There have been several books and many magazines in which we can read about Dai Vernon. (The Vernon Chronicles, Vernon Touch in GENII, etc). But the materials are scattered too randomly in non-chronological order. It is wonderful that I could read about Dai Vernon almost in chronological order. I think Karl Johnson was successful to convey the passion of Dai Vernon for Card Magic to readers.

I am afraid this book is not for non-magicians or non-gamblers. It is more interesting for you if you have more knowlege about Card Magic and Magicians like Charlie Miller, Faucett Ross, S.W. Erdanse, Jay Ose, etc.

I enjoyed the book very much, and I wish I can buy the translation right of the book.

Hideo Kato

I thought it was a great book book an every serious card handler should read it!

To be off topic here for a bit. Does anyone know where I can get "Magicians Poker" card effect?

edh

While true that people who are familiar with Dia Vernon will get much more from this book, I don't think it's necessary to enjoy it. The author gives you a good sense of Mr. Vernon's intensity when it came to perfection in magic which can be appreciated by anyone who is passionate about something.

The books focus seems very narrow, one of the world's top magicians searches for what he considers the perfect move, dealing from the center of the deck. The search takes him to a quiet gambler near Kansas City who on his own perfected just that move. In that context it really is just a magazine article, but the book explores the differences and similarities, of the magician and the gambler.

The magician wants to entertain while the gambler wants to make money. Also don't forget he isn't just talking about a gambler, or cardsharp, but a cheat. Someone who steals from people. Getting caught by those he cheated would be very serious indeed. It's essential that a move like that be done flawlessly by the cheat, and that technical perfection is exactly what draws the perfectionist Dia Vernon.

I didn't plan to nitpick any small detail but one of the only things which distracted me was the way the author kept switching Mr. Vernon's name. He was born David Vernor and later switched it. Usually in a biography when this point is made the new name is used from then on, or they keep using the original. In either case it's consistant. But in this book he skips all over the place using David, Dia, Vernor, Vernon throughout. Not much of a criticism but it did disrupt from the flow of reading just a bit.

Definitely worth the read, magician or not.

Do you think it is true that a guy could deal perfect flawless centers at the card table? I don't. I think Vernon was a great and wonderful guy but I have to say I think he was great story teller. I love the stories but I am far from sure they are all real.

Regards

Tommy

Spoken like a true magician.

Finished the book, it's good.

I think it is a terrific book even if you are not a Vernon disciple. I am recommending it to non-magic friends. They won’t, I feel sure, be as enthralled as I was, but I believe they will enjoy the suspense and feeling for elements of the country during the depression / prohibition period.

It was surprising to me to see that the author had gone to such lengths to confirm what I would have considered minor details subject to poetic license. He emphases that in every case Vernon's details matched other sources he consulted like weather records, tax rolls, maps, town histories, etc.

What a joy to read. Now I am off to buy more Vernon material!

Just finished this, and would like to know why Ricky Jay was not acknowledged. Did he not assist the author? This seems right up his street.