Dai Vernon Revelations 1984 Edition

Proudct details. Hardcover 224 pages. Publisher magical publications (1984).

Language english. Isbn-10 0915181126. Isbn-13 978-0915181124.

Product dimensions 9.4 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches. Shipping weight 1.6 pounds. This is the book i have always wanted to write. So begins revelation, dai vernon's companion volume to erdnase's expert ta the card table. Vernon produced the 50 typed pages of his manuscript between 1959 and 1961, by which time he had been inspired and fascinated by erdnase's seminal text for more than half a century.

Despite vernon's intention to publish the book immediately-not unlike erdnase, vernon too was in need of the money-it did not ese print until 1984, when mike caveney published it as revelations. That publication was met with controversy that has lingered ever since. The legend of vernon's book had grown to mythological proportions during the more than 20 yeasr of its convoluted pathway to publication.

By the time the book reached the light of day, readers were convinced that at least one of its longtime caretakers, persi diaconis, had deliberately withheld some of the original content. Multiple factors had contributed to fueling that interpretation, including the long delay in publication diaconis's statement in an introduction he contributed to that volume that we are all sad to see the material we have treasured see the light of day, (diaconis, in the aftermath of the book's release, was reputed to have bemoaned the fact that he hated seeing the animals using tools) the fact that much of vernon's work had drifted out through other sources, both above and below ground, over the years of delay and as well, the ambitious design of the book itself, which, in a sincere attempt to provide a useful tool for the student, partly served to visually overwhelm vernon's contributions with a great deal of white space (in the margins in which vernon's comments were sprinkled), as well as with the facsimile text of the expert itself. To serious students, however, revelations remains vibrant, intriguing, and invaluable.

Just as erdnase's original volume seems to yield fresh gems every time one returns ot mine its resistant yet precious ore, vernon's own additions can still serve as gold to the modern treasure hunters of card craft. In my own current reading, i was pleasantly reminded of a technique i had forgotten-vernon's touches on erdnase's blind shuffle for securing seletced card-that warrants inclusion in anyone's day-to-day technical arsenal (and also works exceedingly well following a spectator peek). This is a first edition of the out of print 1984 book. This is not the nwe book revelation.