Puzzles Books

As mentioned in the previous reviews this book is for the entire family and for all ages. My three-year-old daughter loves the illustrations in the book and wants us to read the book to her. So with a little tweaking she enjoys the book and participating in word play with us. Michael Kline's creativity is incredible. This book will not only improve your verbal skills but also your visual imagination. If you have never had a creative block this book with certainly help you out. I use some of the word games in my classes to increase my student's abilities to visually communicate.

Michael Kline has hit the hail on the nead with WordPlay Cafe. It's an invitation to look at and practice language in a completely different way. It takes some practice but I guarantee, once you let the imagination go, you will want to keep delving into the world of wordplay and punzles!

In WordPlay Cafe Michael Kline's banquet of word fun and lively illustrations guarantee a feast of food for thought. This guy Kline says a mouthful. He knows language and he knows how to make children want to eat their words.
-- Richard Lederer, author of Pun & Games and The Circus of Words

First there were words. Then the words were made fun. And in Wordplay Cafe author Mike Kline shows you, oh so successfully, how to make more fun with words. This interactive book teaches kids of all ages the power of words and ways to be creative with their meanings and sounds. It's a great way for kids and parents to have quality time with each other.
Mary K. Baumann and Will Hopkins
Art Directors, Kids Discover magazine
New York, NY

Kline has a wonderful sense of humour that can be appreciated by any age group. He really challenges kids (and adults) to look at language in a different way - the fun way! The book reads like a rollercoaster ride...or maybe a better analogy would pinball machine: it bounces off topics and tangents in a delightfully free-wheeling manner. Not for ADD kids, this book is meant for children who are willing to engage with subject matter for a wonderful reward. Kline's book belongs in the category of "children's books" the way that Bloom County belonged in the same comics section of the paper with Funky Winkerbean and Family Circus. This book truly works best when the whole family joins in on the fun. The activities are perfect for getting fun discussions going between children and adults. A highly recommended read for anyone (at any age) who wants to re-discover language and have fun along the way.

I'm an beginner/intermediate yo yo player, and I found this book incredible. The Quantum Yo theory is truly revolutionary, and changed the way I think about yo yo tricks. Just like advertised, it's not a recipe book, but a guide to the underlying theory of how to approach yo yo tricks. I loved the tone of the writing and the inclusion of totem animals, as it just added enjoyment to what could have been a very dry analysis.

Advanced players will be able to see the limitations of a strictly "Quantum Yo" approach, but it may also help them think outside of old routines and expand their freestyle yocabulary. I doubt they've even thought of yo-ing in exactly this way before.

Top notch book, and I've never seen anything else even remotely like it for yo yos.

Ultra-cool. There is no other trick book like the Yonomicon. A must read for every serious yo-yo player. Lucky Meisenheimer M.D. author of "Lucky's Collectors Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos...History and Values"

This is a great book of pretty darn advanced yo-yo tricks. It breaks each trick down into it's parts and expalins it in a physics type manner. It's not that easy to follow, and it reads kind of like a text book, but if you can get through the complex explainations it's got some stuff you've never seen in a yo-yo book before.

If you want to get deeper into some complicated yo-yo tricks, this book is for you.

Do you get a kick out of operator spaces and wacky topology? If so, this is the yo-yo book for you. Coming just shy of an out-and-out mathematical analysis of the yo-yo, McBride lays down the laws of freestyle Yo, defining yo-yo play as a subset of the possible string/hand operations on the topology consisting of the yo, free hand and throw hand. This book will redefine the way you look at yo-yoing. If you have a refined mathematical background, this book could easily start you on the road towards a graduate thesis.

The Yonomicon is a great book, its like a math book full of equations to mix and make tricks. It leaves nothing unexplained, it just takes a littl while to learn to understand how McBride is explaining the tricks. It different, in a better way.

In 1985 I bought this at a book fair when I was 5 years old, and I still think that it is one of the best books on origami out there. The version that I have contains a few confusing instructions (which may have been corrected in later editions), but they can be worked around thanks to the well drawn pictures.

