"As an exhibition of dexterity this is probably unsurpassed in card manipulation, but it is of little aid in the performance of tricks. However, everything may be put to some use, and the back palm once helped us out of a difficult situation--'but that is another story.' "

I'd like to do that some day, but I guess if the old english makes it difficult for you, imagine how can it be for a spanish guy who sometimes gets lost with modern english (although I've been doing pretty good with what I have)...

On 2013-04-19 14:04, CharliePA wrote:
imagine how can it be for a spanish guy who sometimes gets lost with modern english.........

On 2013-04-22 08:03, martyjacobs wrote:


Ah yes, but then you can read all of those wonderful Spanish magic books that haven't, and may never, be published in English. I'm seriously considering learning Spanish for this reason!

Marty

With a couple of notable exceptions, the real value of Erdnase is not in the moves, which have largely been supplanted by improved techniques.

On 2013-06-09 04:47, wnewhouse wrote:
...You can just blow me off as an uninformed card novice if you want to...

On 2013-06-09 04:47, wnewhouse wrote:
Best of luck to you, Marty, on your project. Pretty ambitious and I look forward to reading about your progress. I hope you are already at least a moderately accomplished card manipulator, because too much of EATCT is, IMO, virtually useless as an instructional book for a beginner. Being a beginner I have found some of the descriptions excellent, such as for the diagonal palm shift, and others so poor as to appear to be physically impossible to do as described (such as the longitudinal palm shift, p80). He also seems to get pretty careless, or at least inconsistent, with his terminology. He uses the technical terms consistently, but can't seem to give coherent directions with words like in, out, up, down, toward, etc. No doubt his descriptions are crystal clear to someone who already knows exactly how to do the moves. Yes, the man created a ground-breaking publication when it was published 100 years ago. That is deserving of respect, but not adulation. And the material provides the foundation for a lot of much better technique available today from people who actually know how to teach a subject. Just as whale oil lamps were a big deal, too, when they came on the market, but we're all using electric lights now for good reasons. Doesn't mean I don't use an oil (not whale) lamp when the situation is appropriate (power is out), but I don't imbue the oil lamps with an unwarranted reverence. I also don't appreciate an author claiming a single move can be learned easily with only a modest amount of practice when he knows full well it will take 80-100 hours of very serious work to nail it. I see too much of that arrogant smugness in magic instruction, including EATCT, but that's a different thread entirely. And about those DVDs that are available. Books have certain advantages and certain limitations. Likewise, DVDs have certain, different, advantages and other, different, disadvantages than books. Live personal instruction also has its own set of advantages and limitations. To say one or the other is the 'best' is short-sighted IMO. When you eat dinner, do you insist on only using a plate and fork, even when soup is being served, because plates and forks are 'the best way' to serve food? Of course not. So, obviously, I'm not an Erdnase accolyte and will undoubtedly hear a firestorm of criticism for my non-standard perspective. You can just blow me off as an uninformed card novice if you want to. Be that as it may, my point is this: Dive into your chosen project, enjoy it thoroughly, be very proud of the skill you achieve, but don't be surprised when you run into severe roadblocks by restricting yourself to that one source. And don't romanticize it into sainthood. Vernon knew Erdnase better than most anyone, yet he spent a great deal of effort improving upon and generally cleaning up the material. So be willing to consult other sources, and other types of sources, when you run into the blind alleys in EATCT. I have every confidence you will succeed with your proje

On 2013-06-09 04:47, wnewhouse wrote:
Best of luck to you, Marty, on your project. Pretty ambitious and I look forward to reading about your progress. I hope you are already at least a moderately accomplished card manipulator, because too much of EATCT is, IMO, virtually useless as an instructional book for a beginner. Being a beginner I have found some of the descriptions excellent, such as for the diagonal palm shift, and others so poor as to appear to be physically impossible to do as described (such as the longitudinal palm shift, p80). He also seems to get pretty careless, or at least inconsistent, with his terminology. He uses the technical terms consistently, but can't seem to give coherent directions with words like in, out, up, down, toward, etc. No doubt his descriptions are crystal clear to someone who already knows exactly how to do the moves. Yes, the man created a ground-breaking publication when it was published 100 years ago. That is deserving of respect, but not adulation. And the material provides the foundation for a lot of much better technique available today from people who actually know how to teach a subject. Just as whale oil lamps were a big deal, too, when they came on the market, but we're all using electric lights now for good reasons. Doesn't mean I don't use an oil (not whale) lamp when the situation is appropriate (power is out), but I don't imbue the oil lamps with an unwarranted reverence. I also don't appreciate an author claiming a single move can be learned easily with only a modest amount of practice when he knows full well it will take 80-100 hours of very serious work to nail it. I see too much of that arrogant smugness in magic instruction, including EATCT, but that's a different thread entirely. And about those DVDs that are available. Books have certain advantages and certain limitations. Likewise, DVDs have certain, different, advantages and other, different, disadvantages than books. Live personal instruction also has its own set of advantages and limitations. To say one or the other is the 'best' is short-sighted IMO. When you eat dinner, do you insist on only using a plate and fork, even when soup is being served, because plates and forks are 'the best way' to serve food? Of course not. So, obviously, I'm not an Erdnase accolyte and will undoubtedly hear a firestorm of criticism for my non-standard perspective. You can just blow me off as an uninformed card novice if you want to. Be that as it may, my point is this: Dive into your chosen project, enjoy it thoroughly, be very proud of the skill you achieve, but don't be surprised when you run into severe roadblocks by restricting yourself to that one source. And don't romanticize it into sainthood. Vernon knew Erdnase better than most anyone, yet he spent a great deal of effort improving upon and generally cleaning up the material. So be willing to consult other sources, and other types of sources, when you run into the blind alleys in EATCT. I have every confidence you will succeed with your project.

That is deserving of respect, but not adulation.

Dive into your chosen project, enjoy it thoroughly, be very proud of the skill you achieve, but don't be surprised when you run into severe roadblocks by restricting yourself to that one source.

Something you may want to consider is to read the entire book and THEN go back and review each section individually keeping in mind the entire scope of the book. I suspect as you go through the book, you will have to amend your previous posts on your blog.