New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

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Ben the Magician
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ben the Magician » June 15th, 2010, 12:26 pm

So there really is going to be a DVD?

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Mark Collier » June 15th, 2010, 12:30 pm

Read Richard's first post in this thread.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ben the Magician » June 15th, 2010, 12:37 pm

I assumed the first post was being a bit sarcastic. 3D glasses?

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby El Mystico » June 15th, 2010, 12:43 pm

There were 3D images of Berglas in Genii a while back. I guess there are probably more.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 15th, 2010, 2:27 pm

There are going to be TWO DVDs. And there will be 3D glasses. The DVDs are not 3D, but some supplementary material will be.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ben the Magician » June 15th, 2010, 8:27 pm

Look what I found on put up recently on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9u25Cfe ... re=related.
I'm so exited because a while back I was having a great deal of trouble locating footage of him.

Just thought I'd share,


-Benjamin

EDIT: It appears multiple episodes are up.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby hnegash » August 31st, 2010, 2:11 am

Mr. Kaufman,

Is this book still planning on being released near the end of the year or did it get pushed back to 2011? Thanks.

Henok

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » August 31st, 2010, 10:27 am

We are now planning on including three DVDs with the book. Book is currently 275 pages long and I'm not finished yet. Still hoping for the end of the year.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby magicrobharv » September 2nd, 2010, 1:44 pm

Ben, thanks for the youtube link. David Berglas' presence on film is something to behold. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch him perform in person. Just amazing.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ben the Magician » September 7th, 2010, 3:06 pm

Yes, he is amazing.

Is it really going to come with 3 DVDs?
So you're planning on milking this for all it's worth!
I suppose the price is going to be extremely high, but I guess it will be worth it...

-Ben

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 7th, 2010, 3:59 pm

Yes, three DVDs.

The first DVD is a contemporary interview with David conducted by Marc Paul. It covers David's life in show business, including film clips of him performing on various TV shows. He performs several card effects for Marc toward the end, and it concludes with an interactive card trick.

The second DVD is "Vintage Berglas," a collection of footage of David performing card magic and more from the 1980s. It will also include a pdf file of David's issue of Genii.

The third DVD is all newly shot material, including a show (entirely cards) David gave in June, plus many additional performances of card effects and explanations.

Each DVD will be two hours.

You will see David perform both Any Card at Any Number as well as The Berglas Effect. And they are described in the book as well.

The book should be between 300 and 400 pages (8.5 x 11). Earle Oakes has already done most of the illustrations.

There will also be a pair of 3D glasses included for something in the book (as well as for viewing the 3D portions of the Genii issue).

I am going to try and keep the price to $100 for the book and 3 DVD set. I think it's a very good price. You'll have to purchase the book directly from me (which is how I can keep the price that low). If I wholesale the book, the retail price would have to be $200. I don't see much point in that. I'll probably ask for an additional charge for Priority Mail, so all books can be shipped safely in a sturdy box and received within a few days. Hopefully this will prevent banged corners and lost books.

There will be a deluxe edition (I'm hoping in leather and in a slipcase) limited to 100 copies, signed by David, and which will include some pieces of memorabilia from his life in show business. No price yet.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Seuss » September 7th, 2010, 6:09 pm

Got my attention. 3-400 pgs AND ~6 hours of footage?... dibs on a deluxe!

Please keep me posted on release date and price so I can be sure to have funds at the ready. :)
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Smurf » September 7th, 2010, 10:07 pm

You are just too fast Seuss. Can I be #2 in line? Count me in when the time comes.

PS to Seuss: Mr Tiny Little Baseballs book was shipped out today.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 7th, 2010, 10:10 pm

As they used to say in the 1950s, just keep watching the skies ...
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Dustin Stinett » September 7th, 2010, 10:15 pm

And while they are looking up, I'm going to cut in line!!!

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Oli Foster » September 29th, 2010, 5:53 pm

Hi, I'm also really looking forward to reading this!!!

I have to admit I also fell into that camp of disappointed neophytes on reading the description in The Mind & Magic of David Berglas. Giving David Britland his due on a lucid mammoth of a book, I think I'd naievely set myself up to read complete step-by-step instructions on creating "the perfect effect". However, I was interested to read, "it's all in there if you look hard enough" and that prompted me to re-read that last bit of the book.

I might have misinterpretted this but it seems that Berglas does indeed have a general strategy to create the perfect effect, as Britland refers to "good cards" being named in the course of a larger routine. From what I understand from the bit on the selection of number and from hearing other people describe his performance, I imagine that 'good cards' are cards which fall closest to either end of the stack, as "a number" can then be named (please forgive me for trying to be both cryptic and explicit) which is likely to be very close to the position of these cards on considering the pack three dimensionally. The bit on having the spectator re-order the cards (you know what I mean) would suggest that you could account for all four suits within this range of selection, as the inside becomes outside. (crikey, this is sounding alot more complicated than it is!)

This got me thinking, as one choice indirectly affects the other. If we forget the suit of the named card (because this becomes irrelevant due to the afore-alluded-to subtelty) and think of it as a choice of two numbers, the second choice is naturally influenced by the first. For example, if I named the number 7, my second choice would probably be 3 and, in fact, any two choices are likely to hover around either end of the range of selection, which is elegantly mirrored by the stack; so the perfect effect (or one that is very similar) becomes within reach of being 'surefire' on considering a few of the other subtleties, without seeming to limit either choice in any way.