If you want some wonderful challenging and detailed animal origami to fold, you won't be disappointed with this book! It has quite a few of my favorite models. All the ones pictured on the cover are great...I particularly like the wonderful detail on the frog, with eyes and toes. The lobster is another personal favorite of mine.

I Remember When I Got The 3 Final Steps On The Lobster. I Got so Into Origami That I Started Making Lobsters, Crabs And Cranes During School! I Have Loved Origami ever Since I Was 9 Years Old. This Book Was A Little Easy For Me, But For People That Can Only Make Cranes, Tigers, Paper Cups and other Easy Things. This Book is A Little Over Your Head.

This is a great book, not quite for beginners, though. In this book, you work your way up through the angel fish (easiest) to the lobster (hardest). The book has great step-by-step intructions which helps you create a model with great detail. This is one of the best origami books I've ever gotten and I definatly recommend it if you're really into origami.

This is easily my favorite book on origami. All the diagrams are clear, the models are very detailed, and more importantly, all of them are an awful lot of fun to make, and very rewarding. While it has models from the whole range of difficulty levels, it focuses primarily on the advanced folder.

A little bit of history- my parents bought me this book about 15 years ago, I couldn't have been more than 8 at the time. I had dabbled a little bit in origami before then, but this is the book that got me hooked. I still have that copy, ragged at the edges, pages falling out, but still as fulfulling as it always was. I just can't stop singing the praises of this book- it's that good.

I was familiar with Dan Heisman's articles on a popular website, but this is the first book of his that I've come across. Like his articles, it is intended for chess players from beginner to average club level. Also like his articles, it is characterized by clear and logical writing, with well chosen content reflecting his vast experience as a chess teacher. One of the things that separate this book from other tactical books is that it covers what Heisman calls the Counting tactic. This refers to positions where a piece is attacked and defended a number of times, and the player must count whether a sequence of captures leads to a net material gain. It also covers the possibility that the defense is inadequate due to defending pieces being more valuable than the capturing pieces. For a lot of the kids I coach, this is one of the main tactical issues they face in every game.

My rating is just above 1000 and this book has perfectly organized presentation on the common tactical techniques that I need to improve my mid-game. It may be too basic for 1500-rated players, but for me it is the best chess book I have ever read.

I am relatively new to chess study, and found most puzzle books just a little too hard to really deal with. I bought the Reinfeld books and just felt lost.

Then I saw a review of this book and decided to give it a go. MAN, has it helped me. Heisman gives a wonderful primer on each type of tactic complete with a section of puzzles just on that tactic. Then he goes into a section of checkmates, and a wonderful (and difficult) section on defensive tactics.

Finally he wraps it up with a long section of puzzles that cover all the various subjects in the book. This is a wonderful book for those who are new to chess tactics and feel a little overwhelmed by the various puzzle books. I know the book is working because while going through this book I would get one of my Reinfeld books and open to a random puzzle and more times than not be able to solve it! Before, I was just staring cluelessly at the Reinfeld puzzles.

This a great book written by someone who takes education very seriously! Highly recommended for those who need work on basic tactical understanding.

I'm around a 1200-1400 player trying to improve. Most chess books are unfortunately excruciating to read. With the exception of Logical Chess : Move by Move, most books are a chore to sit through. I've had a few other books on tactics, but just working through problem after problem with no explanation gets old fast. "Why is the move that I thought about a bad one?" "Doesn't this move win as well?" "What are the basic patterns of a certain mate or tactic?" These are all questions that most of the books don't answer, but Heisman's book does! There's text and even essays on certain themes and tactics, to make sure that you understand what they are and how to use them. This book includes Double threats vs double attacks, opening traps, checkmates, defensive tactics, how to avoid tactical self destruction, as well as the usual removal of the guard, forks, skewers, pins, discovered checks, and trapped pieces. It's all there with more than adequate explanations ,as well as helpful tips and mini articles scattered throughout. This is definitely easy to read and that makes a huge difference. It doesn't matter if a book has 10 million problems if it bores you to tears going through it because you'll never pick it up. I'll be lloking for some more Heisman books later on. Great work !

