This book is one of the most magical books I've read in a long time. I mean magical in every sense of the word. Obviously it's full of magic tricks. But it's more than that. It reminds of the feeling I'm trying to recapture in my latest book. The book is called 793.8 . . . of course this is the name of the Dewey Decimal number for magic books in the library. I've been working on this tome for almost 3 years now (hopefully it'll be released this year - 2013). The point, is that I'm trying to help magicians recapture that magical feeling they had the first time they cracked open a magic book.

All shameless plugs aside, I bring this up because this book, Japan Ingenious is the epitome of that feeling I'm hoping to rekindle in the community of the magi. When I read this book, I felt like a kid again. It was amazing. There are beautiful illustrations, well written instructions (thanks to Steve talent for translating). If felt, looked, smelled and tasted like a Tarbell book. It's got every kind of magic you can imagine . . . cards, coins, ropes, silks, illusions, puzzles, topological "stuff", crazy contraptions, etc., etc.

There's stuff in here for everyone from the best magical minds in Japan. The book is beautiful to behold, nostalgic to read, and now officially one of my favorite magic trick books. To go through the effects would be kind of pointless because every one of my readers will be attracted to different styles of effects. I will say, that one of the best coin tricks in the world is in this book: Fading Coin by Tomoyuki Takahashi. Whether you're looking for new ideas for effects or inspiration, or you're a book collector, this book has it all, and is definitely worth owning.

Final Verdict:
5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM.