Customer Reviews

Cards As Weapons

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book has changed my life. I took Ricky Jay's advice by putting "a deck of cards in [my] pocket, and a feeling of confidence in [my] life." When I first found this book, I thought for sure it was a joke. But after flipping through it and seeing pictures on how to grip the cards, as well as chapters on how to practice and stay fit, I knew it was the real deal. Sure, it's somewhat of a satire, actually killing someone, or large game animals, with a playing card is nearly impossible, but the book really teaches you an incredible skill that can be used to impress your friends. Ricky has a way with words, and his unique sense of humor kept me laughing throughout. I recommend this book to anyone who can read. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Jay for writing this book, without which I would have never achieved my MTV fame. Thanks Ricky!

The chapters of the book are:

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin.

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student.

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger.

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing.

8. Stunts to Impress One’s Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth."

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards...

Mr. Jay's book is well researched, and it does a fine job of teaching you to throw a card great distances, better known as card scaling. Mr. Jay is an excellent magician and an author of magic history books.

However, the reason this book is in such demand is that the photographs reveal you (or of course your lovely assistant) need not wear clothes to scale cards. This what one reviewer here called "wonderful, eye-catching photographs." Fair enough, it's Playboy stuff.

Therefore, it is tough to know just how serious Ricky Jay is being here. (I have personally watched in magic shops, years ago, as young men magii tried to buy a copy of this book when it was in stock at its original list price. They failed due to the nude photographs.)

The used book prices of this title are crazy.

I was lucky to have been able to find a copy of this now out of print book. This is not only a self-defense book, it's a book on magic and history as well. Ricky Jay, himself a graduate from Cornell University, used to do magic for free at the bars where he worked. Unfortunately, this was before my time but many people in Ithaca still remember him. As a self-styled ninja, martial artist, amateur magician, professional gambler, and historian, I find many of the techniques mentioned in this book extremely useful. It is also very funny. It's interesting to note that many Hong Kong actors like Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, and Stephen Chow read this book to do the awesome card techniques shown in their gambling movies like God of Gamblers and All For a Winner, just to mention a few. However, unfortunately for most of you readers, I hope this book never goes back in print because it contains many secrets that should remain secret.

This book was published in 1988 by Warner Brothers books. It's paperback, 130 pages, and has over 100 how-to pictures. This book will show you how to throw playing cards farther, faster and harder than you ever thought possible. The chapters of the book are as follows:

1. History

2. Cards and the Martial Arts

3. Magicians and Card Scaling

4. Technique

5. Advanced Technique

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit

7. Self-Defense

8. Stunts to Impress One's Friends

9. Personal Anecdotes

10. Afterword

This books explains such card throws as the Boomerang Card, the Long-Distance Spinner, the Flick, the Back-of-the-hand Flick, the Finger Flick, the Foot Flick, Card Juggling, the Lethal Four Card Fist, the Butterfly Swirl, the Sea Urchin Spin, and the Dolphin Dart. Shows alternative throwing methods such as the Martin Lewis Method, the Thurston Grip, the Jay Grip, and the Herrmann Grip. This is the book that made Jon Wedd famous for his appearance on MTV's "Unfiltered" news show. Ricky Jay held the Guinness world record for card throwing in 1976. He also wrote the book "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women"

I like this book so much, I stole it from the library. Ricky Jay has reprinted other of his books like "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women" why can't he reprint "cards as weapons"

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown (Very Interesting)

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin. (Very Very Interesting)

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student....

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger...

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing. (Very Very Very Very Interesting)

8. Stunts to Impress Ones Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth." (Very... Interesting)

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards. (Interesting)

This Book would make a come back if Reprinted

I would also recommend "Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women" by Ricky Jay

I was "forced" to get this book online without paying for it because no economical alternative exists. I completely disagree with the people on here who don't want this book reprinted because they think that the world would soon become saturated with card-slingers, thus taking away some of the glory of being the only guy in town who can chuck an Ace of Spades through the Washington Post. Please keep in mind that like ALL hobbies that require:
a) reading a book
b) lots of practice and dedication
...means that 99% of the population will buy the book, skim through it and put it on the shelf next to their dusty diet, magic coin trick and gardening books.
Even if his fellow slingers & magicians busted his ballz for releasing trade-secrets, Jay should definitely reprint this book so 1% of people who read the book and follow through with it will keep the art alive.

I am a semi-pro card thrower in the national card throwing league (ctl), and I have to say that this book is the bible of card throwing. The techniques I have learned from Jay's book have helped me a lot. I was struggling on the tour last year when I got to talk with the famous Bill 'the Hand' Strongtide who recommended I read this book and it has really helped my form this past year.

It is crazy that I would have to pay over $200 to own this book! Is it bound in human skin? Does it have the secret of eternal life and youth?As another reviewer noted,reprinting this book will NOT result in frenzied card throwing mobs overturning cars and looting stores.The first press run seems to have come and gone without causing civil unrest on the part of card throwers-I've never met a card thrower in my life.In fact,I've never met anyone who mentioned WANTING to learn card throwing.The audience to whom this book appeals is tiny and nothing will ever change that.Relax, folks.This will turn out to be "too hard" for 9 out of 10 people who try it-all 50 of them.Now, REPRINT THIS BOOK, Please!

Cards As Weapons is the best book. This is a colectors book. This will change your life forever. Dont think tht it is a joke because it is not. This book is incredible!