Harry Lorayne's Personal Collection has Arrived

[walkinoats]

Thanks Richard for posting Paul Cummins' review of "Personal Collection" I can't wait for the December Genii to arrive. It's not fair that Manhattan gets their mail before us people in Brooklyn.

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: walkinoats ]

[Guest]

Hi all:

I am sorry if I offended everyone in my previous post, that was deleted. :( I didn't realize that this thread existed.

Please keep in mind that I am still reading Personal Collection. Also keep in mind that I am at work right now, and don't have acess to the book for specifics, but I will do my best.

I don't know if my copy came UPS or through the regular mail. It came in a brown delivery bag with the book inside of the slip case wrapped in newspaper. Whoever delivered it, stuffed it inside my mail box, bending the corners of the slip case.

The book is written, with the font and size style, like his Best of Friends books. His signature written largely on the front cover page in blue ball point ink. I read above that Richard's book fits "perfectly" into the slip case, but mine misses the mark a little. My slipcase is a perfect fit width wise and about a third inch too tall. Unfortunately, I dont have any other slip case books to compare by, so my opinion is totally biased on this point.

Material wise, I just finished the section on the Unique Peek. I think that is in the third or fourth section. In my opinion, Paul Cummins' review was a fair example of what I am seeing in the book as well. The material, so far is pretty good. As in all of the books I own, I rate each trick in the contents section with a four star system. I do this so that I can go back to the book if something joggs my memory and I want to look somthing up, and I also do it for prosperity sake so that if someone is interested in what I liked about the book they can tell. Most of the tricks that I have read, I have given either 3 or 4 stars. I would have to estimate that I like approximately 70-80% of the material I have read. I didn't like the second section at all. I gave most of those tricks 1 or 2 stars.

I like Harry's writting style, its as if you got together with him on a Saturday afternoon at a Denny's and sessioned. The writing style is very conversational. The converse of this writting style would be like Paul Harris' AoA books where an effect is listed followed by numbered "instructions."
Some things I don't like about the writing style is that he hypes his old books and he makes it seem like you have to have the older book in order to understand what is going on (Or he makes you feel really bad for not haveing the book he is referring to). Don't get me wrong, he explains how to do everything, but it is hard to make out if he is explaining the technique or if he is just continuing with the trick. A gross expample of this is in the false cutting section, which is excellent, he says, "Look at figure 47 in my book Decksterity" (I don't know if this is the book that he referrs to, I'm at work-so just guessing). That kinda irked me becasue I didn't have the book he was referring to. Its not that I had to stop becasue I didn't have the figure in front of me, I could follow the written directions. Another thing that kinda irks me is that he seems to be rehasing old material from his previous books and improving on other people's material from the Best of Friends books. This is fine, it just dosent fit (IMO) into the subtitle of the book "All Cards, All New, All Mine."


I totally agree with Paul Cummins in the review about crediting. I don't like how Harry renamed several basic moves. The Slip Shuffle became "The 3 Card Control." He also renames a KM move. I was totally shocked, as was Paul Cummins about the Unique Peek miss credit. Like Paul, I knew I had read it before.

Thats pretty much it for now. I am still enjoying Personal Collection except for the frustrating mis crediting and renaming of moves.

Most Sincerely,
Todd Ziegler

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: Todd Ziegler ]

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: Todd Ziegler ]

[ November 15, 2001: Message edited by: Todd Ziegler ]

[Richard Kaufman]

Thanks, Todd, I think you've got the idea. :)

[Guest]

Hi, just thought I'd pass on another piece of information that beggs your immediate attention about a crediting issue with Personal Collection.

On page 399 of Harry Lorayne's Personal Collection there is a very cool trick called "Double Whammy." What Harry Lorayne didn't credit was Marlo's "999 Miracle" (pg. 278 of the newly bound The Legendary Hierophant) which is half of the effect in HaLo's "Double Wammy."

Just thought you would like to know.

Sincerely,
Todd Ziegler

[Geno Munari]

I just finished Harry Lorayne's Personal Collection and thoroughly enjoyed the book. Everyone may have different opinions, but here are mine.

First of all I am a fan of Harry's. If you ever watched this man work a crowd with the boards in his hand you want to be as good as him. There is no question Harry is a dazzle. If I can put just a few items from this tome in my working repertoire: :mission accomplished. In my mind maybe I will be another Harry Lorayne? He is and always will be a class act.

The material in the book has great variety appeal and he goes over it very thoroughly.

I am not the world's leading expert on credits however I do respect the origin of all magic and credit should be given where possible. When we session we should also always credit. If Harry missed a few credits so what. It is not going to ruin my day. I would have liked to see a detailed index however. Then I could have followed the reviewer's comments a little more carefully.

I really feel like Harry is right in front of me, coaching me as I stumble through the moves. His writing is easy to follow and points out your mistakes just before you make them.


One good thing. I will be forced to learn a perfecto faro! By the way, a real faro shuffle is done with the deck face down on the table with none of the cards exposed. The halves are separated and kind of butted into each other. Anyway that is the way I saw a real faro dealer execute the move. Just threw that in to confuse you pasteboard tweekers!

One question I have, the Hummer move that Paul Cummings referred to, which effect in the book is it?

I thought Paul's review was a good review and I thought Mike Close's review was a little shallow. But yet then who watches the cops?

Buy the book you will enjoy it and if you are not totally satisfied I will refund 50% of your money. (You must send me the book though)

I remain……..


Seriously yours,
Geno Munari

P.S. I really liked the Epitome Location Jr.
:)

[ December 01, 2001: Message edited by: Geno Munari ]

[ December 01, 2001: Message edited by: Geno Munari ]

[Steve Hook]

Geno:

Thanks for bringing up a specific trick to try. Will check it tonight.

Also, didn't I not see you doing a second deal on a Vegas gambling show on TV recently?

Todd:

Greetings! Long time see.

Steve H

[Geno Munari]

You are a real fan....I have been told that I have been on the Travel Channel for the last three months, yet as Red Butons said, "I never got a dinner".....Really nobody has seen it I guess?

Thanks so much
Geno

[CHRIS]

Geno Munari writes:

...if you are not totally satisfied I will refund 50% of your money. (You must send me the book though)

Does that mean the book is only worth $75 to you?

Chris.... Lybrary.com preserving magic one book at a time.

[Geno Munari]

No. That means that I would be able to sell the book in my stores, since they are not available wholesale.

Didn't you have quite a discussion about the book on Magic Talk. Did you read it yet?

I learned a trick from the book last night that to me "is worth the price of the book."


:)

[CHRIS]

Last weekend I worked through about 30% of the book over at a friends house. I also read a few reviews about it.

Michael Close 'hit the nail on the head' when he states it would be a great $50 book. For me it is definitely not worth $150. For that kind of money one can buy a lot much better books on card magic.


Chris.... Lybrary.com preserving magic one book at a time.

[David Penn]

Geno:
Just wondering, what is the name of the trick that is "worth the price" of the book to you?

[Geno Munari]

The finishing touches on Epitome Location which is called Epitome Location Jr.

This is classic work to me because of my 10 years plus working in the Dunes Baccarat cash game.

Baccarat used the same method of eliminating tens, just as Harry explained. This came very easy for me. I really enjoyed his coaching, presentation and variations.

Epitome may have been old, but this new structure is great.

I am not trying to drop names here but when I first met Dai Vernon, I was working at the Dunes in Las Vegas and showed him some cash (money moves). I know he liked them because he said show that to my friend here!

Sincerely,
Geno Munari