As a USCF 1790-rated player, i bought this book for a quick tactics refresher. I read the book, solving all the puzzles in a few days (while noting major errors on examples 2-70 [1...Kh3] and 2-120 [1.Ne4#]) The #1 greatest tactics primer is still the immensely enjoyable book, Winning Chess: How To See Three Moves Ahead. This book by Heisman not as enjoyable, but a bit easier and therefore perhaps an even better starting point than "Winning Chess". Also worthy is Chess Tactics (Batsford Chess Book).

Especially valuable for the improving player are Heisman's early sections on "counting" and piece safety, because proper evaluation of a tactic is impossible without accurately tallying the "body count" of a series of exchanges. (while being mindful of any "zwischenzug", of course!) The only other book that competently covers "counting" ideas is the VASTLY underrated Lasker's Manual of Chess, though Lasker labels the idea something else that escapes me at the moment.

Make no mistake, B2B:T is about how to win material. There were times when i would think twice about snagging a certain pawn because i imagined it would grant the opponent some sort of extra piece activity (counterplay), but on checking the answer i saw that Heisman's comment was only, "wins a pawn." That is probably well enough, as the book's intended audience is usually afraid of phantom threats when they ought to simply win the material, and usually in a game i'd probably end up taking the pawn anyway. There is a short section on checkmates, but it is insufficient in itself. You will NEED The Art of the Checkmate and (secondarily) How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Gambit Chess) to complete your basic study of checkmates.

This book is full of practical pointers and wisdom, many of which go a long way toward instilling objectivity in a player rather than emotions like hope, fear, greed, overconfidence which invariably spell poor results at *any* level.

This is a solid & worthy 4-star book for its stated audience (under 1500). Higher-rated players can read it with very little time investment (while unfortunately paying the same purchase price), so the book can benefit a wide range of players.

Although the information in this book is now a bit dated because technology and new internet things keep going so fast, it's still worth getting. The only really outdated thing is parts where he says to play two or three times what you buy in for. These days the rules for online casinos state a minimum wagering requirement and it's all done by computers so there's no need for cover betting like that. Anyways, back to my review... GREAT BOOK!!!! BUY IT!!!!! I am a college kid and I made a nice easy two thousand dollars in a couple months from online casinos thanks largely to teh helpful info in this book. I averaged a little over 30 bucks an hour with all teh extra play and time spent researching-- but still-- it sure beats other forms or working! I got to refresh my basic strategy and play blackjack and make money! It was great! You aren't gonna get rich quick or quit your job, but for some easy extra cash, this book more than pays for itself!!!

An indispensable guide to online gambling. Haywood does a good job of explaining the pitfalls online gamers take. He reviews the distinction between "dairy" and "beef" casinos, the various brands of software, gaming portals, ways to win money, and equally important, methods of wagering to avoid. He explains how you can make bonuses last for you and make money. My only complaint with the bookis that some of the casinos he lists at the end of the book as "dairy" casinos offer small or no bonuses. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this to any prospective online gambler. Good job, Bill!

great info on how e-casinos work and how one can exploit their bonus offers. great for anyone who wants to invest and make some cash on the side. but if your lookin for a get rich quick book, this isnt for u.

Do not gamble at Internet casinos before reading this book!

Forget about all the other books about Ecasino gambling; Bill Haywood shows you how do it safely. Well researched and written by an experienced land-based casino and Internet gambler, Beatwebcasinos.com tells it like it is....

If you want to make the most of your Intenet gambling dollar and if you don't want to be ripped off this is the only Internet gambling book you need to own.

This is one of the most honest books I have ever read on a gambling subject. The author lays out what it takes to earn money off of casino sign-up bonuses. If you think that you can just sign up, play some hands of black jack and cash out the bonus, you would be well advised to read this book before continuing, it won't work. First you will need a credit card and the ability to pay the bill as soon as the Casino charges arrive, as the author so honestly puts it, playing for bonuses and paying cash advance and interest fees won't cut it. However, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

1) The author shows you what type of records you will keep to dispute payment claims.(A lot)
2) How to spot unsavory casinos.
3) What games to play to minimize the house edge (BlackJack, Video Poker) as well a very useful introduction to the games and strategies. Assume you will lose money on these games but your loses will be offset by bonus money.
4) A very clear explaination of variance and how to size your bets, best I've read anywhere. Worth the price of the book by itself.
5) How to handle disputes with on-line casino's to get results.
6) How to bet so you look like a gambler than a match-player.
7) A sample diary of couple of days of betting, so you see if this is really how you want to spend your time.
8) The potential pitfalls in earning referral bonuses.
9) Just about everything else you need to get started.

