<DIV>Even the world's greatest conjurors and illusionists had to start with something simple before mastering the mind-boggling. The road to becoming a Houdini or a David Copperfield begins right here, with 50 basic—but still imaginative and amazing—tricks for the novice. Build your skills with routines using coins, cards, and other sleights-of-hand before moving on to more innovative and radical techniques. If you want the ultimate introduction into the world of magic, forget “abracadabra”—say <I>Hey Presto!</I> instead.</DIV>