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Mathematical Card Magic: Fifty-Two New Effects
Mathematical card effects offer both beginning and experienced magicians an opportunity to entertain with a minimum of props. Featuring mostly original creations, Mathematical Card Fifty-Two New Effects presents an entertaining look at new mathematically based card tricks. Each chapter contains four card effects, generally starting with simple applications of a particular mathematical principle and ending with more complex ones. Practice a handful of the introductory effects and, in no time, you’ll establish your reputation as a "mathemagician." Delve a little deeper into each chapter and the mathematics gets more interesting. The author explains the mathematics as needed in an easy-to-follow way. He also provides additional details, background, and suggestions for further explorations. Suitable for recreational math buffs and amateur card lovers or as a text in a first-year seminar, this color book offers a diverse collection of new mathemagic principles and effects.
- GenresMathematics
380 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2013
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December 31, 2020
There's a rich world of mathematical magic tricks. Though this world is not limited to tricks with playing cards, they are perhaps the dominant form, as they are at least one of the dominant forms of magic in general. They are also the exclusive focus of this book. The tradition of exploiting mathematical principles to perform magic tricks attracts two distinct but significantly overlapping demographics: magicians and mathematicians. In many ways, their desires are aligned, but there are some key differences between their requirement for a "good" mathematical magic trick, and those differences will become relevant as we discuss this book in particular.
Before we get to that, though, let's speak a little more generally about the audience for this book. In addition to the professional magicians and mathematicians whose interest in such a tome could be considered something of a foregone conclusion, there's also a wide world of the merely curious who might take an interest. These might include teachers or students of mathematics, amateur magicians, or, indeed, people who have no particular connection to either mathematics or magic but who find the idea of mathematical magic tricks intriguing. Those people should proceed with a certain degree of caution. While this book is certainly within the grasp of any reasonably-educated person who wants to invest some time in its study, the mathematics involved are not always simple matters to grasp. The book is not what one would call a highly technical work of mathematics, but neither does it shy away from going into some depth regarding the mathematical principles presented. As such, readers without a moderately sophisticated background in mathematics might struggle with some of the content (though they'll still be able to perform at least most of the tricks, even if they don't always understand why they work). It would be easy to consider this book, based on its title alone, a good way to get children interested in mathematics. While I maintain that mathematical magic tricks are indeed an excellent way to do just that, the level of mathematics in this book might be intimidating in particularly to younger children. Though it contains no "adult" material in the sense of anything a reasonable person could find offensive or objectionable, it's undoubtedly geared toward an intelligent adult audience.
Let's turn our attention to the tricks themselves. I should point out a bit of my own background so you can understand my perspective. I have been performing as a magician for many years and consider myself something of a scholar of the art. In addition, though I am not a professional mathematician, I do have a college degree in mathematics and have won awards in mathematical competitions. I say these things not to boast of my own background but to clarify that I approach this book with a certain degree of knowledge and sophistication in both of its subjects, as well as certain expectations of quality for the kinds of magic tricks I consider worthy.
Given that background, it's actually quite difficult for me to assess the quality of the tricks in this book. To begin with, its subtitle promises "fifty-two new effects." Technically speaking, this is true. However, many of those effects ("effect" is "magician-speak" for "trick") consist of variations on common themes, or refinements of principles from easier and less impressive toward harder and more impressive. To be certain, there's almost no reader in the world who will be interested in performing all 52 tricks, whether they may be an amateur or a professional. Further, most professional magicians will find most (not all) of the tricks unsuitable for professional use. As written, many of them involve more complicated or lengthy counting and dealing procedures than most professional magicians are comfortable with. That said, there are a few gems hidden within its pages that, even as written, seem like contenders for professional use. Amateur magicians will find a wider range of possibilities because they can more easily get away with "procedure-heavy" tricks in their performances (and, given that they perform regularly for the same friends and family, find themselves often in need of new material).
Despite the lack of material I consider ready to move directly into my professional repertoire, the book is nevertheless quite valuable for professionals. Perhaps even more valuable than it is to amateurs. That is because, though many of the 52 tricks themselves might require substantial revision or re-scripting prior to use, the book doesn't just present trick after trick after trick. Rather, it uses the tricks as illustrations of principles, some well established, but many original to the author. These mathematical principles and the basic ideas of their application to magic tricks are all but guaranteed to get the professional's creative juices flowing. Both magicians and mathematicians will love spending hours (days, weeks, years) tinkering with these ideas to develop new routines, including some that may be more suited to their own performing styles.
The mathematicians in the audience in particular will take great joy reading through the "Parting Thoughts" sections at the conclusion of each chapter wherein the author provides some sparks for future thinking, questions for future analysis, or half-formed ideas awaiting refinement. Taking the knowledge gained from the preceding chapters as given, those jumping off points for future work might turn out to be among the most valuable contents in the entire book for many people (particularly those who take great joy, as I do, in recreational mathematics).
It's true that much of the book's length is devoted to presenting and then progressively refining a relative few new principles of mathematical card magic. However, those principles will keep a lot of us productively thinking for a long time to come, and that's the real value of the book.
Admittedly, my mathematical side wished for a few more formal statements and proofs of theorems (though the informal presentations are good enough to at least explain the principles and put the reader on a path to providing his or her own formal proof), though the more conversational presentation assuredly makes the book more accessible to a wider readership.
