Tony Corinda

Tony Corinda (1930-2010) was a British mentalist, magician, and author best known for writing the influential work "Thirteen Steps to Mentalism," widely considered a foundational text in the field of mentalism and psychological illusion. During the 1950s and 1960s, Corinda operated a magic shop in London's Tottenham Court Road, where he developed and sold original magical effects. His shop became a gathering place for prominent magicians and mentalists of the era, contributing to his deep knowledge of the craft. His masterwork "Thirteen Steps to Mentalism," published in 1968, systematically broke down the principles and techniques of mentalism into distinct categories, covering areas such as cold reading, blindfolds, predictions, and mnemonics. The book remains required reading for professional mentalists and continues to be published decades after its initial release. Beyond his writing, Corinda was known for creating numerous mentalism effects and props that advanced the art form. His contributions to mentalism earned him recognition from the Magic Circle, and his methods continue to influence contemporary performers.

Readers consistently rate "Thirteen Steps to Mentalism" between 4.3-4.7 stars across platforms. Amazon reviews total 300+ with a 4.5 average, while Goodreads shows 4.4 from 200+ ratings. Readers value: - Clear explanations of complex techniques - Systematic organization of content - Detailed illustrations and diagrams - Practical, ready-to-use methods - Historic importance of techniques covered Common criticisms: - Dense, technical writing style - Outdated references and language - High price point for physical copies - Some effects require props no longer available - Print quality issues in newer editions One reader noted: "The writing is dry but the information is gold." Another mentioned: "This taught me more in one chapter than 5 other mentalism books combined." Magic shop owner review: "Every professional mentalist has a worn copy. The binding on mine split from constant reference." Multiple readers suggest starting with modern introductory texts before tackling Corinda's advanced concepts.

Thirteen Steps to Mentalism (1968) A comprehensive instructional text that systematically covers the fundamental principles of mentalism, including cold reading, predictions, mnemonics, and blindfold work across thirteen distinct categories.

Theodore Annemann Created The Jinx magazine and wrote "Practical Mental Effects," which contains over 200 mentalism routines and methods. His work predates Corinda's and establishes many foundational principles that Corinda later expanded upon.

Max Maven Wrote extensively about psychological manipulation and mentalism in works like "Max Maven's Book of Fortunetelling." His writings focus on the technical and theoretical aspects of mentalism with a similar systematic approach to Corinda's.

Derren Brown Authored "Pure Effect" and "Absolute Magic," which examine psychological methods and theatrical principles in mentalism. His books analyze the psychological foundations of effects in a detailed, technical manner similar to Corinda's approach.

Banachek Wrote "Psychological Subtleties" series, providing detailed explanations of mental effects and principles. His work focuses on practical applications and methods, following Corinda's tradition of systematic instruction.

Richard Osterlind Created "Making Mental Magic" and numerous other technical works on mentalism methodology. His books break down complex concepts into learnable components, similar to Corinda's step-by-step teaching style.