My Best
J. G. Thompson Jr. · 1945
A substantial 1945 anthology of 193 contributions from 115 magicians, spanning cards, close-up magic, home magic and stage effects.
My Best - J. G. Thompson Jr.
Published in 1945, My Best is a genuinely useful snapshot of American magic at the end of the Second World War. It is not a single-author treatise. J. G. Thompson Jr. assembled 193 contributions from 115 professional and amateur magicians, then organized them into a practical working book. That scope explains its continuing appeal: the reader encounters many voices, plots and working conditions rather than one performer's personal style.
What is inside
The book has three broad parts. Its card section includes discoveries and revelations, card transpositions and rising-card material, mental effects with cards and a miscellaneous card collection. The remaining sections move through pocket tricks, magic for the home, material for home and stage, and larger stage effects. A final biographical section identifies contributors. Contemporary descriptions list roughly 380 pages and more than 350 illustrations; pagination and binding can vary between printings, so a seller should always photograph the title and copyright pages.
Why it matters
My Best is strongest as a sourcebook. A reader can compare different approaches to audience management, construction and staging in one volume. Several entries are compact, so the reward comes from studying how an effect is structured rather than expecting modern step-by-step teaching. The illustrations and the breadth of contributors make it valuable for a magician building historical context as well as for someone looking for a practical idea to adapt.
What it is not
This is not a beginner course and it should not be bought as a promise that every routine will suit a present-day performer. Terminology, props and patter belong to their period. Some methods assume prior knowledge of classic handling. The best approach is to choose one or two effects, identify the audience's remembered experience, then rebuild the presentation in a personal and contemporary voice while keeping clear credit to the source.
Advice for collectors and second-hand buyers
The 1945 edition is usually encountered as a clothbound book, but copies differ considerably in condition. Check the binding, hinges and spine, and look for loose or missing pages, stains, library marks, inscriptions and writing in the margins. Ask for photographs of the cover, spine, title page, copyright page and any damage. The book's value depends more on edition, completeness and condition than on age alone. A clean reading copy can be the sensible choice for study; a more desirable copy may matter to a collector who wants an early printing or notable provenance.
Who will benefit
My Best suits the curious intermediate or advanced magician who enjoys comparing methods and extracting principles. It is also a worthwhile reference for collectors interested in mid-century American magic publishing. Its lasting value is not one headline routine but its range: cards, pocket magic, domestic demonstrations and stage material gathered into one historical working library.