Having a set-up that will give you the best chance of hitting without any intervention seems to require more ingenuigty and experience than I can ever muster (and I appreciate I'm a deluded skintflint for imagining I can purchase said qualities for $100) so, what I'm particularly interested in is the specific stack and outs Berglas uses for numbers to achieve this (such as the example given in Mind & Magic). Unless I'm completely wrong, I believe this would give most of us muggles a chance to create this effect, albeit perhaps not as splendidly as Mr Berglas.

Trying my best to sound like I'm not fishing: will this be in your book? ;)

Cheers

Oli

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ben the Magician » October 16th, 2010, 11:05 pm

$100 dollars sounds like a shockingly low price, though it is around what I would be willing to pay. I was expecting it to cost much, much more.

Do you have any more of a precise date for release yet?

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 16th, 2010, 11:51 pm

I have finished the book except for one trick and one chapter. There are various small details to be added throughout, and I have to go over all the text with David to make sure that everything is correct.

We've run into a big bump in the cost of producing the three DVDs that will double their production cost, but I'll probably absorb this and keep the price as stated at $100. Or it might be $110. Either way, for an oversized 350 to 400 page hardcover book that also includes 3 DVDs, it's a bargain. Earle Oakes has been drawing the illustrations at the same time I've been writing, so they are mostly finished. My wife has the biggest job at this point, which is editing the DVDs.

Oli, yes, I think whatever you're writing about is in the book, but your writing is a bit cryptic.

For the deluxe edition, I'm contemplating putting either a fourth DVD or the write-up of a trick that's not in the regular edition of the book, or both, which would be exclusive to those 100 deluxe copies.

With things moving along briskly toward a conclusion in all areas, the book will probably go to the printer by January and be shipped in late February or March. I may start taking pre-publication orders for the deluxe edition in the next few weeks.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Joe Naud » October 17th, 2010, 1:44 pm

Richard, Any idea on the cost of the delux edition? Will it be slipcased or have a special type of binding? Thanks in advance for the information.
Peace, Joe

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 17th, 2010, 3:24 pm

Special Binding: Yes. Some sort of leather.
Slipcase: Yes.
Cost ... in a few days.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Ricky Difeo » November 1st, 2010, 10:10 am

Hi Richard!

Can you inform about of date of the no-deluxe edition book?

Very Thank. I want one.

Pardon my english!!

Ricardo

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 1st, 2010, 7:53 pm

Hi Ricardo, the regular edition of the book should be advertised in either the January or February issue of Genii (and on the Genii Forum as well).
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Brian Morton » November 1st, 2010, 8:37 pm

How 'bout I just send you the money now and we call it a deal? :grin:


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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 2nd, 2010, 8:20 pm

Not exactly certain of the price for the regular edition yet.

Just discovered that we are getting some more vintage footage of David performing card magic for the DVDs, which makes me very happy.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Maddened » November 29th, 2010, 2:16 am

Any updates on this one Richard? Price and pre-order dates (if any?)

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Frank Quiroz » January 2nd, 2011, 12:55 pm

Has pre-sale fir the deluxe edition been released?
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 2nd, 2011, 4:42 pm

The deluxe edition is long sold out.

The regular edition, 400 pages, 3 DVDs, 3D glasses etc., is available to order here:
http://geniimagazine.com/kaufman/store/html/79.html

Putting the finishing touches on the text now. Earle Oakes has about 12 more illustrations, and David is almost finished proofing the text. Everything is on schedule.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Frank Quiroz » January 3rd, 2011, 12:35 pm

Richard just a quick question, I'm not a beginner in card magic, however , nowhere near a pro. Would you still recommend this book to someone like myself?
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 3rd, 2011, 8:40 pm

Oh, yes. Reading this book may send you down an entirely different, and better, road. The material requires no sleight of hand for the most part. You just need BALLS.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Jonathan Townsend » January 3rd, 2011, 8:43 pm

Is that a callback to a Firesign Theater bit about the guy doing an Aqua Velva commercial?
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Bob Farmer » January 4th, 2011, 9:07 am

Shoes for industry. Shoes for the dead.

About five guys are laughing hysterically -- including me -- everyone else, including all the girls, have left the room.

I have to go shake the cornstarch off my mukluks.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 4th, 2011, 10:38 am

I've never listened to Firesign Theater.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Frank Quiroz » January 4th, 2011, 11:32 am

Ok I'm sold on this book. Dammit Richard, hurry up! The suspense is killing me!
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 4th, 2011, 12:15 pm

This is by far the most difficult book I've ever written. I'm tweaking the text now and reviewing it with Berglas multiple times to make sure it's correct.
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Doug Thornton » January 4th, 2011, 3:55 pm

Bob Farmer wrote:Shoes for industry. Shoes for the dead.

About five guys are laughing hysterically -- including me -- everyone else, including all the girls, have left the room.

I have to go shake the cornstarch off my mukluks.


I think we're all bozos on this bus.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 4th, 2011, 4:18 pm

Can we please return to our normally scheduled thread?
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Doug Thornton » January 4th, 2011, 4:55 pm

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

The Berglas book will be fantastic!
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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Bob Farmer » January 4th, 2011, 5:41 pm

I just looked through my (earlier) draft copy of the Berglas book (I have been assisting Richard in some related matters) while listening to Ralph Spoilsport Motors. The book is fabulous, even without the FT soundtrack.

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Hatch » January 4th, 2011, 6:16 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote: The material requires no sleight of hand for the most part. You just need BALLS.
I assume those come with the deluxe edition. Big brass ones?

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Re: New Book Coming on the Card Magic of David Berglas

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 4th, 2011, 8:01 pm

Testicles not Included.
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