13 Steps to Mentalism

13 Steps to Mentalism

13 Steps to Mentalism is a book on mentalism by Corinda. Known throughout the world, Corinda has been acclaimed as an inventor, writer, and teacher of Mentalism -- the art of mind reading.

This book was originally published as thirteen smaller booklets, one for each Step, and intended as a course in mentalism. It is now considered by most magicians to be a classical text on mentalism, referenced by many sources and one of the primary encyclopedias of classic mentalism effects.

If you're a magician conducting mental magic, this book should be in your library. It covers topics such as Swami gimmicks, predictions, mental tricks with cards, slates, billets, publicity stunts, blindfolds, holdouts, mediumistic stunts, telepathy, precognition, cold reading, hot reading, and much more.

To those who have given us tricks and routines, I express my sincere thanks. To those who have given us tricks without knowing it, I say thanks again, and leave in modest consolation the words of Hans Trixer who, speaking of those who steal or borrow tricks - writes:
When you steal one trick, they call it plagiarism.
When you steal many - they call it research.
Corinda

Due to the way the book was compiled, there isn't a single "Table of Contents" for this book but instead one at the beginning of each Step. Unfortunately, each individual step appears to use its own content layout, often not similar to the other steps. Typing the list of contents as they appear in the book doesn't make sense (several of them feel more like an unorganized Index and not a Table of Contents), so below is a summary of the different sections. It includes most of the things, but not all.

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Last I checked, you should be able to pick up 13 Steps to Mentalism at Amazon.

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Summarized Contents of 13 Steps to Mentalism

Step One - The "Swami Gimmick"

Part One: Types
  • Different Types of Writers
Part Two: Technique
  • How to Use Your Swami Gimmick
  • Special Techniques
  • Modesty and Mentalism Mixed
Part Three: Tricks with a Swami Gimmick
  • The Spectator as the Telepath
  • The Spectator as the Telepath, First Variation
  • The Spectator as the Telepath, Second Variation
  • Straight to the Point
  • A Stage Trick
  • A Card Trick
  • Living and Dead.
  • A Close up Quickie
  • Two Person Telepathy
  • A Mediumistic Effect
  • Time and Space, An Informal Effect
  • The Card in Glass
  • The Week Ahead Prediction
  • Another Publicity Stunt
  • The Seven Chairs
  • Any Date of the Year
  • The White Swami
  • The Sex Detector
  • Headline Predictions
  • Topical Effects
  • A First Class Newspaper Test
  • Dartboard Prediction
  • Matches or Cigarettes

Step Two - Pencil, Lip, Sound, Touch and Muscle Reading

Part One: Pencil Reading
  • Introduction to Pencil Reading
  • Technique of Pencil Reading
  • Tricks Accomplished by the Art of Pencil Reading
  • "Get-outs Gallore"
  • Strange Coincidence
  • The Total Result
  • A Debt Repaid
  • The Swami and the Pencil
Part Two: Lip Reading
  • Introduction
  • Lip Reading Card Trick
  • Reconstructed Evidence
  • The Whispering Buddha
Part Three: Sound Reading
  • Written Information Discovered by Sound Reading
  • Sound Reading Applied to Action - Not Writing
  • Tricks Accomplished by the Art of Sound Reading
  • Tapping Card Location
  • Paranormal Precognition
  • A Pocket Trick
  • Clean Cut Card Trick
Part Four: Touch Reading
  • Introduction
  • Sujan Location
  • The Use of Salt in an Envelope
  • Marked Playing Cards
  • Psychic Sorting
  • Colour Conscious
  • Another Version of The Princess Card Trick
  • Another Application of the Touch Reading Envelope
Part Five: Muscle Reading
  • Advanced Forms of Contact Mind Reading
  • When to use Contact Mind Reading

Step Three - Mnemonics & Mental Systems

  • Introduction to Mnemonics
  • The Amazing Memory Test
  • Application of the Amazing Memory System
  • Quick Calculations
  • Squaring
  • Extraction of Square Roots
  • Cubing
  • Extraction of Cube Roots
  • The Magic Square
  • The Knight's Tour
  • Chess Trickery
  • The Foolproof System at Chess
  • The play Unlimited Games at Once
  • The Mate in One Problem
  • A Day for Any Date
  • Simple Card Systems
  • The Stacked Deck (Eight Kings)
  • Si Stebbins
  • The Fourteen/Fifteen Set Up
  • The Odd and Even Set Up
  • The Black and Red Set Up
  • The Mnemonic Number Code
  • Corinda's "Fourteenth Book Test"
  • The Photographic Memory