It's not easy money, but I believe the author gives you all the information you need to judge for yourself if this is a business you want to get into. Believe me, after reading this book you will see that it is indeed a business. Wish I could give this book a higher rating.

I have reached a point now where I am continuously reading 100 to 200 pages of sci-fi/fantasy novels, then throwing them away and searching for the next Jack Vance work. I keep finding that he has already written entire, masterful books on random notions that I have had about what the next few decades will bring....and he wrote them decades ago. I've been tearing through his work at a steady clip, and haven't been disappointed yet.

For example, I just wrapped up Blue World, which is somewhat of a cross between Moby Dick and The Old Man and the Sea. It's a masterpiece, and more metaphorical and symbolic than most of Vance's works. On one hand it can be read as a straight-forward adventure story about the descendants of shipwrecked starfarers attempting to defeat an aquatic monster. However, it can simultaneously be read as an indictment of religion, orthodox thinking, and institutionalized bureaucracies as being stultifying narcotics that sap human free-will and advancement.

It is amazingly and deliciously subversive. A good read even for those who don't like science fiction or aren't familiar with Vance.

Jack Vance has some great books, but has also written quite a few not-so-great ones. I expected this book, which was originally a short story but later expanded to novel size, to be one of the not-so-good ones. I was pleasantly surprised. The action is fairly constant throughout the first 3/4 of the book. Things slow down towards the final chapters, and the ending is slightly disappointing. Still, all in all, this is a better-than-average story.

Jack Vance is one of my favorite authors although admittedly he has written a few duds. At his best, as in The Blue World, he has an uncanny knack of making his quirky and exotic societies and locations seem real and believable. While Blue World is technically Science Fiction it's really a story of human triumph and ingenuity. A shipload of people stranded on a world without land, who not only survive but flourish could just as easily have been a 16th century galleon stranding its crew on a desert island.

An entrenched quasi-religious priesthood built up over generations to worship a very large & vindictive sea creature (called a Kragen probably after the Kraken of Norse mythology) who demand orthodoxy and are willing to kill those who oppose their views or threaten to harm the monstrous Kragen is soundly based on human experience.

The interaction of those who want to rid themselves of the beast and those of orthodox view led by the "priests" who see the Kragen as a god-like entity to be worshiped and fawned over is at the heart of the story and rings so true it could be describing the U.S. Senate's conservative vs. liberal debates. The justification for war to rid the world of unorthodoxy is as old as time and shows a real understanding of human nature that Vance often uses to advantage.

Blue World is Sci-Fi at its best.

First, to all those who have never read Jack Vance: he is nothing like the vast multitudes of "space-opera" writers of today. And if you are expecting more of that kind of pulp you may not like his stories. If you are willing to let go of your notions of what scif-fi should be, then Vance is the writer for you! His writing style is detailed but very concise, and he rarely (basically never) wastes the reader's time with superfluous space-filler. This means his novels are usually quite short. His stories often have very strong themes (with a subtext of humor) and are generally very believable thought experiments; in the sense that all entities and characters act belivably within the context.

Blue World is a thought experiment. The setting revolves around a society situated on a planet with no land that must rely on a giant sea-plant for all of their needs. There is a strong conflict in the story between the the society (or members of it) and external factors (specifically a giant sea monster), but the real magic of this story is the interaction and conflict that goes on within the society (the sea monster is simply the catalyst, and the general theme of conflict is between religious conservatism and scientific progress). The individual characters in Blue World are generally static and proceed along specific trajectories from the outset. However, this is not a weakness since the interaction BETWEEN characters leads to dynamic and unpredictable results. It is almost as if the whole society of Blue World is Vance's character. It works very well.

