Harris, Paul: Close-up Fantasies Finale
©1981, published by Chuck Martinez Productions
Illustrations by Dwight Dunaway
176pp, Hardcover

Comments (Stewart Tame): Some of the sleights are beyond my meager abilities, but Harris has an entertaining enough writing style that I buy his books for the sheer pleasure of reading them.

Contents:

[no pp#] Introductions by Daniel Cros and Paul Harris
1 Escape From the Inner Circle by Looy--An essay of appreciation by Looy Simonoff.
5 The Vacuum Cleaner Card Case--Card selected, "vacuum cleaner" (card case) used to reveal it, card case sticks to top of deck, when pried off found to be holding selection.
15 Electric Aces--Paul says, "...the best in four aces effects that combines the invisible palm, cards across, and elevator aces into a stunningly direct close-up extravaganza. The no-moves penetration of the final ace through the spectator's hand will make your close-up mat proud to be associated with you."
29 Panic At the Poker Table by Allan Ackerman--Two Sevens and two Eights shown, change to three Sevens and two Eights, then to four Eights, finally change to four Aces.
43 Shuffle Time--Three cards removed from the pack, used to give time of day (6:58, for example), time of day turns out to be wrong, magician changes to three cards that show correct time.
49 Tayari's Camouflage--developed with Tayari Casel, card shown with metallic gold coating on one side, metallic silver on other, coin covered with matching material produced from gold side, vanishes back into it, coin covered with silver material produced from other side, covered with card, held with spectator's finger, coin changes to silver dollar.
61 The Incredible Shrinking Hand--Magician's hand (not hand of cards, but real hand) seems to visibly shrink when an attempt to palm a card is made.
69 Thumb-Break--Spectator selects card, magician sticks thumb into deck to explain "thumb-break", thumb visibly flattened across face of selection, magician re-inflates thumb, spectator places hand over card and cards below it, magcian makes card disappear and reappear in pocket.
81 The Bizarre Vanish--Playing card sandwiched between two others grasped spectator, visibly vanishes.
89 A Very Strange Exchange--Paul says, "A card and a coin change places in a most startling fashion."
99 Heart Burn--Magician rubs index corner of card to warm it, then strikes it on a matchbook causing it to ignite.
105 Mickey Mouse Math--Magician locates chosen card in following manner: starting with a Nine, the magician splits it into a Two and a Seven, the Two is subtracted from the Seven leaving a Five, the Five is split into an Ace and a Four, the Ace is subtracted leaving a Three, which is the selected card.
113 The Beast With Two Backs by Paul & Looy--Prediction card matches spectator's, two cards then placed face to face, melt together forming double-backed card.
119 Close Quarters by Daryl--Two quarters held in the magician's hand transform into a single half dollar.
123 The Second Middle Bottom--Magician demonstrates a false deal that allows cheating from the second, middle, and bottom cards at same time, magician deals Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, another Ace of Spades, another Ace of Clubs, and a final Ace of Spades, hand picked up to show Royal Flush instead.
129 The Bill Collector--Selected card penetrates hundred dollar bill and rises out of deck at same time.
139 Just Call Me Mr. Wonderful--A flourish whch allows the magician to open card case, remove deck, fan it ... all with only one hand.
149 Hit Me Again--Performer deals two Jacks, then third Jack, third Jack changes to Ace.
157 Guts--Signed selected card visibly changes to another, wallet can be removed from magician's pocket by spectator, hands can be shown empty as magician opens wallet and removes signed card.
169 Torn and Restored Deck--The title says it all, really.