Expert Card Technique


Jean Hugard - 1940
    You may try to cover up by doing a more difficult trick and fail again. The way out of this dilemma, however, is not immediate, but it is reliable: a surer mastery of technique. This means the proper instruction book, and practice.In this definitive work on card technique, step-by-step instructions teach you the correct methods for the basic manipulations and the more advanced flourishes, and only then allow you to learn tricks. Offering the most foolproof methods available, Jean Hugard and Fredrick Braue explain such basic manipulations as the palm, the shuffle, the lift, the side slip, the pass, the glimpse, the jog, and the reverse. They detail various false deals, crimps, and changes and the more advanced execution needed for forces, fans, and the use of the prearranged deck. Also presented is a wide variety of tricks, including discoveries, self-working tricks, one-handed tricks, stranger cards, and such individually famous tricks as the four aces, the rising cards, and the Zingone spread. In addition, the authors include a complete compendium of shakedown sleights — to warn the card player and aid the entertainer — and a performer's guide to misdirection and patter.Many of the methods explained were revealed here for the first time, while many previously known tricks are presented in improved versions. In every case the aim is simplicity of technique for the purpose of mystifying an audience, not technique for the sake of technique. An unsurpassed collection of methods and manipulations, this classic work will help any aspiring magician to achieve expert card technique.

The Expert at the Card Table: The Classic Treatise on Card Manipulation


S.W. Erdnase - 1902
    In it, S. W. Erdnase, a supreme master of card manipulation, teaches card enthusiasts how to perform the dazzling tricks and sleights — many of them his own creations — that made him famous.The first section of the book deals with card table artifice, or, to put it more bluntly, cheating at cards. Step by step, Mr. Erdnase demonstrates his own systems of false shuffling, false riffling and cutting, dealing from the bottom, and such slick moves as palming cards, "skinning the hand" — even three-card monte.The second section covers legerdemain: the art of forcing a card, one- and two-hand transformations, the devious "slide" and more. Card handlers will love Erdnase's selection of dazzling card tricks, including The Acrobatic Jacks, The Exclusive Coterie, The Divining Rod, The Invisible Flights, A Mind Reading Trick, and many others.In an informative Foreword to this edition, Martin Gardner relates the unhappy details of the author's personal life, and recounts the history of this famous book, whose methods, Mr. Gardner asserts, "are as useful today by magicians and card hustlers as they were in 1902. This book is still the bible of card 'mechanics,' and as much a delight to read as it was in the early years of this century."

Card College, Volume 1: A Complete Course in Sleight of Hand Card Magic


Roberto Giobbi - 1992
    Along with the classics of card magic, Mr. Giobbi includes original ideas and refinements from his own repertoire, guaranteeing every reader, no matter how experienced, fresh techniques and insights into the performance of professional caliber card magic! Some of the topics covered in Volume One include: The Tools of Card Magic Fundamental Techniques The Overhand Shuffle The Riffle Shuffle False Cuts Transfer Cuts Card Controls Card Forces The Glide The Double Lift The Hindu Shuffle Flourishes The Spread Cull The Top Change The Key Card Auxiliary Sleights

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic


Mark Wilson - 1988
    Provides diagrams and detailed instructions for performing more than three hundred magic tricks, including tricks with cards, money, ropes, handkerchiefs, and cups and balls.

Practical Mental Magic


Theodore Annemann - 1983
    Their power to amaze and dumbfound an audience is unparalleled in the domain of stage magic. In this volume, one of the greatest of all mental magicians reveals the secrets behind nearly 200 astonishing feats of mental magic.The routines encompass 12 major categories: Effects with Billets and Pellets; Envelope Necromancy; Publicity Effects; Miracle Slate Routines; Dead or Alive; Money Mentalism; Book Tests; Blindfold Reading; Thought Foretold; Mentalism with Cards; Miscellaneous Mental Masterpieces; and Psychic Codes.Theodore Annemann, through his own performances and editorship of Jinx magazine, probably did more than anyone else to popularize this branch of entertainment. Now, his extensive knowledge, experience, and know-how are at your fingertips in this comprehensive collection. Here are the closely guarded tricks of the trade behind such astonishing effects as Pseudo-Psychometry, one of the greatest one-man psychic effects ever achieved; Who Killed Mr. X? — a classic routine that combines both magic and mind reading with a triple mystery and a novel presentation; and The Swami Test, a demonstration of prophecy first popularized around 1920. Annemann himself came up with some 16 variations on this popular and much-practiced effect. My Own Swami Test is one of his best.These and scores of other crowd-pleasers are here, each thoroughly explained and diagrammed, with insiders' tips on techniques, staging, patter, plants and confederates, diversions — everything you need to make any trick a foolproof success. No special equipment is required; just traditional magic props and a willingness to learn from one of magic's legendary figures. Although written for professional magicians, the step-by-step detail, clarity and inclusiveness of this collection, along with the author's intimate knowledge of the stage performer's needs, make this a volume that will benefit magicians at every level of expertise.

