Sleight of Hand

By Edwin Sachs

Book Overview

"If ever there were a more classic tome for beginners of general sleight of hand, I am not sure what it is. This book has been around for 131 years, has stood the test of time and is now considered a standard/must-have book for beginners. Even intermediate and professional magicians can find things and information of use in this book. 5 stars." -- My Lovely Assistant
Let's say you are at a dinner party and are invited to perform a trick. You have no apparatus on you, nothing prepared. In an absent manner, you place a glass of sherry to your lips, as though bracing yourself for the fray. The glass is half emptied (be careful about this), when a sudden movement is made as though you threw it up to the ceiling; but nothing is seen to ascend, though the glass, with the wine in it, has disappeared. After a short pause, to allow the general astonishment to take full effect, the missing article is discovered inside the coat of your immediate neighbor, with the wine in it unspilt.
How is this startling trick performed? Find out in this legendary classic of legerdemain, Sleight of Hand, widely regarded by professional magicians as one of the finest magic books ever written. Clearly and minutely, the steps are given for hundreds of astonishing tricks: drawing-room tricks with coins, common objects, cups and balls, handkerchiefs, and so on, including many fascinating card tricks -- The Congenial Aces, The Traveling Cards, The Assembly, etc.; and stage magic, encompassing the more involved tricks with coins, handkerchiefs and cards, and tricks with watches and livestock, sham mesmerism and clairvoyance, the famous Cornucopian Hat, and an impressive array of miscellaneous tricks -- Houdini's Die Trick, The Ubiquitous Glass of Water, The Shower of Gold, The Chinese Rings, The Magic Omelette, The Great Dictionary Trick, and more.
Be assured that sleight of hand relies primarily on dexterity, not apparatus. And if you are truly interested in magic, you must eventually master sleight-of-hand techniques or give up the idea of being anything more than a beginning magician. These techniques, both basic and more advanced, are all here -- in the best book on the subject that you could possibly own.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 048623911X
• ISBN13: 9780486239118
• Release Date: March 1980
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Love and Sachs

Love and Sachs It may be difficult for some to understand a preference for books over DVDs and instant downloads. It so much easier to learn when you are just shown. What is the point in reading a book? ... and an old book at that? I must admit that part of my motivation may be strictly sentimental. I long for a personal connection to masters of the past. This is what mentors offer us; their experience, the insight gained, the lessons learned. If we pay attention, we can build on this, and seeing it with fresh eyes, move magic forward. But it isn't necessary to have a single, personal mentor. I can find dozens of willing mentors, patiently waiting for me to visit them, through the printed word. Some having been awaiting my visit for years, and others, for a century. They want to connect with me as much as I want to connect with them. They beckon me to lean in closer, so they may whisper in my ear, a bit of technical finesse; an overlooked move or method; a unique presentation for a familiar effect. As I read the sum of their experience, I am constantly looking to pick up tiny clues as to how I might break through, and somehow be enlightened, to be better. Not just with moves and tricks, but with those thousands of tiny, indispensable bits of advice that encourage and instruct. Those that only a seasoned mentor can offer. It is said that if you want to hide something, put it in print. Only the industrious will take the trouble to dig. If we really want to find out "what's new," we can start by looking for forgotten stratagems, and underappreciated ideas in older books. The things that no one else has taken the trouble to find or develop. With some imagination we can transform these into things that become new again. In the process, you will have the thrill of discovery, and the satisfaction of giving them new life. Good performers don't just "find" good material, they seek it out and develop it from a tiny seed. They see value in things that no one else sees, then they tear it apart and put it together in fresh combinations. If we hope to excel at magic, or anything for that matter, it would behoove us to understand it as much as possible, and have a wide a span of knowledge to draw upon; personal instruction, books, and yes, even DVDs. But considering only a small percentage of magic knowledge is available on video, we must go beyond the pedestrian or trendy. To improve, we must be a true student of magic, seeking a wide variety of sources. Dilettantes always look for instant gratification, the easiest way. They are satisfied with only a superficial understanding. They want it fast, and they want it now, with every move, every word laid out for them. They are complacent with turning a crank on their music box. But their rewards are limited by their limited effort. They can never grow. One of magic's great classics is Sachs' Sleight of Hand, and it is one of my very favorites. It is one of the most comprehensive books ever writte

Magic Mania!

The amount of magic covered in this book is astonishing, a wide range of topics, that do not necasserily use sleight of hand.A great book to turn an ammateur into a proffesional. Loads of proffesional techniques are covered and the language, though perhaps a little dated is stil easily understood. The odd reference to half pennies reveals it's age, but it truly is an incredible buy at great value...... if you've ever been interested in magic then this is a must buy

Excellent reference book.

This book has been hard to find in the hardcover edition, since it was originally privately printed. Dover has done their usual great job in producing this edition, and making it available at a price well within the budget of every magic lover and performer. The book contains enough information to take the beginner through his/her paces to become a finger-flinger capable of amazing audiences of lay people (and some magicians, too) using borrowed props. Not only actual sleight of hand moves, but actual routines built on the sleights and subterfuge are explained, and in many cases, illustrated with clear diagrams. Not only is this an excellent introduction to the art of magic without gimmics (some call sleight of hand "pure" magic), but it will also serve as the cornerstone of the magician's working library. Ask a performer to name classic texts on magic, and this title will be one of the ones included. Magazine articles in the conjuring periodicals will often cite a particular sleight that appears within these pages. For that reason alone, a copy of Sachs' treatise is recommended. Submitted by: Brett McCarron (http://www.olywa.net/blame