Step Four - Predictions

Part One: Introduction
  • Introduction to Predictions
  • The Value & Nature of Predictions
Part Two: Technique
  • The Billet Pencil by Corinda
  • The Billet Knife - Dr. Jaks
  • The Billet Knife - Sackville
  • The Impromptu Billet Knife
  • The Pocket Index
  • The Billet Index
  • The Cigarette Packet Pellet Index: Tremaine-Cordina
  • The Body Index (Corinda)
  • The Swami Gimmick
  • The Switch and The Force
  • Scarne Pellet Switch
  • The Switch of a Pack of Cards
  • The Bare Hand Envelope Switch
  • The Prediction Chest
  • Trickery with Envelopes
  • Stooges
Part Three: Predictions for the Stage
  • "A Million to One" by Corinda
  • "Quadruplication" by Corinda
  • "De Profundis" by Corinda
  • "The £75,000 Test" by Corinda
  • "Astronomical" by Corinda
  • "The Mentalist's Four Ace Trick" - Corinda-Tremaine
  • Novel Adaption of the "Card in Balloon" by Corinda
  • "Psi Function" by Corinda
Part Four: Predictions for the Drawing Room
  • "Mind Over Matter" by Corinda
  • "My Word!" by Corinda
  • "The Third Choice" by Corinda
  • "The Lottery Routine" by Corinda
  • "The Prophesy" by Corinda
  • "The Informative Joker" by Corinda
  • "Double-Impact Prediction" by Corinda
  • "The Matchbox Mystery" by Corinda
  • "The Mystery of the Chest" by Corinda
  • "X-Marks the Spot"
  • "Nicely Suited"

Step Five - Blindfolds & X-Rays

Part One: Types
  • Introduction
  • The Unfaked Mask
  • Reverse Crease Blindfold. (Will Dexter)
  • The Felt Mask - Faked
  • The Folded Silk Blindfold
  • The Bag Blindfold
  • The Sheet of Blanket Cover
  • The Bucket
  • Cotton Wool, Dough, Coins, Plaster and Suchlike
Part Two: Technique
  • Downward Glimpse
  • One Ahead System
  • The Magnetic Blinfold
  • The Stacked Deck
  • Marked Cards
  • Annemann's One Way Deck
  • Mirrors
  • Reflectors and Shiners
  • Self-Working Effects
  • Prior Observation
  • Memory Systems
  • Patter and Movement During Performance
Part Three: Tricks
  • Introduction
  • "Sightless Vision" a complete Blindfold Routine by Joe Elman
  • Physical Research versus Mentalism by Corinda
  • "Mental Masterpiece" by Maurice Fogel
  • "X-Ray" Eyes by Corinda
  • A Gem of Mental Magic by Corinda
  • The Bartender's Nightmare!
  • The Blindfold Drive and Location of Objects Hidden at a Distance
  • Corinda's "Money Box"
  • "Evidence" by Corinda
  • Card Stab by Hands Trixer
  • Blindfold "Noughts and Crosses"
  • The Blackboard Test
  • The Three Cards by Corinda

Step Six - Billets

Part One: Technique
  • Introduction
  • A Few Simple Rules for Working with Billets
  • The Centre Tear (Corinda Variation)
  • Centre Tear (Punx-Mier Variation)
  • Centre Tear (One Hand Variation)
  • Centre Tear (Corinda's "Backward" Variation)
  • Centre Tear (Preparation of the Billet)
  • Centre Tear (Reading the Billet)
  • The Billet Switch (Bare Hand Method)
  • The Billet Switch (Bare Hand Method - Corinda)
  • The Billet Switch (by lapping)
  • The Billet Switch (Magnetic Clip Method)
  • The Billet Switch (Corinda's Billet Pull)
  • The Billet Switch (The Matchbox Switch by Will Dexter)
  • The Star Trap Billet Switch (Eric Mason)
  • Eclipse Billet Switch (John Henley)
  • Summary of Billet Switching
  • Marking of Billets
  • Billet Stands
  • The Use of a Crystal Ball
Part Two: Tricks and Routines
  • "The Crystal Locket", a routine by Dr. Stanley Jaks
  • "Three Little Questions" by Corinda
  • "It's a Record!" by Corinda
  • "Presenting the Living and Dead" by Corinda
  • "Great Minds Think Alike" by Punx
  • "The Flames of Zor" by Chemical Reaction!
  • "A Card and Billet Routine" by Corinda and Fogel
  • "Inexplicalbe" by Al Koran
  • "Complte Routine for the Centre Tear" by Corinda

Step Seven - Book Tests & Fogel Interview

  • "Zarkamorta II" (The Ceremony of Reincarnation)
  • A Classic Swindle - Magazine Test
  • Impromptu Book Test Simplified
  • A Lesson in Mentalism
  • The Crossword Puzzle
  • Novel Revelation of a Word
  • Tele-Directory Test
  • Ultra-Modern Mentalism
  • The Clip Book by Vivian St. John
  • The Missing Link
  • Summary of Book Tests
  • Supplement - "An Interview with Fogel".

