The Genii Forum

Hi All,
The December issue of Genii, featuring Dai Vernon on the cover, was mailed on Nov.8. Please let me know when you receive your copy and what you think of the contents! :)

Just got my copy (even with the disrupted NYC mails) and, oh baby, it kept me up WAY past my bedtime.

Tons of material on the Kennedy Middle Deal, great pictures I've never seen before, several Vernon tricks (and additions, like Paul Wilson's shuffle for "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"). Plus salutes to the late Eddie Fields by Jon R., Stephen Minch and Simon Aronson, Racherbaumer's reminiscence of Vernon (and a great picture of the young Jon with DV). Paul Cummins' take on the Harry Lorayne book, that new guy Joe Turner on Eugene Burger's trilogy and the new Dan Harlan multi-volume set, raves from David Oliver regarding a couple of new Jay Sankey items.

Wait until you see the cover.

Lots to sink one's teeth into.

This one is a beaut, Richard.

Matt Field (only in Genii every other month, and this ain't the month)

Darn it, I always hear about these new issues and then have to wait until the end of the month before they make it out to California.

Sounds like it's going to be goooood.

I saw the cover to the December GENII in Jamy Swiss' room in LA after the LA Conference on Magic History (which I didn't get to go to, but I really want to make the next one!) and all I can say is that the Vernon photo is STUNNING.

After I saw the table of contents, I knew I had to put the mag down otherwise Jamy would've had to pry it from my hands at 4 am.

Waiting breathlessly for the mail lady here in Baltimore...

:cool:

Got mine Saturday November 17. I'm in the Chicago suburbs. Another GREAT issue.
Thanks Richard.

Richard, I got the November and December issue of Genii on Friday the 16th. I can say it was worth the waite for the November issue. I'm having a hard time putting it down. Thanks

No Dec. Issue as of this date and time.

Really looking forward to it!!!

Roger

It is agony every month in Malibu as I have to wait a good three weeks from mailing before receiving my Genii. Now with the forum, I get reminded every day of what I am missing. Fortunately I am still re-reading my November issue.

Richard -

Both my December issue of Genii with Vernon's Secrets, and my Holiday Catalog from Victoria's Secrets arrived today (11/19).

Decisions, decisions...

- David Oliver

December issue arrived today, 11/19/01. Magnificent!! Will be shelved next to the Vernon books. Another benchmark edition, RK, not unlike the Skinner issue. BTW, the graphics and design of Genii are second to none, and that's been confirmed by non-magic folks who know what they're talking about when it comes to monthly slicks.

[ November 19, 2001: Message edited by: Bill McFadden ]

Just got it today - 11/19/01, did not get a chance to read through it yet.

Got mine in Raleigh today, the 19th.

It's another excellent issue! :)

Steve H

Just received my Nov. issue on Friday. Great stuff. Feature about HaLo is great!
Greetings from Germany
Hans-Gerhard Koch

The December issue arrived yesterday. The cover was truly magnificent, and the Vernon articles were well put together. What other compliments can I say that haven't already been stated?

The Vernon issue arrived yesterday -- finally! Lovely issue. Question to Jon Racherbaumer: what tricks did you teach in that 1975 lecture?

Arrived home from work last night to learn from my resigned spouse that the new Genii had arrived. I say resigned because she knows that only two of my magic magazines get instant and devoted attention upon their arrival, Genii and Magicol. And of course the December issue is everything that was promised and more, surely the best so far from Mr. Kaufman.

The Vernon material is great stuff, and I really appreciated the reprints of Bill Robinson's Houdini correspondence from Todd Karr's new book. Reading the letters of a historical figure like Chung Ling Soo can often be more enlightening that a biographical profile. For example, Robinson's repeated use of the phrase "Hully Gee" which was the favorite expression of R.F. Outcault's comic strip character The Yellow Kid, popular at the turn of the last century. Like Robinson, The Yellow Kid was mistakenly assumed to be Chinese, when he was actually an Irish kid from Brooklyn. Coincidence? Probably, but facinating to a history buff anyway. Many thanks for another excellent issue of Genii.

My December issue of Genii arrived yesterday, Nov. 21, in Sun Prairie, WI. (Just outside of Madison)

I read the magazine while exercising at the gym. That was way better than watching the news on the television screens they provide for us. It was a bit tricky when I came across "continued on page 85" and had to flip through the magazine while the handlebars on the elliptical machine kept going back and forth and the display insisted "continue holding on to get your heartrate".

Could you come out with Genii three times a week so I can read it at the gym? I would probably exercise for twice as long, it makes the time just fly.

-alain

Richard, I received the December issue on Tuesday, Nov. 20. I'm in NYC.

Jeremy

Richard:

Still no Dec. issue as of this date and time!
Guess I'll have to resort to watching the
football game tomorrow. Another trouncing
of my Dallas Cowboys I presume...

Happy Holidays from Texas.

