A very funny and invaluable insight into positive living, magic, and the life of a TikTok star!
It’s so easy to scoff at social media influencers and online celebrities, particularly those who are still young. Many of them probably deserve the scorn of the older generation but like any kind of bigotry, such generalisation negates the true talent of those who have earned their reputation.
Ash Magic, A.K.A. 19-year-old Ash Hodgkinson, is one such star who is well-worth discovering, no matter what your age. His viral TikTok and YouTube videos have earned him a place in the annals of modern superstardom and each follower is deserved. Hodgkinson is not only a good magician with more than 10 years’ experience under his belt, but he is laugh-out-loud funny, energetic, and full of positive can-do vibes.
Another surprise from this young Aussie superstar is his first biography, released in August this year. It’s an unlikely tome, given his young age, but he has a surprising amount to say, and uses his two decades on Earth to teach his peers to think positively and reach for the stars.
Real Magic is part-biography, part-self-help guide, part-magic-handbook. It’s colourful, fun, funny, uses lots of arrows, graphics, fonts and cartoons, and describes his own experiences as a lost outsider with ADHD to demonstrate that you can achieve anything with the right mindset and support.
Throughout the book, Hodgkinson unveils his journey from feeling lost to discovering magic and becoming the star he is today with almost 7 million TikTok followers and more than 1 million YouTube subscribers. The greater part of the book, however, uses his own experiences to demonstrate the importance of positive thinking and how to find your place in the world. His self-help guide for teenagers is an invaluable tool for anyone, but most particularly for those too young to connect with most self-improvement gurus out there who focus on adulthood.
And amongst all that, there’s the magic. Who doesn’t love some slight-of-hand wow-factor? Hodgkinson reveals the secrets behind a number of magic tricks, including those from some of his most popular TikTok videos. Even then, he uses his magical reveals to talk about practice, not giving up, finding your own style, and exploring opportunities. Being true to yourself is his ultimate message. The real magic is Ash Magic and his wise words that can equally resonate with a 15 or 50-year-old.
Real Magic is a joyous celebration of life, learning and self-discovery. If you’ve not yet discovered the magical and comedic qualities of Ash Magic, be sure to check out his TikTok or YouTube channels, then buy this book for the teenagers in your life. His positivity is where the real magic lies.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Distributed by: Penguin Books Australia
Released: August 2021
RRP: $19.99
This review is the opinion of the reviewer and not Glam Adelaide.
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