Harry Riser was part of the magic elite in its heyday. He spent considerable time with magicians such as Edward Marlo, Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. Their influence in his material is incredibly prominent in Secrets Of An Escamoteur.
There are four reasons why we recommend this book to you:
1. The stories
If there’s one reason to buy this book, it’s to read the stories of Vernon and Miller. They shaped close-up magic into what it is today and Riser’s stories make for a fascinating and entertaining read.
2. The Faro material
If, like me, you like to dabble with the Faro shuffle, you’ll be amazed at the clever ideas that Riser has produced in this book. Many of his effects make use of a 53-card deck, which allows for some interesting reading.
3. The structure of Riser’s magic
Riser’s magic is clearly thought out and the methods are well structured. This really is a great lesson to learn from a magic book.
4. Untipped Charlie Miller work
I am a Charlie Miller nut, so it was an absolute treat to see some of Miller’s work explained in this book. You should pay special attention to his work on the little finger break; it really is great.
This hard backed book has 247 pages 45 sleights, tricks and routines and is copiously illustrated by Earle Oakes. We’ve managed to secure the last few copies, so I’d recommend that you purchase this book soon before it goes out of print.
