Magic Tricks

Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath Principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem.

Roberto Giobbi's remarkable Card College books have become the groundbreaking course in the subject - an analysis of the art, science, technique and philosophy of card magic. Card College has changed the way a generation of magicians have learned card magic, and changed the way they think about it.

From the author of Card College, the world's most acclaimed course on sleight-of-hand card magic, comes Card College Light, Roberto Giobbi's first text focused entirely on professional caliber card tricks requiring no manipulative skill.

A treatise on the body's role in deception. Juan Tamariz teaches magicians that it is not the hands alone that deceive, but also the feet, the body, the eyes and the voice. It is only through a full understanding of all five of these tools of nature and communication that the conjurer can spin a complete web of illusion that traps and then transports his audiences into the astonishing realm he has prepared for them.

When one enters card magic, the books are endless. Coming across By Forces Unseen is a special moment in any card magician's growth. It is a pleasure to read. Beautifully written and researched by Stephen Minch, you will find many other books mentioned in the references that will advance your pasteboard path. Ernest Earick is a genius. Simply put when you learn the routines in this book your appreciation for sleight of hand will captivate your imagination.The construction of effects and sleights stand the test of time. It is a must have.

Williamson's Wonders is the only book ever published on the magic of award-winning magician David Williamson (written by Richard Kaufman) and includes many tricks that have since been featured on national television by David Blaine. If you're looking for visual walk around street magic using cards and coins than this will prove to be a worthwhile read.

It has often been said that mastering the magic in this book will make you an accomplished close-up and sleight-of-hand artist. In many ways it contains all the magic you need to build a professional caliber repertoire. Many have earned a living performing these routines and now you can too. If you have not read and learned the magic contained in this book you have no business calling yourself a close-up magician. The magic by John Scarne, Dai Vernon, Bert Allerton, S. Leo Horowitz, Emil Jarrow, Francis Carlyle, Dr. Jacob Daley, Tony Slydini, Ross Bertram, Nate Leipzig, and Max Malini helped shape the art of close-up magic as we know it.

Eric Mason was not only a brilliant inventor and magician; he was a creative and talented illustrator. In this beautifully designed book, Mason showcases these qualities and offers a collection of original magic that has received acclaim from such legendary magicians as Roy Walton, Fred Robinson, Gordon Bruce, and Peter Duffie, to name just a few.

For over a hundred years, the identity of the author of Artifice, Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table, known colloquially as The Expert at the Card Table, has perplexed practitioners of magic and historians alike. For many, it is the last great, unresolved mystery of twentieth century magic. That is, until now.

Magicana is pleased to publish the findings of Richard Hatch, the world's pre-eminent authority on the subject, along with sleight-of-hand artist David Ben's profile of the author drawn from the content of the book. Together, they make a compelling case that one man - E. S. Andrews - was the author of this seminal text.

Drawing Room Deceptions was one of the first magic books added to our library. With many pages now tattered, it still remains on our top shelf. The discoveries found within represent cunning variations of classical concepts. Guy's ingenious design in constructing effects brings mystery and prestige back to the conjuror.

In this first major book by one of the United States' most respected professionals, Eric Mead covers a wide range of magic and mentalism, drawn completely from his professional repertoire and fine-tuned by performance after performance to its present form.

Perhaps the greatest contemporary book featuring the magic of one individual, Carneycopia is a true delight. John Carney's thoughts and methods are superbly detailed in this excellent book by one of magic's greatest writers, Stephen Minch.

A modern classic of close-up magic. Earl Nelson has compiled a beautiful collection of card, coin and finger-ring magic into this extraordinary volume.

One of our favorite books on card magic growing up. Steranko on Cards, as well as Totally Out of Control, were the first books to introduce us to the visual style of magic we have pursued.

This book offers many fantastic sleights and tricks you'll have a lot of fun with.

An excellent assortment of clever and original card magic by one of Germany's finest close-up magicians.

Volume 2 is currentlly out of print. Please email us to be notified when it's avaialble again.

Pit Hartling is internationally known for his innovations in card magic. He is a FISM award winner and member of the hilarious Flicking Fingers. In this book are "Seven performance pieces with an ordinary deck" including Finger Flicker, a trick recently seen performed by David Blaine on his TV special, Dive of Death.

One of our favorite books on card magic. It features a very well thought out method for the Convincing Control, one of card magic's most ingenious techniques, and looks at variations and applications in a degree that is truly rare in the field. In addition to learning the elegant technique and the numerous variations, you will also encounter one of the best sources for card magic effects on the planet.

If you're just a curious fan of magic or a full time pro, the Art of Astonishment is a magical treasure. This three-volume set spans a history of time and creativity that can't be missed. Famous and full-time professionals use the material within these pages on a daily basis to make a living.

The top card men in the world disagree on many things. One thing they all agree on is that no other book in the history of card manipulation deserves careful study more than The Expert at the Card Table. After one hundred years, it is still considered the foundation upon which modern card magic is based. It contains some of the most perfectly constructed sleights in all of card magic. Even more important are the profound lessons in the real secrets of magic: naturalness, attention to detail, uniformity of action and the psychology of deception. For a century, the methods of S.W. Erdnase have been studied, practiced and written about by countless card experts. One person who spent a lifetime studying every detail of this landmark book is Darwin Ortiz.

Widely considered to be the greatest collection of Vernon's brilliant and influential card magic, the original three volumes have been combined into one sensational book with 240 pages of exceptional effects. Complete with over 190 photographs of the Professor's hands, you'll find such Vernon classics as The Notis Stop Trick, Twisting The Aces, McDonald's $100 Routine, Cards To Pocket, The Trick That Cannot Be Explained, Blindfold Poker Deal, Three Card Monte and lots more.

Over twenty years in the making, Tom Gagnon is proud to release the beautifully hardbound, oversized format AVANT-CARDS: Tom's first and only large collection of original, baffling, close-up card magic. 

Written by Wesley James, edited by Matthew Field, includes 568 illustrations by Tom, over sixty tricks, techniques, and routines packed into over two hundred pages.

This is an informal history of sensational, scientific, silly, satisfying and startling attractions based on seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century broadsides from Ricky Jay's extraordinary collection.