A few further notes: the details in this story include a strange "religion" based sea-monster appeasment, comunication systems using towers and an interesting symbolic lights, and a whole slew of well thought out ways to use a sea-plant to build a civiliazation. Very imaginative!

My only complaint, the book is too short! But all great books are and this one leaves a lasting impression.

This was the first Vance novel I ever read- humans marooned on a world without solid land. The themes of human beings as the most alien creatures we'll ever meet, the exotic societies, the strange worlds we are cast down on all combined to a memberable book. Look for how the folks on this planet gather iron; it's an image that has stayed with me for over thirty years.

While not a grandmaster himself, Elie Agur has obviously made a deep study of Bobby Fischer's games. In this fascinating and highly instructive book, he analyzes the elements of Fischer's style with reference to specific games. As Agur says, "Besides being a study on Fischer, it is a treatise on the middlegame at large". Over 300 diagram positions are taken apart, with a page or more sometimes devoted to a single move, its implications and alternatives.

Topics include pawn structure, piece placement, material, timing, strategy (e.g. plans, seizing the initiative, liquidation, and playing for space), clarity, straightforwardness, alertness, reducing the opponent's options, playing to win, practical chances, tactics, technical aspects and overall vision. Fischer's weaknesses are not allowed to pass unmentioned, either. Agur devotes whole chapters to superficiality, misplaying won positions, and typical blunders and oversights.

You can learn all sorts of fascinating details about the great man and his opponents. For instance, Fischer's decision to play Alekhine's Defence against Ciocaltea in the 1965 Capablance Memorial tournament amazed fans. Agur explains what really happened. Fischer was participating by cable, as the State Department denied him a visa to go to Fidel Castro's Cuba in the aftermath of the 1962 missile crisis. Ciocaltea's first move was received as 1. d4 and so played on the board, and Fischer replied 1...Nf6 as usual. Only when the second move, 2. e5 came through was the mistake discovered. Characteristically, Fischer refused to change his first move and achieved a hard-fought draw after a long struggle against an opponent he would often have expected to beat.

For my money, this is a superb book. If I had to choose between it and any other book on Fischer - even his own "60 Memorable Games" - I think I would have to pick this one. It strikes a perfect balance between quantity and quality. Reading it carefully should increase anyone's playing strength, and is sure to afford hours of pleasure. Just one warning - chess theory has made huge strides since Fischer was playing, so don't take any of the opening analysis on trust without checking in a modern reference book.

This book will change the way you approach chess regardless of your playing level. As noted by previous readers, Elie Agur has done a nice job of systematically analyzing Fischer's approach to chess into clear parts (e.g., pawn structures, traps, typical manuevores) clearly for the reader to grasp. The usefulness of this catagorization goes beyond having to fill up a content page. What has not been said is that reading this book actually helps you to integrate almost all the chess concepts you learnt (e.g., tactics, positional chess, etc.) but never know how to go about applying them.

For the more advanced player, I would recommend you taking a look at how Agur, given a chess position with a variety of candidate moves, manage to compare and contrast Fischer's style with other schools of playing chess (e.g., Karpov and Capablanca). This is interesting in itself as this is one clear evidence of chess style at work, and that no particular style is necessarily the best (although Fischer's style has been known to be the most accurate and straightforward in selection of candidate moves).

If you read and enjoyed "How Karpov Wins" by Mednis, you will fall madly in love with this book. Agur has written an incredibly fascinating book about the chess world's most enigmatic personality. What makes the book so outstanding is the breadth and depth to which Agur has analyzed Fischer's playing style. You can learn things here which you would not understand clearly even after reading Fischer's "Memorable Games". He breaks down Fischer's games according to topics like: Style, Defense, Technique, Clarity, etc. I know of no other book like this at this level of detail and depth. I'm not so sure it will improve your playing strength, but it will give you a perfect scheme for playing 'a la Fischer'
A must for any serious chess lover.

This book delivers as the title says. Discussed are Fischer's decisions across various motifs (pawn structure, piece placement, strategy,...) from a diagrammed position. Much of the book can be read without a board depending on your strength. I think this book is more for advanced players, you just need to know things to get the most out of this book. Really the book is about style -- the style of a genius, so no chess player should be without it.