Step Eight - Two Person Telepathy

  • Introduction
Part One: Major Systems
  • The Code Act: Verbal
  • Telepathy for Two by Walford Taylor
  • Basic Number Code (Dates, etc.)
  • Coins
  • Colours
  • Materials
  • Letters of the Alphabet
  • Objects
  • The Final Object List
  • Cards
  • Countries
  • Names
  • Sub-Miniature Radio Equipment
  • Electrical Two-Person Communicator Unit: Code
  • Miscellaneous Code Systems for Full Routines
Part Two: Minor Systems
  • The Pre-Arranged List of Objects or Numbers
  • Playing Cards in Pre-Arranged Order
  • Time Codes
  • Positional Codes
  • Graph or Chart Codes
  • White Elastic Indicator
Part Three: Routines
  • "The Lady is a Mindreader" by Corinda
  • "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by Corinda
  • "All in Order" by Corinda
  • Reference to Effects for Two Person Telepathy in other Steps
  • "Misdirectional Womentalism" by Eric Mason (with apologies to the reader)
  • Write Watch Code by Corinda
  • The Third Man by Corinda
  • Musical Mindreading

Step Nine - Mediumistic Stunts

Part One: Technique
  • Introduction
  • Mediumistic Patter
  • Establishing "Atmosphere" in the Seance Room
  • The Stage Medium
  • Reference to Mediumistic Effect in Other Steps
  • Bibliography - Reference Books on Mediumship
Part Two: Physical Phenomena
  • "Spirit Writing"
  • Spooky Stunts for a Blackout
  • Astral Signs
  • The Spirit Hand
  • Cardboard Skeletons
  • Fire Balls
  • "It"
  • Ectoplasm
  • Apports
  • Spirit Lights
  • The Icy Hand
  • The Message in Mid Air
  • The Spirit Candles by Corinda
  • The Waistcoat Escape
  • The Stage Spirit Cabinet Routine
  • "Telekinecards" by Punx
  • The Palladino Table Lift
  • Table Lifting with Arm Hooks
  • Table Lifting with Waist Hooks
  • "The Haunted Ball"
  • "Spirit Guide"
  • "The Dead Hand Writes"
  • "Corinda's Ghost Walk"
  • Spirit Moulding
Part Three: Mental Phenomena
  • "Phoney Business"
  • "Yes-No" Slate Gag
  • "Cryptopsychism"
  • The Ouija Board
  • Spirit Writing on Slate
  • "Strike a Light!" by Punx

Step Ten - Card Tricks

  • Introduction
  • "Photo-Memory" by Hans Trixer
  • "Incredible Slate Test" by Corinda
  • "The Million Dollar Test" by J. G. Reed
  • "Birthday Card Trick" by Jack Avis
  • "E.S.P. Test" by J. G. Reed
  • "The Trio" by Sidney Lawrence
  • Two Minds - A Single Thought
  • Before Your Very Eyes
  • Gamma Location
  • "Beyond the Veil" by Patrick Page
  • "Card Exchange" by Terry Guyatt
  • "Blind Coincidence" by Michael Mence
  • "Mental Card Trick" by Terry Guyatt
  • "Two of a Kind" by Terry Guyatt
  • "Birds of a Feather" by Corinda
  • "Teleprognos" by Corvelo (Holland)
  • The Red Card Prediction
  • "Across the Void" by Paul Marcus (New Zealand)
  • Back to Back
  • Coincimental by Dr. Thornton
  • Reference to Effects in Other Steps

Step Eleven - Question and Answer (Readings)

  • Introduction
Part One: Dealing with Questions that are Known
  • How to Get Information
  • How to Convey Information
  • General Means of Conveying Information Secretly
  • Selection of Suitable Questions to Use
  • Answering Questions Known
  • Answering Questions from Platform
  • Summary - Private Readings
  • Summary - Platform Readings
  • Summary - Table of Probabilities
Part Two: Dealing with Questions Unknown
  • Main Objectives when Cold Reading

Step Twelve - Publicity Stunts

Part One
  • Introduction
  • The Law of Supply and Demand
Part Two
  • Publicity Stunts
  • Publicity Plots and Ideas

Step Thirteen - Patter & Presentation

  • Introduction
  • The Essentials of Good Performance
  • Personal Appearance
  • Manner and Speech
  • Patter
  • Good Effects
  • Handling
  • Misdirection
  • Coordination
  • The Actor (An Interview with Claude Chandler
  • Appendix Errata
This book is written by Tony Corinda, featuring the work of various others. It includes illustrations by Eric Mason and Tony Corinda. Mine is a hardcover copy published in 1968 by Robbins Publications, printed in 1996 (fifteenth edition) with a total of 424 pages. The book is fully illustrated, though not all parts appear to credit any specific illustrator so it's assumed that Corinda may have been the illustrator and photographer for those parts. Copyright credits in the book date its original publication at 1968, online sources say 1961, and the ISBN records show it as 1926 -- so reference it at your best guess.

ISBN: 978-1-947489-13-4