No prizes for guessing who it was that did more to popularize mentalism than anyone else. Certainly, a steady stream of impressive performers and writers have kept the kettle boiling over the years, but it was Theo Annemann who, beginning in the first half of the twentieth century, set the pace with ingenious methods and presentations that still influence material today.

He wrote: "It is my theory that any effect to be successful must first be founded upon a simple method, and then be performed with a direct, to-the-point presentation." Hard to disagree with a compelling narrative such as this.

Australia's Ian Baxter, always a keen supporter of Annemann's initiatives, is now offering this Book Test to the magical fraternity; a carefully crafted approach that sticks rigidly to these rules. The title says it all.

The effect can be described in just one sentence: The performer quotes words from two spectators, jointly reading to themselves from a freely chosen book! No stooges, nothing written down, no clues at all. Just miraculous!

International Mentalist Charles Gauci, on reading this manuscript, remarked: "Perfect Ian. A game changer for a classic. I cannot fault it."

Reviewer David Jones added: "A very practical approach, well described, crystal clear and straightforward. A book test to be reckoned with."

1st edition 2023, PDF 6 pages.
word count: 1759 which is equivalent to 7 standard pages of text