In the sprawling library of magical literature, most books teach you how to fool the eye. They are manuals of sleight of hand, misdirection, and mechanical gimmicks. But one slim, unassuming volume stands apart. It does not teach how to make a coin vanish or a dove appear. Instead, it teaches how to read a mind, predict the future, and bend another person’s will. That book is The 13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corindini, better known as “Corinda.” First published as a series of booklets in the 1950s and later compiled into a single volume, this text is not merely a magic manual; it is the foundational textbook of a distinct psychological art. By breaking down an elusive, terrifying, and beautiful craft into a progressive ladder of 13 concrete steps, Corinda transformed mentalism from a collection of scattered tricks into a legitimate, learnable discipline.
The core thesis of Corinda’s work is that mentalism is not magic performed with playing cards or coins—it is the simulation of a superpower. To achieve this, one cannot rely on speed or dexterity alone; one must rely on psychology, suggestion, and a deep understanding of human nature. The book’s title is a literal roadmap. Step One, “The Swami Gimmick,” begins with the most basic tool of the mentalist: a simple, invisible writing device. From this humble starting point, Corinda methodically ascends. He moves through billet reading (secretly stealing and reading a written thought), mnemonic systems (memorizing vast amounts of data), and the art of the “Pseudo-Psychic” performance. Each step builds logically on the last, leading the student from mechanical secrets to the highest, most challenging skill of all: pure psychological suggestion and the use of “muscle reading” (now more accurately called contact mind reading). The structure is pedagogical genius, ensuring that the student masters fundamental principles of deception before attempting the nuanced performance art of a mind-reading demonstration.
However, the true genius of The 13 Steps lies not in its secrets, but in its philosophy. Corinda was acutely aware that the mentalist traffics in a dangerous currency: belief. Unlike a magician, whom the audience knows is performing tricks, the mentalist often aims to create genuine mystery and, in some contexts, the illusion of paranormal ability. In the final steps, particularly Step 11 (“The Pseudo-Psychic”) and Step 12 (“The Art of Bluffing”), Corinda turns from technique to ethics. He warns that the power to make someone believe you can read their mind is a heavy responsibility. The book implicitly distinguishes between the “entertainer” who frames their act as a game of skill and the “pretender” who exploits belief for ego or profit. Corinda’s unspoken rule is clear: a true mentalist creates wonder, not delusion. This ethical shadow—the question of whether mentalism is an art or a con—hangs over every page, forcing the student to confront the moral weight of their chosen craft.
The legacy of The 13 Steps to Mentalism is impossible to overstate. Before Corinda, mentalism was a scattered set of secrets passed from magician to apprentice, often viewed as a mere branch of card magic. After Corinda, it became a standalone art form with its own logic, methods, and performance theory. The book directly influenced every major mentalist of the last half-century, from the legendary Max Maven to the modern duo Penn & Teller. It is consistently listed as the number-one, most-recommended text on every mentalism forum and reading list. More than that, the book serves as a time capsule of mid-20th-century popular psychology, reflecting an era fascinated by ESP, hypnosis, and the limits of the human mind. To study it is to understand not only how to fool an audience, but how to craft a compelling narrative about the unknown.
In conclusion, The 13 Steps to Mentalism is far more than a PDF or a dusty volume on a magician’s shelf. It is a complete curriculum for a specific way of thinking about mystery. Corinda took the ethereal, frightening power of mind-reading and methodically deconstructed it into 13 teachable units, from a simple pencil to the art of psychological bluff. Yet he never lost sight of the art’s soul: the moment of connection when a spectator believes, for just a second, that another person has seen inside their thoughts. For the aspiring mentalist, opening this PDF is not like opening a book of tricks; it is like being handed a set of keys to a hidden room. What you do once you step inside—entertain, inspire, or manipulate—is the only question that remains. And as Corinda makes clear, that is the one secret no book can teach you.
