The Expert at the Card Table Journal by John Bodine and Theron Schaub - Book

 Please note: This is a journal for detailing your own thoughts, ideas and tricks - it is not a printed copy of the Expert at the Card Table. The pages are blank.

No matter if you are a total beginner or a working pro, keeping a magic diary or journal is one of the most useful steps you can take to develop your magic. You can record notes for many different things, magic related, humerus thoughts and quotes, trick ideas, philosophical musings, points to remember when you next perform a routine. Built up over time, this becomes an extremely valuable collection of ideas and techniques, you can refer back to whenever you want.

Performed a magic trick and received a funny response from a spectator?, heard a great patter line, but don't know where it would fit with your current material? Put it all in a diary and it's never forgotten. As you progress though your study of magic, you are bound to forget so much. The magicians diary is your friend, always there to keep it all safe and archived.

Since The Expert at the Card Table was published in 1902, there have been over 50 editions. It has been translated into various languages and transcribed by the brightest minds. It is the greatest book on card technique ever written and likewise, the most studied. Its contents are just as relative today as they were over 100 years ago. In the June 2010 issue of Magic magazine, John Lovick writes that Erdnase "inspires religious fervor and pilgrim-like devotion from its disciples", which is to say the least for serious students. It has indeed become a devotional vade mecum with new insight and inspiration gained with every read. Many magicians have spent their life studying the book. Dai Vernon, a master of close-up magic, left us all with his wonderful annotations in Revelation, giving many of the methods a modern approach. Erdnase will always have its devout scholars, but lately it's become more of a trend. We think this started a few years ago when the Conjuring Arts Research Center released its Bible Edition, a pocket sized version in which you won't find a card man without. This year, we saw the release of a custom deck of cards paying tribute to Erdnase, and there is even talk now of an Erdnase convention. It is clear Erdnase is no longer just shorthand for the author's famous work, but also a brand representing serious students and professionals of sleight of hand card technique.

Adding to the brand is a beautiful reproduction of the original 1902 publication. On the outside, it's a perfect facsimile, however, leaf through the pages and you'll discover an empty canvas for new ideas. This isn't just another edition, but as John Lovick writes, "a journal in which to coalesce your card-centric thoughts." Although you won't find a description for the Bottom Deal, or the S.W.E. Shift, as all the text has been removed, the publisher has left all 101 drawings by M.D. Smith in their respective positions. Some might say this will get in the way, but we think it's a simple reminder of what this journal is for. Although if you have kids, it makes for the greatest coloring book ever! Erdnase aficionado's will be delighted with this new homage to The Expert at the Card Table and be eager to fill its pages with everything from annotations to new ideas.

Pages Approximately: 204 - Blank - Hardcover - 5.5" x 8" - 101 black and white illustrations