Dolts in the Media and Royal Road to Card Magic

[Richard Kaufman]

This is weird:
http://boingboing.net/2013/03/26/the-ro ... gic-d.html

The guy, who is boingboing's publisher (!) begins by writing "I've spent around two decades practicing slights of hand, flourishes and card tricks."

Do you know anyone who has been practicing card magic for two decades who writes a phrase like "slights of hand" not only misspelling "sleight" but incorrectly pluralizing it?

[John Lovick]

I agree "sleights of hand" is weird, but it is not necessarily incorrect. Sleight of hand is the generic phrase to describe manipulative magic in general. But if you were speaking more specifically or particularly about certain moves, for example, then "sleights of hand" is the correct pluralization. The same way "courts-martial", "attorneys general", and "mothers-in-law" are correct pluralizations, even though they sound wrong.

[Richard Kaufman]

Yes, John, but he didn't write "sleights," he wrote "slights."

What person can practice card magic for decades and misspell "sleight"?

[erdnasephile]

I have mad love for RRCM, but I think it's a little sad if the author claims to have studied for 20 years and nearly everything he knows is in this book?

(I wouldn't even make that claim about Erdnase.)

Card magic technique and practice has certainly continued to evolve since the publication of these rightly-venerated, but not all-inclusive books.

[John LeBlanc]

"What person can practice card magic for decades and misspell "sleight"?"

Apparently, Jason Weisberger.

[Richard Kaufman]

Well, that's my point. I don't believe he's studied card magic for decades.

[Eric Fry]

What kind of person? The kind who thinks Royal Road has overly long explanations.

[John LeBlanc]

To be fair, what he said was "poor illustrations and overly complex descriptions" and, "slights" is now "sleights."

Perhaps he can next be persuaded to obtain "The Royal Road to Card Magic" DVD set by R. Paul Wilson.

I invited him into the tent.

[Max Maven]

Why would you extend that invitation? (Remember what Heinlein said about musical pigs.)

[John LeBlanc]

After a little checking I discovered his genuine interest in card magic. I had a Golden Rule moment -- many years ago someone took the time to teach me to "sing" when, from all appearances, I may not have seemed a likely candidate. It it were not for that, I may or may not be typing this now. Someone then took a chance, yesterday I took a chance.

[Gordon Meyer]

And then he excuses his behavior, in the comments thread, by revealing that he's never thought of associating with local (San Francisco) magicians who might be able to move him along the path (or Royal Road, in this case) more effectively. I find the whole post rather sad.