"Cards are power; learn to harness that power, and you will be forever rewarded" - From Preface by James Swain.
James Swain's book - 21st Century Card Magic - has stunningly effective simple card routines. Improve your sleight-of-hand card skills immediately and with ease. Thorough instructions with photo illustrated explanations to learn.
From Introduction by Bill Malone
"This book is a perfect way to start off the new century. I have tried many of these routines in front of real people and can attest to their greatness. This book has something for everyone, whether you are a beginner or an accomplished sleight of hand magician...There are so many routines in this book worth performing that I do not have time to mention them all...It is a well known saying, if you can find one trick in a book that you can actually use than you've gotten your money's worth. Well, with this book, you will get your money's worth over and over again."
Contents: Includes Sleights taught for each routine
ix Preface xi Introduction by Bill Malone 3 Departure: Invisible Shulien Revelation 7 Tongue in Cheek: Ascanio's Faro Shuffle idea 11 Metamorphosis: Frank Garcia's Pirouette Double Lift; J.K. Hartman's Covered Cop Transfer 17 Ice Breaker: Paul LePaul Flourish 20 A Tribute to Dunninger 23 The 21 Card Trick: Gene Finnell's Free Cut Principle; Jay Ose's False Cut; Marlo's Flash Speller 26 Tale of Titanic Thompson 29 Psychic Poker: Phil Goldstein's Binary Cut Sorting Process 33 Bill Malone's "Cut Em High and Tie" 35 Birds of a Feather: Brother Hamman's Swivel Switch; Larry Jenning's Modification of Daryl's Display Sequence 43 Diving Rod: Marlo's Cut and Shuffle Sequence 46 Miraculous: Frank Thompson's Four Card Revelation 50 Equivocally Triumphant 53 The Miracle Deck: Peeking a Card During the Pass 57 The Last Good Trick: Gene Maze's Card Box Load 60 The Four Robbers 64 21st Century Assembly 68 Del Ray's Handling of LePaul's Gymnastic Aces 71 Too Many Jokers
Weapons
75 Look Away Force 78 Steve Bedwell Control Variation 80 Card Warp Display 83 Unloading a Card 85 Peek, Stop, Touch 87 2 Full-Deck Controls 91 The Dummy Force 93 The Dummy Pass 95 The Dummy Fan Force
Tricks of The Masters
99 Mike Skinner's Placement Principle: Marlo's Faro Check 102 Count on It (Paul Cummins) 105 Persi's Collectors (Persi Diaconis): Marlo's Mechanical Second Revelation 108 I Am In Debt (Fred Kaps): Marlo's Book Break 111 Instant Aces (Larry Jennings): Ken Krenzel's Mechanical Reverse 114 Shipwrecked (Daryl, Bill Malone) 117 Quick D-Way 123 Royal Aces (Ron Ferris): Benzais Cut with two cards; Walter Scott's technique for Dealing Seconds 127 1002nd Aces (Alex Elmsley) 131 Sympathetic Thirteen (Nate Leipsig): Paul Curry's Swindle Switch
Gambling Routines
137 Poker Interchange Redux 140 Center Deal Demo/The Muck: Alex Elmsley's Just Lucky Shuffle; The Drop Switch (Original) 144 Just Lucky Eight Card Stack 147 21st Century Magician vs. Gambler