Roger

Got my December issue in Baltimore on Tues. the 20th.

brian :cool:

The December hit the Granite State (NH) Wednesday, November 21.

Lombard, Illinois checking in. (A suburb west of Chicago). Christmas came early. My Dec. Genii actually arrived Monday Nov. 19th. I usually am one of the last to get Genii in the mail, so I didn't expect to see it until next week. Been too distracted reading it to post its arrival. This issue is OUTSTANDING!

I received the December issue today (11/21) here in Southern California. I must confess that I was privileged to get a sneak preview of the issue from Richard earlier this month (yet another perk from attending the LA History Conference). As result of his generosity I can comment fully on its contents on this, the day I officially received it.

I can say, without hesitation, that the December 2001 Genii is the best magic magazine I've ever read. From its glorious cover to the reviews, it's as if everyone knew that this particular issue would be the crowning achievement of the year. Obviously, the centerpiece is the feature article. In my opinion, the Vernon material presented here is to be savored, not just lightly read.

My favorite piece is Defining the Professor by Max Maven. I found this insightful essay on the Professor (written by a man who knew him well) and the word most often used to define him; Genius, remindful of an essay titled Genius, written by John Russell (a New York Times Arts journalist). It appears in the book The Virtuoso (Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 1999) by Ken Carbone. A summary of both essays can be found in the final sentence of the Russell piece: "The world will never run out of discoveries...Nor will the word genius gather dust in the dictionary."

The reminiscences of Roger Klause and Jon Racherbaumer are terrific and the Karl Johnson piece on the Professor's search for Allen Kennedy and the center deal is fascinating reading. I cannot say enough about the photos; they are a wondrous treat.

One thing this issue has done is heighten my anticipation for the David Ben book on Vernon. I hope it appears soon!

Bravo, Richard, on a first class job - and thank you very much!

Regards,
Dustin

PS: Regarding the above mentioned book, The Virtuoso: I highly recommend finding a copy of this fine book. Of magical interest is a piece on Ricky Jay, however there are also short profiles on Michael Moschen and Robin Williams. The book is a collection of short profiles (focusing on what sets them apart) on 40 people who are considered virtuosos in their given fields. The subjects range from the arts, sports, culinary arts, science, pyrotechnics (the Grucci family) and even firefighting (Red Adair) among other interesting topics. There are also excellent essays on skill, mentors, vision and the above-mentioned genius.

Man...you people have me drooling over here. I haven't got my copy yet, but, oh boy, oh boy, I can't wait! It's gonna be at least Saturday before I actually get my hands on it...I'm home for Thanksgiving, and won't be back at school until Saturday.

I hope it's as good as you guys are saying...

-Jim

Jim, don't get too excited. It was just something we threw together in a few weeks. :)

Got mine yesterday (Nov. 22) in frosty Ottawa. I know what I'll be doing for the weekend! :)

Hi,
Received my copy on 11/21 here in beautiful Phila., Pa.
Haven't had time to get to it yet, but, I will start at lunchtime today.

I received my copy on November 19th.

Qubec, Qubec, Canada
Received on november 23, 2001

Richard,

Got the Vernon issue on 11/23 here in Southern Oregon. What a great after Thanskgiving treat!

Woohoo! I got it today! It may have come a day or two ago, but I was at my parents house, so I can't be sure exactly when it arrived. From my quick glance, it looks great! I agree with what everyone's said about Vernon being photogenic - those pictures are fabulous! Very classy cover, too. Great work, Richard (and everyone at Genii).

-Jim

Hi Richard:

I received my copy today November 24. The issue looks great.

Eric DeCamps

Got my copy yesterday(11-23-01) and it's already up to $53.25 on eBay......
Alex

Got mine today. YEAH!! Can't wait to read it. Outside of Los Angeles in Whittier, CA.

I received my copy on Fridy, the 23rd. I have enjoyed it all weekend.

Not yet.

I received my issue today. Excellent as usual. Richard, you are truly living up to the standards you've set, to make Genii a magazine to KEEP, and go back to. I recently gave a friend about a thousand issues of MUM, LINKING RING, TOPS, NEW TOPS, etc. Genii stays. Congratulations on finding your voice.

The Vernon issue of Genii reached Sweden the 26:th of November. Great work to be able to ship it so early. Thank you very much.

Have only flipped through it as I've had no time to read it properly yet (Curry, Sankey and Harry Potter fill my time right now). Happy to see Out of Sight-Out of Mind in there.

Thanks,

/Tomas

Still no sign of the thing, but that's what I get for homesteading in the remote wilderness of Brooklyn. My Montgomery Ward catalogue is overdue, too. ;)

I was out of town for the holidays but my December issue was in the mail when I returned to Atlanta Sunday evening. It had not arrived when we left on Wednesday.

Joe M. Turner

[ November 27, 2001: Message edited by: Joe M. Turner ]