This work is absolutely brilliant. Elie Agur observes much that had previously gone unnoticed in the play of this great genius. However, you will learn much more than simply how Fischer played. From the study of Fischer's "Approach to Chess," you will learn much about the nature of the middle game. This book contains many deep observations about the game of chess: If this same book had been written by a more famous player, it would already be a classic. Buy this book! I would also recommend Raymond Keene's Nimzowitch: A Reappraisal---the second, updated edition of Nimzowitch: Master of Planning.

Excellent book, especially for those who are preparing for a case interview, I would recommend it for everyone. Easy reading and superb explanation!

I've alredy been thru the typical i-banking and consulting interview rush and I only wish I had this book back then. Not only will it introduce you to the type of questions you may be asked, it will also get you to start thinking in a smarter way. I highly recommend this book.

hi! i just wanted to let everyone out there whos interviewing for any investment banks or other jobs that this book will definitly help you out. the author worked in the best investment banks on wall street and gives you common interview questions that will have you very prepared. also, the book is really interesting, and just really fun to read through.

The puzzles and brain teasers presented in this book have been enormously helpful for my recent interviews! i was astonished when top banks asked me the EXACT same puzzles that were illustrated in this book! i HIGHLY recommend this book to ANYBODY who is interviewing at any banks, it will help you tremendously!

I have been going through job recruiting for the past 3 months and I only wish this book had come out earlier. Not only has it helped me sharpen my skills but it contains a lot of the identical questions that I am being asked.

Bridge Over Troubled Bidding offers a basis to make aacceptable and competent bids, a rule of thumb (a comfort zone) assuring the player he/she can enter the game, enjoy and look forward to the next one. A plus is that we can focus on the cards dealt, what we can do with them and feel secure to enter the auction.

Jan Pittelli offers the reader a wealth of information in an understandable and creative format. Her objectives for each chapter are very clear. She is able to meet the needs of the various learning styles of her readers by providing different approaches to deliver the information. Her visual presentations with the blocked off "Bridge Language", review sections, hands-on workbook practice, audiotape, and helpful advice from her experiences, provide the student with a fun and unintimidating way to learn bridge. Pittelli's encouragement along with a writing style which conveys her enthusiasm and respect for the game are very motivational to the beginning student.

I have played bridge since I was a junior in high school at which time my mother insisted that I take bridge lessons. Although I rather enjoyed the game, the act of bidding was stressful to me. Substituting in a bridge group was always a tense experience. Invariably someone would ask, "Do you bid a (some term I never had even heard of)?" or after the bidding someone would ask, "WHY did you bid THAT". In short, before I read this book, bidding was no fun. I, like others I know, would sometimes pass early to avoid getting the bid. Now, after Bridge Over Troubled Bidding, I enjoy the entire game. I may not always win, and I may not always make my bid, but at least I'm approaching the game with knowledge and understanding which previously had escaped me. I'm personally glad that Pittelli was able to find a new and effective way to explain the act of bidding. I hope many readers will now be better able to enjoy the game and to even teach their own kids in such a delightful manner.

Outstanding book for beginners and for those who only think they know how to bid. Extremely valuable for anyone interested in learning the game or upgrading their bidding skills. This book is an absolute must for beginners and for those who have not played bridge for a while. Along with the book you also receive a workbook and audio tape. The workbook is excellent for practice and the tape is very helpful, easy to understand - you can brush up on your skills in the car.

I have played bridge since I was a junior in high school at which time my mother insisted that I take bridge lessons. Although I rather enjoyed the game, the act of bidding was stressful to me. Substituting in a bridge group was always a tense experience. Invariably someone would ask, "Do you bid a (some term I never had even heard of)?" or after the bidding someone would ask, "WHY did you bid THAT". In short, before I read this book, bidding was no fun. I, like others I know, would sometimes pass early to avoid getting the bid. Now, after Bridge Over Troubled Bidding, I enjoy the entire game. I may not always win, and I may not always make my bid, but at least I'm approaching the game with knowledge and understanding which previously had escaped me. I'm personally glad that Pittelli was able to find a new and effective way to explain the act of bidding. I hope many readers will now be better able to enjoy the game and to even teach their own kids in such a delightful manner.

