In a world where magic tricks pop up faster than you can say "abracadabra", few can rival the sheer volume of brilliance from one unassuming Scottish computer whizz: Alex Elmsley.
Now, most of you know the name—if you’ve ever dabbled in card magic, you’ve likely stumbled upon the Elmsley count (the first sleight every budding magician learns!). But hold on to your hats; this chap’s contributions go well beyond that one nifty move. Over his lifetime, he churned out over 200 original pieces of cutting-edge magic, splattered across a variety of publications and decades (yes, decades!).
Before 1991, legendary magic scribe Stephen Minch took on the Herculean task of tracking down every last utterance from Elmsley’s creative mind. And voilà—out popped The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley. This hefty two-volume set stretches to nearly 1000 pages, offering an in-depth look at one of magic's most celebrated brains. After years of being off the shelves, both volumes are back and more stunning than ever. We’ve polished up the old images and cleared up the blurry text, so you can truly appreciate the genius. There’s simply no better way to enjoy some of magic’s finest offerings than with this fresh edition of The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley.
Highlights from Volume 2:
Between Your Palms - Minch boldly claims this is Elmsley’s second greatest gift to card magic (right after the Elmsley count, of course). A card is placed between a spectator's hands (without them even knowing what it is). Three others choose cards, one gets signed, and before you know it, those cards vanish and reappear in the most impossible spots, only to end up back in the first spectator's hands. And when they open their palms? Surprise! It’s the signed card that started it all.
Point of Departure - A card is selected and sandwiched between two black aces. Those three cards go to the spectator who made the choice. Despite their firm grip (they’re convinced, trust me), their selection mysteriously disappears from between the aces—only to pop out from the performer’s pocket.
Face Your Brothers - Three spectators each pluck a card from the pack. They’re told to chill out and let their inner clairvoyant shine as they place their card face-up wherever they fancy in the deck. When they reveal their cards, each one is found to be the perfect mate to the one just beneath it. Magic? You bet!
If we were to list everything that’s crammed into this tome, we’d be here until the cows come home. Rest assured, this book is packed with an abundance of material. From clever sleights to powerful insights and multi-phase routines. There’s even a dedicated chapter on the mathematical wonders of the faro shuffle (yes, really!).
No matter how you slice it, there’s something in these pages that’ll resonate with you. Dive in and discover why Alex is regarded as one of the finest minds in the art of magic.
