Libros

202 págs.
Binding: hardcover
Format: 25cmx18cm

This book is an open door into the work and character of Miguel Gomez, one of Spain’s most renowned magic stars. In its pages you will find a balanced collection of routines, sleights, and essays of the highest magical caliber. Those who have long thought that the magic of Miguel Gómez was inaccessible to all but the most technically gifted were wrong. The effects selected for this volume are within the reach of magicians of average technical competence.

The Joy of Magic captures Miguel’s thinking and performing style with the same clarity and openness that Miguel displays in his lectures and classes. Here is your chance to learn from one of the great modern card specialists. Discover The Joy of Magic with Miguel Gómez!

Includes a bonus DVD
with selected effects from The Joy of Magic
•    Special Moments
•    The Four Elements
•    Production in Two Parts for Four Coins and One Invisible Purse
•    Needle through Coin
•    Mini Wild Card
•    Magician Makes Good
•    My Handling of Bro. Hamman’s “Final Aces”
•    Card through Handkerchief
•    A Visual Transposition
 
    …And much more!

Introduction by William Kalush

Preface by Miguel Gómez

The Joy of Magic: Master Cardmanship

Special Moments

First Moment: The Joy of Beginning
Intensifiers of Magical Impact
The Four Elements
Mini Wild Card
Production in Two Parts for Four Coins and One Invisible Purse
Needle through Coin (Close-up Magic on a Budget)
Think of a Coin
A Handy Assembly

Second Moment: The Joy of Performing
Why Do We Do the Magic That We Do?

Parlour Magic
Six Bill Repeat The Bet
Magic with a Stacked or Memorized Deck
Cards by Weight

Close-up Magic
Card Stab
Magician Makes Good
Sand and Water

Third Moment: The Joy of Inquiring
Technique

On practice

Overhand Half Pass

Top Palm Replacement
The Part and the Whole
Elastic Cards Across
Card through Handkerchief
My Handling of Bro. Hamman’s “Final Aces”

Bonus: For my Friends in Magic
Card Magic for Brave Magicians
The General Card (Sleight of Hand Version)
The General Card (Gimmicked Card)
A Visual Transposition
Torn and Restored Card

Afterword: The Pleasure of Constant Learning

Bibliography

The heartbeat of card magic is in Spain. Over the centuries this heartbeat has moved from country to country, from continent to continent, and for much of the twentieth century, with great thanks due to Dai Vernon, it was in the United States. But now, for the last few decades, due in large part to masters Arturo Ascanio, Juan Tamariz, Gabriel Moreno, Luis García, and many others, it is solidly beating in Spain.

Twenty years ago in New York, some interesting card men from all over the world came together to discuss the art in an intentionally Escorial style. Juan Tamariz brought with him a young cardman that I had never met, Miguel Gómez. Even though we didn't share a common tongue, I could understand Miguel perfectly. He spoke to me with his flawless sleight of hand. And he didn't just speak to me. I noticed the other cardmen watching and, without exception, this new young man strongly impressed everyone at the little gathering.

A few years went by before I saw Miguel again. It has been my experience that, sometimes, when I see someone who is astonishingly good, the experience grows in reflection and when we meet again my memory proves overactive or glorified. With Miguel it was precisely the opposite. On our next meeting, not only was my first opinion substantiated, but Miguel had become even better! Then, at a still later meeting, I was privileged to have Miguel show me the holy grail of sleight of hand. Ever since Fred Black and T. Nelson Downs claimed they could do truly perfect riffle shuffles, sleight-of-hand artists have wondered if it could be possible. I can now testify that Miguel Gomez does perfect riffle shuffles! Not only does Miguel do them, he can do them every time and even hold a conversation and look around while shuffling! I've never seen anyone else who could even come close to this. My point in revealing this about Miguel is that he is not only a master of sleight of hand, but he is a masters’ master. He can actually do the mythical and seemingly impossible.

I am delighted that Miguel and Luis have written this book. Most magic books fall into two categories, those that need to be written but never are, and those that we don't need but are written nonetheless. The book you hold is in the rather rarefied third category: those which we need and are, in fact, written. It is not especially common that a living (and young) master actually parts with his hard-won, personal material. We are very lucky indeed that the authors have given us this book. The plots and methods are wonderful, and they are also very special because of Miguel’s approach, which favors sleights over gaffs whenever possible. But for me this book really stands out because it includes Miguel’s treatise on practice. Many fields of skilled endeavor have systematic approaches to practice, whereas sleight of hand really doesn’t. Cellist and baseball batters are coached and taught how to excel, whereas we are told to practice but rarely are we told how to practice. I suspect many practitioners don’t even consider the question. But in a glimpse behind Miguel’s curtain we get some of his thinking and advice on how to acquire perfect sleight-of-hand technique. This makes Miguel’s book especially valuable.

Thank you Miguel and Luis for your fine work and for this fine book. I hope that it will be just one of many from you.

William Kalush