It's probably inevitable that this book will be compared to Magical Mathematics by Diaconis and Graham, the other recent release in the world of mathematical magic. Trying to decide which is the superior work is likely a fool's errand, as each book will undoubtedly appeal to the other's readers. To offer a simple word of guidance, though, I'd say that if you read Magical Mathematics and wanted more magic tricks, then Mathematical Card Magic is definitely for you. On the other hand, if you read Mathematical Card Magic and wished it contained more formal proofs, you'd certainly enjoy Magical Mathematics. In either case, both books, though not without their minor flaws, earn my recommendation. In the case of this book in particular, I'm looking forward to returning to it regularly over the coming years as I tinker on my own mathematical magic.
Before we get to that, though, let's speak a little more generally about the audience for this book. In addition to the professional magicians and mathematicians whose interest in such a tome could be considered something of a foregone conclusion, there's also a wide world of the merely curious who might take an interest. These might include teachers or students of mathematics, amateur magicians, or, indeed, people who have no particular connection to either mathematics or magic but who find the idea of mathematical magic tricks intriguing. Those people should proceed with a certain degree of caution. While this book is certainly within the grasp of any reasonably-educated person who wants to invest some time in its study, the mathematics involved are not always simple matters to grasp. The book is not what one would call a highly technical work of mathematics, but neither does it shy away from going into some depth regarding the mathematical principles presented. As such, readers without a moderately sophisticated background in mathematics might struggle with some of the content (though they'll still be able to perform at least most of the tricks, even if they don't always understand why they work). It would be easy to consider this book, based on its title alone, a good way to get children interested in mathematics. While I maintain that mathematical magic tricks are indeed an excellent way to do just that, the level of mathematics in this book might be intimidating in particularly to younger children. Though it contains no "adult" material in the sense of anything a reasonable person could find offensive or objectionable, it's undoubtedly geared toward an intelligent adult audience.
Let's turn our attention to the tricks themselves. I should point out a bit of my own background so you can understand my perspective. I have been performing as a magician for many years and consider myself something of a scholar of the art. In addition, though I am not a professional mathematician, I do have a college degree in mathematics and have won awards in mathematical competitions. I say these things not to boast of my own background but to clarify that I approach this book with a certain degree of knowledge and sophistication in both of its subjects, as well as certain expectations of quality for the kinds of magic tricks I consider worthy.
Given that background, it's actually quite difficult for me to assess the quality of the tricks in this book. To begin with, its subtitle promises "fifty-two new effects." Technically speaking, this is true. However, many of those effects ("effect" is "magician-speak" for "trick") consist of variations on common themes, or refinements of principles from easier and less impressive toward harder and more impressive. To be certain, there's almost no reader in the world who will be interested in performing all 52 tricks, whether they may be an amateur or a professional. Further, most professional magicians will find most (not all) of the tricks unsuitable for professional use. As written, many of them involve more complicated or lengthy counting and dealing procedures than most professional magicians are comfortable with. That said, there are a few gems hidden within its pages that, even as written, seem like contenders for professional use. Amateur magicians will find a wider range of possibilities because they can more easily get away with "procedure-heavy" tricks in their performances (and, given that they perform regularly for the same friends and family, find themselves often in need of new material).
Despite the lack of material I consider ready to move directly into my professional repertoire, the book is nevertheless quite valuable for professionals. Perhaps even more valuable than it is to amateurs. That is because, though many of the 52 tricks themselves might require substantial revision or re-scripting prior to use, the book doesn't just present trick after trick after trick. Rather, it uses the tricks as illustrations of principles, some well established, but many original to the author. These mathematical principles and the basic ideas of their application to magic tricks are all but guaranteed to get the professional's creative juices flowing. Both magicians and mathematicians will love spending hours (days, weeks, years) tinkering with these ideas to develop new routines, including some that may be more suited to their own performing styles.
The mathematicians in the audience in particular will take great joy reading through the "Parting Thoughts" sections at the conclusion of each chapter wherein the author provides some sparks for future thinking, questions for future analysis, or half-formed ideas awaiting refinement. Taking the knowledge gained from the preceding chapters as given, those jumping off points for future work might turn out to be among the most valuable contents in the entire book for many people (particularly those who take great joy, as I do, in recreational mathematics).
It's true that much of the book's length is devoted to presenting and then progressively refining a relative few new principles of mathematical card magic. However, those principles will keep a lot of us productively thinking for a long time to come, and that's the real value of the book.
Admittedly, my mathematical side wished for a few more formal statements and proofs of theorems (though the informal presentations are good enough to at least explain the principles and put the reader on a path to providing his or her own formal proof), though the more conversational presentation assuredly makes the book more accessible to a wider readership.
It's probably inevitable that this book will be compared to Magical Mathematics by Diaconis and Graham, the other recent release in the world of mathematical magic. Trying to decide which is the superior work is likely a fool's errand, as each book will undoubtedly appeal to the other's readers. To offer a simple word of guidance, though, I'd say that if you read Magical Mathematics and wanted more magic tricks, then Mathematical Card Magic is definitely for you. On the other hand, if you read Mathematical Card Magic and wished it contained more formal proofs, you'd certainly enjoy Magical Mathematics. In either case, both books, though not without their minor flaws, earn my recommendation. In the case of this book in particular, I'm looking forward to returning to it regularly over the coming years as I tinker on my own mathematical magic.
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