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Crafted With Carey
by John Carey
Hardback. 200 pages. 6 x 9.25 inches
Reviewed
by Jay Fortune
Running
to 200 glossy pages with black and white photographs where necessary, ‘Crafted
by Carey’ is a beautifully produced book.
This is a book of play. Mainly featuring John’s handlings for classic card
effects and plots, it’s great fun for the magical card trickster. It is
reminiscent of the works of other cardicians such as Peter Duffie, Harry
Lorayne, Paul Gordon, J.K. Hartman, Bro. Hamman and Aldo Colombini in that you
read the effects and enjoy playing with cards in hand. (Both Duffie and Hartman
contribute items in a special chapter in the book).
John has a solid foundation of moves and sleights to fall back on and uses the
most direct handling to accomplish some stunning magic.
Some magic books you just read. Others you may take a trick or two from and play
with. As a magician I love books like Crafted with Carey as you play with most
effects for the simple joy of having fun performing the magic just for yourself.
That’s not to say that these effects aren’t commercial in the real world, as
they most certainly are.
A few have already become part of my daily play as I re-work John’s thinking
incorporating my own thinking and a move or two for the sheer hell of having fun
with it.
If you’re unfamiliar with culling, various counts and card changes, then you
will hopefully be prompted to look at other books and references to learn those
sleights.
Although not all card effects; there are a couple of coin routines hidden among
the pages. Also included is a reproduction of John’s interview from MagicSeen
and a chapter of contributions from ‘Friends of JC’.
The vast majority of magicians are keen hobbyists and it’s that audience that I
think will have great fun reading this book. You’ll not be taught in detail as
to the mechanics or technique of particular moves required for the routine John
uses - but to me, that adds to the fun! When John utilises a move I am
unfamiliar with, I enjoy digging out other books and then learning the move,
going back to John’s routine and developing it further. It helps make you a more
rounded magician. In introducing each routine, many are inspired from past
classics; and this too promoted me to get the book John references from my
library and begin playing with the original routine. A joyous never-ending cycle
of discover and re-discovery! Which is why I mentioned that, to me, this is a
book of play.
In summary, if you enjoy playing with cards and coins, have a good knowledge of
card sleights (or the desire to learn them from other sources) you will have
great fun reading this book.
Available from
www.magicseen.co.uk
© Jay Fortune, July 2016