If you've mastered Hugard and Braue's stuff, if you can do 60 classic passes per minute, if you have all the time in the world to devote to card sleight of hand, then this is the book for you! Seriously, this is a truly excellent book. Buckley's sleights, though not for the faint of heart, are superb. (He must've been one heckuva cardician!) This is a serious, serious card magic book. But if you are serious yourself, you'll get it. Of course, you'll overlook the antiquated prose and Buckley's tremendous ego throughout. (When you read this material you'll forgive Buckley's self-congratulatory tone.) This is a splendid work for those who want to be the best...

This book by Arthur Buckley is amazing.

It has loads of fantastic card sleights, whilst they do need a lot of practice it is worthwhile, as once you have them in your fingers they will never be forgotten.

All of these slieghts are extremely useful. The book is divided into different sections of tricks.

There are tricks for close up and for stage although some may need some imagination to update them, also there is a special section on crooked gambling.

All in all a good book with lots of photographs of Buckleys hands, he was a great card worker.

Buy it if you already know all the basics of card magic well.

I've yet to see a bad review for this book, and there's a reason. This book is terrific. There is however one issue to be addressed. This book is hard!!! Definitely not for beginners, it has some of what I believe are the greatest but hardest card manipulations out there. I definitely recommend it however to the serious card magic enthusiast. There are enough valuable ideas in here to last you a lifetime.

Pretty good book with a variety of unique card sleights (palming, manipulating cards in the deck, etc.). These sleights are the 'real work', so it will take a little perseverance. Many of these utility sleights are ones that you ought to know if you want to be a card sleight-of-hand worker.

The instructions are generally clear, but sometimes a detail here and there gets a little confusing. There's a fair number of photos showing how to do many of the sleights.

Sometimes a sleight is a little more complicated than it needs to be. My recommendation is to follow the author's steps in slow-motion with a deck of cards in hand. After you are familiar with the overall effect, you can make adjustments based on what your comfortable with. There may also be other newer methods for learning these sleights if you want to invest in newer card sleight instruction (such as the Daryl Encyclopedia of Card Sleights videos, etc.).

Right now, I'm working on the side steal sleight. He gives a T. Nelson Downs version which has some merit, but it is much more complicated than necessary. The author's own version is a little more do-able. But even the author's method becomes a little too fidgety, so I've made minor modifications to make it work well for me. I start in slow-motion, counting through the substeps to keep pace while I do the move (1..2..3..4). Then I repeat it until I can bring it up to full speed.

If you want to learn sleights for cheap, try this book. You may have to pick and choose through the sleights, and there may be better methods to perform some of these sleights now, but it's not bad for under $10.

When I unexpectedly came across a picture of Buckley on the first page of the book, and after hearing the other reviews of how difficult and advanced the techniques in the book were, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was surprised to see the face of a handsome teenager, of which my previous impression was COMPLETELY the opposite to the one I held in my hands. And this guy was a professional card magician at the age of 18, and able to do tricks infront of hundreds of people on-stage in 1908!

I have a feeling that this guy's mystery and skill probably gained him significant success with girls his age. The mysterious effects of these difficult to execute sleights are priceless and dazzling beyond belief. If a 3 columns card trick can make girls believe in magic.. then Buckley's stuff probably knocked their socks off... literally! Believe me, this guy would be able to blow David Blaine out of the water and make him look like Bob Longe.

That being said and out of the way, the book itself is amazing. There are very clearcut photos of Buckley's hands and very impressive card tricks, or as he calls them in the fourth section, "Card Experiments". Best of all, this book isn't like most others where the authors seem to purposely be vague (S.W. Erdnase) and not give the best descriptions. Mr. Buckley gives you every detail and is your friend throughout the book, showing you exactly how everything is done without any confusion.

And there is SO much different good stuff in here, that you'll probably never need another book for advanced materials.

It is a great book and a great reference to help you on your way to card excellence and showmanship. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.