"I must say, you've set a new standard in lecture notes. I can see people in the future asking about someone's lecture notes and getting the response that they are 'good' which would prompt the question, 'Yes, but are they Ian-Rowland-Good?' " - David Alexander

"Thanks so much for sending your lecture notes. There is some really prime material in there. I really appreciate it." - Joe Atmore

"I am completely impressed and in awe of your thinking, particularly with the mentalism section. I think you have a great writing style and a voice, and that, my friend, is rare. The first routine in the booklet is my second favorite. The other routine that I think is unbelievably clever is the business card bit. I mean, that is a 'perfect' trick because it has instant appeal, a good way of 'getting into' it as everyone exchanges cards, and it's visual. It leaves them with a memento... just brilliant. I LOVE it! I have seen you demo a lot of the card stuff...all very cool. Thank you so much for sharing. You're truly one of the 'nice' guys in the industry, which is remarkable because you're also one of the best performers!" - Joshua Jay

"Thanks so very much for your lecture notes that are really a book! It once again shows off your usual brilliance. I am duly impressed." - Kenton Knepper

"Just wanted to let you know that I truly enjoyed reading your Blackpool 2007 notes. I really like your thinking on the Hoy Book Test. It makes a lot of sense. I think you are correct in saying that your presentation would make it unlikely for someone to figure out the method. And what I really like is that it offers the participant a chance to possibly enjoy a seemingly "real" psychic experience. I look forward to performing it soon in an impromptu setting." - Jeff Evason

"I just wanted to say a big Thank You for your excellent notes - lovely production and some great material. I love your book test ideas." - Nick Einhorn

"The term "lecture notes" doesn't really do this collection justice... the quantity, quality, and presentation of material are on par with any number of free-standing, non-lecture-associated booklets I've bought.

As to the contents, they are roughly evenly divided between mentalism and card magic. The mentalism is typical of Ian's work: easy on method, heavy on effect, with the kind of scripting that makes me wish I could borrow his brain when I'm coming up with my own scripts. For me, the highlight of the collection by far is 'The Bolder Book Test.' It has its foundations in the Hoy test, but to call it merely a 'variation' would be like referring to the PlayStation 3 as a 'variation' of Pong. // My other favorite of the mentalism portion is an abusively devious spirit writing effect, which is so good I plan on finding a way to use it even though I don't do spirit writing effects.

As for the card material, I have not worked through any of it myself, chiefly because card magic just isn't so much my thing any more. However, I have seen Ian perform most of the effects, and they look great in his hands. Furthermore, to my once-semi-proficient sensibilities, they don't seem knuckle-bustingly difficult. The full routines, like the mentalism pieces, are very smartly scripted so as to wring the maximum effect possible from the work required. However, the two color changes are the bits of eye candy that I would likely be working on if I were more pasteboardally inclined.

Also worth noting is that everything is written in Ian's typical droll-yet-convivial prose, and accompanied by occasional gratuitous photos of statues, landscapes, and tarantulas." - Joshua Quinn (creator of 'Conjunction') on the Magic Cafe

"Thank you so much for your lecture notes. Devious thinking!" - Marc Paul

"Thank you so much for sending me your lecture notes. I only wish that I had been able to attend the recent convention and see your lecture personally. You have given some great material away. I like the Book Test! Additionally, your 'wry' sense of humor was very enjoyable. - Paul Green

"The lecture notes look very nice and I enjoyed reading them. I found the colour change you showed me in Vienna and this is very good because i was not 100% sure how you did it :) " - Mario Unger

"Thank you so much for the lecture notes. I especially enjoyed your moves for the Pentagram Oracle... the moves fall very easily under the fingers. This is something I've been playing with time and again, just to enjoy the effect. I also enjoyed the additional spectator twist in the Bolder Book Test. I know this is the kind of thing you do very well." - Lewis Jones

"Dear Ian thank you so much for sending the book (I won't disgrace it with the title, "Lecture Notes" as it is far far more than that.) I have just read the first effect [Can You Read Minds] and actually plan to learn it as I really love impromptu magic of this calibre." - Martin Breese