If you're looking for Tony Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism , it is widely considered the "Bible" of the craft, systematically deconstructing the techniques used to perform mind-reading and mental magic [18, 19]. Where to Find the Book
Because the work is a cornerstone of the field, it is available through several educational and professional magic resources: Professional Copies corinda 13 steps to mentalism pdf
: You can find high-quality physical and digital editions at dedicated magic retailers like Vanishing Inc. Magic Lybrary.com Public Archives
: Limited versions or older printings are sometimes available for research and streaming on Internet Archive Study Documents : Academic and enthusiast platforms like often host community-uploaded summaries and guides [1, 7]. The 13 Steps Breakdown
The book was originally published as thirteen individual booklets, each focusing on a specific discipline within mentalism [18]: The Swami Gimmick
: Secrets of secret writing while in front of an audience [2, 3]. Pencil, Lip, Sound, & Muscle Reading
: Methods for gathering information through observation [1, 3]. Mnemonics & Mental Systems : Memory techniques for massive data recall [3]. Predictions
: Making it appear you knew an event would happen before it did [19]. Blindfolds & X-Ray Eyes : Performing while seemingly unable to see [3]. The Unopened Book: How Corinda’s 13 Steps to
: Handling small scraps of paper to read hidden information [3]. Book Tests : Guessing words or phrases from random books [3]. Two-Person Telepathy : Coordinated acts between two performers [2]. Mediumistic Stunts
: Effects that mimic spiritualist or "otherworldly" contact [3]. Card Tricks : Specific card magic tailored for mentalists [3]. Question & Answer (Readings)
: The art of answering audience questions they haven't asked aloud [2]. Publicity Stunts : Grand-scale effects designed to gain media attention [3]. Patter & Presentation
: The crucial final step on how to act, talk, and sell the performance [2, 3]. Billet work , or are you looking for a structured study plan AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
Before diving into the PDF debate, let's define the artifact. Tony Corinda—born William Alexander Corinda—was a British magician who compiled the complete system of mentalism. The "13 Steps" are not random tricks; they are a curriculum:
This book does not rely on sleight of hand with coins or cards. It deals with psychology, suggestion, showmanship, and the art of lying convincingly. It teaches you how to convince a room full of people that you can read their minds. What Actually Is 13 Steps to Mentalism
How to get newspapers to write about your "psychic demonstration" without revealing trade secrets. Corinda gives actual press release templates from the 1950s that still work today.
Stealing intellectual property harms the magic community. The royalties from this book support the legacy of the author and the magic publishers (like Magic Inc.) who keep these classics in print. If everyone downloads the PDF for free, publishers will stop printing high-quality magic books.
Can you memorize a 50-digit number in 60 seconds? Corinda teaches the classic "Number Shape" and "Number Rhyme" systems. This is legitimate memory training disguised as magic.
This is often the first tool a mentalist learns. Corinda dives deep into the use of the "Nail Writer"—a tiny device used to secretly write predictions after the fact. It sounds simple, but in the hands of a master, it is a miracle.
First, a brief history. In 1958, a British magician named Tony Corinda began publishing a series of small booklets. There were 13 of them, each focusing on a specific branch of mentalism. Later, these were compiled into a single hardbound volume titled "13 Steps to Mentalism."
Unlike standard magic books that teach "tricks," Corinda’s work teaches systems. It is not a collection of gimmicks; it is a psychological framework. The book covers everything from basic pencil reading (telling what someone drew based on hand movements) to complex dual reality (where the audience and the subject experience two different events).
Why is it called "13 Steps"? Corinda envisioned the mentalist’s education as a staircase. You cannot skip steps. Step 1 is foundational; Step 13 is the summit. Without the earlier skills, the later, more powerful effects will fail.
The holy grail of mentalism: A spectator opens a random book to any page and reads a word. You already have that word written on a slip of paper. Corinda provides half a dozen methods, from indexed books to nail writers.