Steve Says: Mr. Hollingworth, though young in years, makes a striking debut with this well illustrated, well versed and well built hardbound text. The quality of this tome compared to his chronology makes me feel very old indeed.
Drawing Room Deceptions did not become one of the fastest selling books ever just by chance. It was the direct result of a series of specific events. The first ingredient was a young English school boy willing to invest a full decade of his young life in the study and practice of close-up card magic. He was not satisfied to mimic the tricks of others so he created a repertoire that was totally original. Along the way, he developed a distinct performing style that was gentlemanly yet steeped in sophisticated humor.
Following graduation from university, Guy spent a couple of years traveling around the world performing and lecturing for club meetings and convention audiences. Add to this, television appearances around the world such as The World's Greatest Magic in America. This exposure to thousands of magicians established Guy's reputation for possessing impeccable skill along with an arsenal of original material. And one miracle that stood out among all others was his not-to-be-believed, piece-by-piece card restoration, now known to the magic world at large as The Reformation.. The final piece of the puzzle was putting all of this knowledge into a single book, Drawing Room Deceptions. The added fact that this entire book was written, illustrated and designed by young Mr. Hollingworth simply makes this story that much more amazing.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the magic world was desperate for the release of this book and when it finally did appear, the response was overwhelming. The presses had barely stopped spinning when we ordered a second printing.
Customers knew they would be thrilled with the sleights, theories and routines that fill the 320 pages of Drawing Room Deceptions but they were surprised and delighted with the book's physical appearance. The two-color stamping on the cover, a vellum sheet hand-tipped over the author's formal portrait, marbled endsheets and distinctive typography and artwork give this book the appearance of a classic, nineteenth century magic textbook.
RATED: advanced-magic
