I still recommend this book. Next to 13 Steps to Mentalism, I’d say this is another great literary piece that will always give you something to learn no matter how many times you read it.

4. PRISM: The Color Series of Mentalism by Max Maven

Did you know that this book is like a 5-in-1 steal?

I’m not kidding!

Before this book was published, Max Maven was already writing booklets about mentalism. This was called The Color Series of Mentalism.

These booklets were always in high demand and were hard to collect. So Max Maven wrote one book that would combine all the things he wrote in those 5 booklets.

But just like the booklets, PRISM is hard to find, with limited copies published during its first few years. Nonetheless, it’s always a must-have for aspiring mentalists who don’t have a clue about their mentalism style.

And if you haven’t realized it yet, there are so many mentalism styles, and not every trick will be your cup of tea.

So if you’re in this stage of your mentalism journey, finding out your “style”, I highly recommend you read this. You’ll definitely find this a compelling book to read.

5. Pure Effect: Direct Mindreading and Magical Artistry by Derren Brown

Looking for a non-serious mentalism book to read? Pure Effect is the perfect book for you!

Written by Derren Brown, who’s an entertaining writer himself, this book is a break from all the seriousness that most mentalist books arrive at.

It’s perfect for beginners and experienced mentalists alike. It’s for anyone who wants to know more about modern mentalism tricks and concepts.

However, I should warn you that this book isn’t heavy on the step-by-step guide of learning mentalism tricks. Rather, it focuses more on concepts and the reason behind mentalism tricks.

In other words, it’s more of a “how” and “why” mentalism came to be. Plus, Derren Brown also includes short stories about inspiring mentalists and their backgrounds.

6. Fundamentals of Professional Mentalism by Bob Cassidy

As its title suggests, the Fundamentals of Professional Mentalism talks a lot about the foundations and the primary principles of the trade.

The book’s concept isn’t unique and in terms of discussion, what you’ll read here will probably be aligned to the other books that I’ve mentioned on this list.

But I listed Bob Cassidy’s book here because it offers two things that most mentalism books don’t have – common mentalism misconceptions and a practice guide.

The common misconceptions part of this book is very helpful for people starting their mentalism journey. This way, you understand what mentalism is not in order to differentiate it from other types of performing arts.

Moreover, Bob Cassidy has a tutorial guide on how to practice your tricks. Most books don’t cover this, so it’s great that someone talks about it in great length.

If you’ve been struggling with practicing some tricks, I’m sure that this book is going to be very helpful.

Conclusion

There are a lot of mentalism books out there, but this shortlist of books will help you kickstart a deeper understanding of mentalism.

Having this collection alone will help you learn and master the most popular and complex tricks. You’ll even know how to practice these tricks.

So if you think the Internet has been running out of mentalism content, it’s about time you turn to books.