Richards Almanac was a magic newsletter produced by Richard Kaufman spanning from 1982-87. Each issue was released quarterly and contained tricks from SO SO many well known magicians of the time and still today including in alphabetical order:
Michael Ammar, Eugene Burger, John Carney, Derek Dingle, Lou and Michael Gallo, Phil Goldstein, Bro John Hamman, Paul Harris, Larry Jennings, Richard Kaufman, Ken Krenzel, Geoffrey Latta, Darryl Martinez, Jon Racherbaumer, David Roth, Jay Sankey, Michael Skinner, Slydini, Dai Vernon, Roy Walton, Herb Zarrow and many many more!
This book is a complete collection of all 40 issues split into 3 volumes and is absolutely filled with magical gold. It is predominately a close up text with a heavy emphasis on cards and coins however there is a smattering of parlour/stage, mentalism and general closeup throughout the pages.
Specs:
398 pages, Hardcover
Written and Illustrated by: Richard Kaufman
Published by: Richard Kaufman and Alan Greenburg (1992)
Some memorable effects from the text.
Forgery - Jay Sankey: a large cross drawn onto a playing card is transferred between cards and then multiplied between halves of a ripped card in a very visual fashion.
Isolated Visitor - Derek Dingle: An incredibly clean version of the Jennings classic.
Convincing Technicolour Oil and Water - John Racherbaumer: Still my favorite oil and water routine
ie, Ball and Vase - Mike Gallo - A very clever routine using a magic prop that is well known by the laity and this only makes the effect stronger.
In conclusion this is one of those books that every self respecting close up worker should have. Unlike other collected magic magazines of this vein I am yet to find a trick within the pages of the Almanace the doesn't have above average merit and in general the effects are of an incredibly high quality. Kaufman's writing is good and easy to follow in the main, unlike the collected works of Derek Dingle
.
10/10 TT's
