Magic Tricks

I was just thinking to myself recently that no one has done an authoritative guide to an essential mentalism tool, the crib. And then my wish was granted, and I saw that Richard Osterlind's newest book was devoted to cribs. He's my idol, and more than anything, his DVDs and downloads converted me from magician to mentalist, and now there's no turning back. The gentleman is a legend personified.

So it pains me to say that this is a beautifully laid out and written book with a split personality: the part on Osterlind's Magic Square is great, while the stuff on cribs disappointed because it didn't fulfill my desire for a comprehensive treatise. And it is somewhat on the pricey side--$40 for 50 pages. Sure, Osterlind gives some classic cribs, but those of us who have done this for a while will learn only small subtleties. By his own admission, he steers clear of electronic cribs because he doesn't like using electronics. This is sad because I use an electronic method that he doesn't mention and reject that is amazingly useful and perfectly deceptive, more deceptive than a phone, tablet, or paper crib. He also briefly mentions the use of the Himber wallet, but there are other wallets, for example the Stealth Assassin, which are equally, if not more, useful. And finally, he doesn't mention folks like master-of-the-crib Jasper Blakeley a/k/a Kochov and even Dan Harlan, who in Tarball 76 tells you how to generate a thoroughly modern crib.

The Magic Square discussion--a prime routine for the use of a crib--is vintage Osterlind and excellent. He makes the math child's play. But I pondered whether that routine was included because the main material was so light.

Overall, a 3/5 for the cribs, a 5/5 for the Magic Square, for a four-star rating and worth your money if you are a neophyte to cribs or want that killer Magic Square routine.