If mentalism has a bible, it is 13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda. First serialised as individual pamphlets in 1958 and collected into a single volume in 1961, it remains the most important instructional text in the history of mind reading — the foundation upon which virtually every professional mentalist working today has built their craft.
The Man Behind the Book
Born Anthony Ralph Simpson in London in 1930, Corinda (his stage name) was a performer, inventor, and writer who recognised that mentalism lacked what every other serious discipline possessed: a comprehensive, systematic textbook. While Annemann had provided the literature and the methodology, it was Corinda who organised the entire art form into a structured curriculum that could be studied, practised, and mastered.
13 Steps to Mentalism
The book is organised into thirteen sections, each covering a fundamental area of mentalism: swami gimmicks, pencil reading, billets, book tests, two-person telepathy, predictions, blindfolds, question-and-answer acts, cold reading, and more. Each section combines historical context, practical methodology, and performance advice into a complete course of study.
What made the book revolutionary was not merely the comprehensiveness of its coverage but the clarity and intelligence of its instruction. Corinda wrote with the precision of a teacher and the insight of a working performer. He understood that knowing how a technique worked was only half the battle; understanding when and why to use it was equally important.
Legacy
Corinda's systematic approach gave mentalism something it had never had before: a structured path from beginner to professional. Before 13 Steps, aspiring mentalists had to piece together their education from scattered magazines, pamphlets, and word of mouth. After it, they had a complete curriculum.
Tony Corinda died in 2010, but his book continues to sell, to be studied, and to form the bedrock of mentalism education worldwide. It has been translated into numerous languages and remains the single text that professional mentalists most frequently recommend to those entering the craft.
The original version of this article appeared in The Magic Circular, the official journal of The Magic Circle.
Original Magic Circular Article
Download the article as originally published in The Magic Circular
Further Reading
- Corinda, Tony. 13 Steps to Mentalism (1958/1961)
- Corinda, Tony. Supplement to 13 Steps
- Corinda, Tony. Step 14 (later additions)
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