When Barrie Richardsons Theater of the Mind was published in 1999, it drew immediate acclaim from mentalists and magicians, professional and amateur alike, and quickly became a bestseller. In it, Richardson, a longtime professional performer and speaker, exhibited an unerring track record for fashioning astonishing effects and routines, dressed in powerful and engaging presentations and supported by ingenious, practical methods.

In Act Two, Barrie Richardson shows that he has lost none of his gentle thunder. His new book features 54 tricks, ideas and routines, with all the attributes for which his work has become known and admired. Most include full presentations that use humanity, humor and an unfaltering sense of drama, that culminate in feats that are clearly impossible and thoroughly amazing.

Along with some of his most prized routines, Richardson includes valuable examples taken from his professional repertoire of motivational talks for public and business audiences.

The scenes in Act Two amount to what might be called a modern "miracle play." Here is a scant sampling of the action:

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