100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition: The SEAL Operative's Guide to Surviving in the Wild and Being Prepared for Any Disaster


Clint Emerson - 2016
    Yesterday’s survival guide is no longer relevant. 100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition is what you need for today’s world, combining survival hacks developed on the battlefield with the low-tech tools you have on hand. This book is your essential prep manual, from securing shelter, building fire, finding food, and navigating back to civilization no matter the environment to thinking like a special forces solider so that you can survive a hostage situation, an active shooter, a suicide bomber, or a terrorist threat on the subway, and even apply trauma medicine as a first responder. Full of specific scenarios to help you get in the mindset of survival, 100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition is better than a Swiss Army knife whether you’re lost at sea, forced to land a plane, fighting off a bear, or deciding whether to run, hide, or fight. Next to each skill are easy-to-grasp detailed illustrations, because when you need to survive the apocalypse, you don’t have time for complicated instructions.

Magic: The Complete Course in Becoming a Magician


Joshua Jay - 2008
    But until now, learning it has never been easy that's all about to change with "Magic," a book that does for close-up magic what "How to Grill" does for barbecue. Written by charismatic young magician Joshua Jay, "Magic" combines expertise, photographs, step-by-step directions showing how to perform 100 tricks, and a DVD that demonstrates 35 of them. Joshua Jay took home the top prize at the World Magic Seminar (the Olympics of magic) when he was just 16 years old. Ten years later, he continues to perform magic, write about magic, eat, sleep, and breathe magic. Here, he brings all his passion and knowledge to teaching magic. Each trick is broken down into the Effect, the Secret, the Set-up, and, most important, the Performance, with lessons on what to say, how to direct the audience's attention, where to keep your hands, and so on. (In other words, how to be smart about the things your audience is surprisingly clueless about.) Here are the Ten Greatest Card Tricks; tricks to dazzle a dinner date; tricks to perform for the boss (poke a hole through his shirt, then magically mend it); tricks especially for kids; and even tricks for an audience in another state with "Australian Self-Help," you can find a participant's chosen card over the phone. It's the Aha book for a subject whose time has come.

The Secret History of Magic: The True Story of the Deceptive Art


Peter Lamont - 2018
    You discover how magicians were tortured and killed during the age of witchcraft. You are told how conjuring tricks were used to quell rebellious colonial natives. The history of magic is full of such stories, which turn out not to be true. Behind the smoke and mirrors, however, lies the real story of magic.It is a history of people from humble roots, who made and lost fortunes, and who deceived kings and queens. In order to survive, they concealed many secrets, yet they revealed some and they stole others. They engaged in deception, exposure, and betrayal, in a quest to make the impossible happen. They managed to survive in a world in which a series of technological wonders appeared, which previous generations would have considered magical. Even today, when we now take the most sophisticated technology for granted, we can still be astonished by tricks that were performed hundreds of years ago.The Secret History of Magic reveals how this was done. It is about why magic matters in a world that no longer seems to have a place for it, but which desperately needs a sense of wonder.

Sous Vide for Everybody: The Easy, Foolproof Cooking Technique That's Sweeping the World


America's Test Kitchen - 2018
    That may sound intimidating, but the technique has trickled down from experimental fine-dining restaurant kitchens to the home kitchen precisely because it's an easy, convenient, and hands-off way to cook. Sous vide not only makes traditional cooking easier and more foolproof, it often can help to make food taste better, taking away all the guesswork and giving you back some free time. In this cookbook, you will find recipes that teach you how to cook sous vide, starting with basics like the perfect steak or soft-cooked egg. You will also find recipes that expand your knowledge and creativity in the kitchen using sous vide, from a holiday-worthy chuck roast that tastes like a prime rib at a fraction of the cost to eggs Benedict to fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cups.

The Old Farmer's Almanac 2021


Old Farmer's Almanac - 2020
    Always timely, topical, and distinctively “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” the Almanac is consulted daily by users from all walks of life, throughout the year.   The 2021 edition contains the fun facts, predictions, and feature items that have made it a cultural icon: traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts; notable astronomical events and time-honored astrological dates; horticultural, culinary, fashion, and other trends; historical hallmarks; best fishing days; time- and money-saving garden advice; recipes for refreshment; facts on folklore, farmers, home remedies, and husbandry; amusements and contests, plus too much more to mention—all in the inimitable way that the Almanac has done since 1792.   • Beloved by generations for being “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac features everything under the Sun, including its much-in-demand long-range weather predictions, essential astronomical timetables, 2021 holidays, fascinating trends, best fishing days, valuable gardening information, tantalizing recipes, fun folklore, amusements, contests, and much more! • Exclusive: 32 reference pages, covering such popular topics as full Moon names, hurricane names, flowers that attract birds and butterflies, U.S./metric measurement conversions, and many more! • Easy-to-read edition, with crisp, white paper and larger type than the regular paperback version • Includes 112 full-color pages • Hard cover with dust jacket helps to protect the pages—a plus for those who collect the Almanac each year!

