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

 

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