Customer Reviews

The Expert At The Card Table - The Classic Treatise On Card Manipulation

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I can only add to these reviews that this edition is very small, cloth bound, and ribbon bookmarked, so it can be carried with you always, everywhere. That alone makes it worth a purchase. There is something nice about being able to carry drugstore playing cards and a source of a lifetime's worth of practice all in one pocket. If you travel or commute, this is the perfect edition to own - the binding does not feel cheap or crease, and the type is very small but very legible, not in the least blurry. If portability is of any concern to you, this is the one to buy. I carry it with me always, and it's so compact that it's never an issue. Let other people fiddle with their Blackberries or play mindless games on their cell phones - you can learn to second deal or blind shuffle and actually acquire a skill.

I ordered this thinking I was getting a full sized book with a black finish, which I thought was nice. When I first received the package, I was kind of confused. The envelope seemed tiny. I opened it and this book slid out. I had no idea that it was a pock sized edition and just stared at it for a while. I didn't know if I was pissed or what. But then I leafed through it for a bit. The gold lined pages fluttered through my hands. The small but clear script and illustrations at my fingertips. In about 30 seconds, I fell in love. I was so much happier that I purchased this than a full sized edition. I already have a PDF of this book on my computer and didn't really NEED another copy. I just wanted one for my library. I take it with me everywhere. I even got it signed by Teller of Penn and Teller. If you want a copy of the Expert, buy this. Hell, buy two. It's great quality, beautiful, and convenient.

It certainly has an aura of intrigue about it! This book is absolutely essential for sneaky card players and conjurers from novice to expert. I was tickled pink when this itsy bitsy book slid out of the comparatively massive envelope and into my hand. This particular edition is an absolute joy as, like I mentioned, it is teeny tiny (I rubber band it to my pack of cards when traveling), gorgeous cloth binding, had a lovely ribbon bookmark, crisply printed bible-type print and charming illustrations. The descriptions are fantastic (cardmen call it "The Bible" for a reason) although I personally had to supplement it occasionally with a youtube video tutorial just so I could really visualize certain maneuvers. The language is wonderfully turn-of-the-(last)-century, yet still relevant and easy to understand. All in all, if I got this as a gift, I would orbit the sun.

Side note: you can totally palm this book.

This book is the classic volume on card handling and card magic. This handsome pocket version published by the Conjuring Arts Research Center is a worthy addition to any card worker's library. It's about the size of a deck of cards itself--easy to carry around along with a deck for study and practice anytime.

Of course, fitting all this text into such a small book requires printing it in type so small that it's a bit of a challenge for my aging-Baby-Boomer eyes. This may not suffice as your only copy of "The Expert," but you will enjoy owning it nonetheless. It will feel like your own little "card catechism," since it closely resembles many classic editions of the New Testament.

An excellent edition, all told. Highly recommended.

A childhood friend of mine was "grounded" for a week when we were about 10 years old (~1970). As his "partner in crime", having a much stricter mother, I was grounded for 2 years. (yes, TWO YEARS). The only places I ever went (aside from school) were the public library and a bookstore downtown (always accompanied by my mother, of course). Mom didn't much care what I read; she just believed in reading. I was fascinated by magic, and read *hundreds* of books on the subject. Often, I would get a new book as the result of a bibliography search of one that I already read or owned. That's how "S.W. Erdnase" became my new best friend. I eventually fancied myself as riverboat gambler, but, as luck would have it, I became a software developer. Go figure. Nevertheless... this book is worth it's weight in gold.