Thomas Baxter
THE NAIL WRITER ANTHOLOGY
$45
Suggested Retail Price $50
THE BLURB:
The Nail Writer is, ounce-for-ounce, the most powerful tool
in the mentalist's arsenal. The Nail Writer Anthology,
compiled and edited by Thomas Baxter, is packed with
routines, ideas and uses for this secret device. Many of
these come from top name contributors such as Marc Salem,
Barrie Richardson, James Randi, Hector Chadwick, Patrick
Redford, Jim Magus, Raymond Carlyle, David Alexander, Andrew
Gerard, Eric Mason, Patrick Kuffs and others. Detailed
instructions for making different nail writers (boons,
swami, etc.) are also provided. And the book contains the
first truly comprehensive history of the nail writer. The
Nail Writer Anthology is the definitive work on the nail
writer, destined to become a classic in mentalism
literature!
Pages: 194 - Hardbound w/ Dust Jacket
MY COMMENTS:
This is a very impressive collection and a much-needed work
that, among other things, finally puts into print a fairly
thorough examination of the history of this essential
mentalist's gimmick. Previously, this was available as an
e-book, but I'm glad this is available now as a hardcopy
that I can put on my shelf along with other notable
mentalism works.
As discussed on the Internet forums, I certainly agree that
the highlights of this work include the interview and
routines by Marc Salem, who, to me, is the undisputed master
of the use of this gimmick, and the letter by a young
Amazing Randi. But there are also three dozen routines
included, as well as other articles about crafting and
handling the gimmick. As is the nature of good anthologies,
some of these routines are quite inventive, while others
range in quality. Which ones are which will definitely
depend on your style and tastes, of course.
If I were to make a criticism about this, it would only be
that there are many classic routines from notable folk like
Chapman and Annemann, as well as other modern masters such
as Cassidy, that could have been included. On the other
hand, I admit that I'm being somewhat petty with that
comment as this book is called the Nail Writer Anthology,
not the Nail Writer Encyclopedia, although this book
definitely is more than just an anthology. Still, if more
material was here, it would have been even more
impressive than it is already. The book does seem quite
slim for a subject that so much has been written about
but never collected into one volume.
Even if you did purchase the e-book edition, which is now
unavailable, you may want to invest in this handsome 194
page, 6"x9" (approx.), hardcover edition. And, for those
who don't have the e-book or have never used this gimmick,
this is a wonderful book to read, add to your shelf, and
refer back to, unless you have a serious aversion to using
one of mentalism's most essential gimmicks.
The Nail Writer is, ounce-for-ounce, the most powerful tool
in the mentalist's arsenal. The Nail Writer Anthology,
compiled and edited by Thomas Baxter, is packed with
routines, ideas and uses for this secret device. Many of
these come from top name contributors such as Marc Salem,
Barrie Richardson, James Randi, Hector Chadwick, Patrick
Redford, Jim Magus, Raymond Carlyle, David Alexander, Andrew
Gerard, Eric Mason, Patrick Kuffs and others. Detailed
instructions for making different nail writers (boons,
swami, etc.) are also provided. And the book contains the
first truly comprehensive history of the nail writer. The
Nail Writer Anthology is the definitive work on the nail
writer, destined to become a classic in mentalism
literature!
Pages: 194 - Hardbound w/ Dust Jacket
MY COMMENTS:
This is a very impressive collection and a much-needed work
that, among other things, finally puts into print a fairly
thorough examination of the history of this essential
mentalist's gimmick. Previously, this was available as an
e-book, but I'm glad this is available now as a hardcopy
that I can put on my shelf along with other notable
mentalism works.
As discussed on the Internet forums, I certainly agree that
the highlights of this work include the interview and
routines by Marc Salem, who, to me, is the undisputed master
of the use of this gimmick, and the letter by a young
Amazing Randi. But there are also three dozen routines
included, as well as other articles about crafting and
handling the gimmick. As is the nature of good anthologies,
some of these routines are quite inventive, while others
range in quality. Which ones are which will definitely
depend on your style and tastes, of course.
If I were to make a criticism about this, it would only be
that there are many classic routines from notable folk like
Chapman and Annemann, as well as other modern masters such
as Cassidy, that could have been included. On the other
hand, I admit that I'm being somewhat petty with that
comment as this book is called the Nail Writer Anthology,
not the Nail Writer Encyclopedia, although this book
definitely is more than just an anthology. Still, if more
material was here, it would have been even more
impressive than it is already. The book does seem quite
slim for a subject that so much has been written about
but never collected into one volume.
Even if you did purchase the e-book edition, which is now
unavailable, you may want to invest in this handsome 194
page, 6"x9" (approx.), hardcover edition. And, for those
who don't have the e-book or have never used this gimmick,
this is a wonderful book to read, add to your shelf, and
refer back to, unless you have a serious aversion to using
one of mentalism's most essential gimmicks.
