The Genii Forum

Gregg Webb is readying a new trilogy of magic tricks in ebook form.

The first book in his new series, "S.O.H.O. -- Sleight of Hand Only," is currently available through Chris Washuber's Lybrary.com. For more information, visit Chris Washuber's online offering at:
https://www.lybrary.com/soho-sleight-of ... 22248.html

Webb, a professional artist, illustrated and hand-lettered the book. In it, he presents an assortment of tricks relying on sleight of hand, and also includes uses for a few simple props available to most magicians. The publisher notes that familiarity with basic sleights is recommended.

[Here, full discloser is in order: although I wrote the foreword for "S.O.H.O" and helped prepare the ebook for publication, I did so freely and I receive no remuneration from its sale.]

Gregg Webb's "SOHO" trilogy is now complete and listed on Lybrary.com:
The final two ebooks include "The Shade" and "The Lizard Wizard's Diary" -- both are produced with his hand-lettered illustrated style.

Sleights featured in all of his ebooks range in complexity. (Gregg maintains the only two sleights/flourishes he doesn't enjoy using are the bottom deal and faro shuffle.)

The Faro shuffle is a dodgy move. It seems to be affected a lot by the heat and humidity of a room. Whenever I see a magician use it - he always seems to miss, and then complain that this doesn't usually happen.

Recently I have been exploring faro shuffle effects which take place entirely in the hands of the spectator (you get them to do some dealing and things like pulling off the top and bottom cards - two at a time).

Joe

PS Gregg Webb is a great source of practical and creative magic. He understands that magic that is not easy to do will not feel magical to those watching.

I've had conversations with Gregg about this... He favors the most direct method to an effect, applied at the right time.

But this does not mean his favored moves are necessarily easy to do. I've had the pleasure of watching him slay spectators and have been blown away by the artistry of his hidden skill. And his manipulation routines attest to a lifetime of hard work.

Amazing, isn't it? We work so hard to perfect skills no one else will ever see.

Webb's new SOHO trilogy on Lybrary.com is a nice tour of his approach to magic. Check it out.

Joe, there are plenty of magicians who can do perfect Faro shuffles under all conditions with no problem.