Journal with Purpose: Over 1000 Motifs, Alphabets and Icons to Personalize Your Bullet or Dot Journal


Helen Colebrook - 2019
    Copy or trace direct from the page, or follow one of the quick exercises to improve your skills. Featuring all the journal elements you could wish for - banners, arrows, dividers, scrolls, icons, borders and alphabets - this amazing value book will be a constant source of inspiration for journaling and an 'instant fix' for people who find the more artistic side of journaling a challenge.

1,000 Places to See Before You Die


Patricia Schultz - 2003
    Sacred ruins, grand hotels, wildlife preserves, hilltop villages, snack shacks, castles, festivals, reefs, restaurants, cathedrals, hidden islands, opera houses, museums, and more. Each entry tells exactly why it's essential to visit. Then come the nuts and bolts: addresses, websites, phone and fax numbers, best times to visit. Stop dreaming and get going.This hefty volume reminds vacationers that hot tourist spots are small percentage of what's worth seeing out there. A quick sampling: Venice's Cipriani Hotel; California's Monterey Peninsula; the Lewis and Clark Trail in Oregon; the Great Wall of China; Robert Louis Stevenson's home in Western Samoa; and the Alhambra in Andalusia, Spain. Veteran travel guide writer Schultz divides the book geographically, presenting a little less than a page on each location. Each entry lists exactly where to find the spot (e.g. Moorea is located "12 miles/19 km northwest of Tahiti; 10 minutes by air, 1 hour by boat") and when to go (e.g., if you want to check out The Complete Fly Fisher hotel in Montana, "May and Sept.-Oct. offer productive angling in a solitary setting"). This is an excellent resource for the intrepid traveler.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Draw Your Day: An Inspiring Guide to Keeping a Sketch Journal


Samantha Dion Baker - 2018
    In Draw Your Day, Baker guides you through her inspirational practice and provides guidance for starting your own. Part instructional guide and part encouraging manifesto about how making art--even art that's not museum-worthy--can make your life more mindful and meaningful, Draw Your Day is ideal for both seasoned artists looking for fresh inspiration, as well as aspiring artists who need a friendly nudge to get started.

The Mason Jar Cookbook: 80 Healthy and Portable Meals


Amy Fazio - 2016
    No longer just for jellies and jam, mason jars are now being filled in the most creative and often super healthy ways, such as salads and casseroles. The easy-to-follow recipes in this book will show you how to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner in a mason jar. Oh, and dessert! Can’t forget dessert.Some of the recipes included in the book are:• Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats• Creamy Polenta with Bacon and Eggs• Spicy Watermelon and Cotija Salad• Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Pepitas• Mexican Caesar Salad with greek yogurt dressing• Lazy Lasagna• Campers Sangria• Pie in a JarThe Mason Jar Cookbook will feature, in beautiful full-color photos, over 100 ways to create, carry, and consume food in the mason jar. Many of the recipes will include tips on serving and storage. Several will also include notes on substituting ingredients to include seasonal fruits and vegetables.Beautiful, convenient, easy, versatile and just plain cool. Just some of the many reasons why everyone should have mason jars in their life. Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Good Books and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of cookbooks, including books on juicing, grilling, baking, frying, home brewing and winemaking, slow cookers, and cast iron cooking. We’ve been successful with books on gluten-free cooking, vegetarian and vegan cooking, paleo, raw foods, and more. Our list includes French cooking, Swedish cooking, Austrian and German cooking, Cajun cooking, as well as books on jerky, canning and preserving, peanut butter, meatballs, oil and vinegar, bone broth, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

A History Lover's Guide to Washington, DC: Designed for Democracy (History & Guide)


Alison B. Fortier - 2014
      Alternating between site visits and brief historical narratives, this guide tells the story of Washington, DC, from its origins to current times. From George Washington’s Mount Vernon to the Kennedy Center, trek through each era of the federal district, on a tour of America’s most beloved sites. Go inside the White House, the only executive home in the world regularly open to the public. Travel to President Lincoln’s Cottage and see where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. And visit lesser-known sites, such as the grave of Pierre L’Enfant, the city’s Botanical Gardens, the Old Post Office, and a host of historical homes throughout the capital. This is the only guide you’ll need to curate an unforgettable expedition to our shining city on a hill.