Issue 26 - May 09
The Notebook
By Will Houstoun
Hardback 117 pages, with dust-sleeve
Available from www.willhoustoun.co.uk
Price: £25.00 +p&p
This is a collection of over 80 ‘conjuring’ tricks with cards, written by an unknown author over 200 years ago, performed by some of the top magicians of the age.
Will Houstoun found hand-written manuscripts in The Magic Circle library, and the original hand-written notes are included, along with Houstoun’s ‘transcribed’ version to make this an unusual and interesting read. Additional notes are included, along with biographies of the performers themselves, which give us a great insight into their lives. One was hanged for owning forgery equipment!
The effects are described in a brief way, and the style of language is also from the 1800s, which can make you have to read things a couple of times to understand what’s happening, but it also makes you realise that card magic is an ancient and amazing art form. Surprisingly, the effects don’t seem dated – most of today’s card tricks are basically versions of these. From: ‘Tell any card by inserting the point of a knife,’ to ‘To tell or write beforehand, the name of any card a person shall think of, without confederacy’. Or ‘A card conveyed into an egg’ or ‘A card burnt and restored from its ashes’. There is a wide range of miracles here, and Houston has produced an excellent record of aged magic which will now sit proudly on The Magic Circle library shelves. And your own. GH
What’s Hot: A quality, historical work that has been painstakingly put
together by the author
What’s Not: Getting to grips with the dated language style
Star Rating: ****
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