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Hi there guys,
I need your help. Can anyone here recommend any books/resources that deal with the history of the ambitious card routine? I ask this as I am in the process of constructing a patter to go with my ACR so I can include it as a closer to one of my card routines. What i know so far is very very basic.....
Credited to French Magician Gustav Alberti in the mid 1800s. Of course Vernon's famous version when he fooled Houdini. I'm afraid though that's about all I know. Obviously, I know of magicians who have performed ACR, such as Daryl's famous one, Michael Ammar etc.
My info, as you can see, is very very limited, and this is why I need your help.
Thanks again guys

(Incidentally, I got the idea of this type of patter from Ricky Jay's cups and balls routine that he entitled "The history lesson)

A look at google brought up this information (but you've probably already got this, but I thought I'd tell you just in case)

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=69254&forum=2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambitious_card

This is about the Houdini story
http://www.intercom.net/~terkat/static/den/news/houdini/6.htm

There are a few paragraphs in Expert Card Technique, (chapter 6 page 283) but nothing much about the actual history.

Well, there's food for thought here at least. I hope some of it is useful.