"Plot Twists" book by Oliver Meech
Suggested Retail USD$18.87
Available direct from Oliver Meech
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Plot Twists", a book by Oliver Meech, is the exciting follow-up to his previous "The Plot Thickens" and once again presents a collection of new, weird themes that are as entertaining as they are unique, and that's saying something.

Or, put another way... Go buy this. Now. You'll be glad you did.

I mean, really. Where else are you going to find a quick, entertaining routine using dog tags? Or learn how to memorize the entire internet (which, by the way, is easier than you'd think)? Or have a fortune-telling fish know all and see all? Or find it easy to bowl a strike when you use a virtual bowling ball?

Yes, those are just a few examples of Meech's presentational prizes. See why I love the guy's work so much? His thinking on presentations just isn't over the top, no; it's over the top, around the mountain, and back down behind the spectators' carefully constructed sense of logic.

And the methods! The methods are, for the most part, all tried-and-true. In fact, I don't think I'd be understating it to say that Meech rarely comes up with a new method. He doesn't need to. He wants to entertain with the offbeat, not the invisible. So when he comes up with something like "Trampolining" (where a drawing of a trampoline actually works as a trampoline should), the method is pretty much what you'd expect, even as you're kicking yourself for not coming up with the idea.

It's almost a cliché nowadays to quote the party line of "easy methods allow you to focus on your presentation" but in all of these hits, Meech has done exactly that: the methods are easy, allowing you to play more with the odd, weird, and just plain unique presentations. Those presentations are the sheer gold here, after all, and Meech makes sure to keep them to the fore.

What can I say? I love this book. I love the thinking behind the material ("book test with a book"? How can you not fall for something like that?). I love the freshness of the ideas, the way Meech never goes down the path you think he will, all the while knowing the final destination is going to be something else.

This is just fine stuff, hands down.

This is one I highly recommend to any close-up performer, period.

"Plot Twists" book by Oliver Meech
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
The insanity continues in this long-awaited follow-up to Meech's "The Plot Thickens". Once again, Meech presents magic that is simple in method but whose themes are just plain weird. And yet, as always, Meech takes this combo and makes it entertaining, commercial, and downright fun for both the audience and the performer.

Quality: 10
Meech's writing style is entertaining in its own right as well as being easy to learn from.

Illustrations: 10
The book is loaded with black-and-white photos, excellently placed, and make learning the material a breeze.

Presentation: 10
This is Meech's specialty: offbeat presentations that entertain in every way. Here are some of Meech's best pieces and that's really saying something.

Shane