5 comments about Scarne on Card Tricks.

1. John Scarne is today perhaps best remembered as a leading authority on gambling scams and card cheats. However, in his prime, he was one of the best magicians in America. In the late 40s, as stated in the Introduction, Scarne decided to gather for magicians a set of card tricks involving no sleight-of-hand. The result is "Scarne on Card Tricks". The 155 effects in the book range from quick tricks and puzzlers to more elaborate card demonstrations. All of the effects are attributed to either the originator of the effect or to a magician who used the effect frequently. The book clearly bears Scarne's unique genius not only in the selection and variety of effects, but in Scarne's improvements of the original effects. There is no doubt that anyone can put together a most entertaining routine with the material in this book. Two words of caution. First, the copyright of the book is 1950 and so some of the patter is clearly dated and needs to be revised for contemporary audiences. (Patter is the words or story that accompany the effect.) Second, because the effects are easy to do when practiced, there is a tendency to perform the effects before fully thought out. For every hour learning the basic effect itself, two hours should be spent on how to present it in an entertaining and interesting manner. The book itself, however, remains one of the very best in card magic. Scarne's work clearly stands the test of time. Frankly, the book is a steal at the published price. I bought two copies because I knew I'd wear one book out. I did. The book is that useful.



2. This is the definitive collection of non sleight-of-hand (you don't have to be quick with your hands) card tricks. I bought my first paperback copy in 1974 when I was still a schoolboy. Some of the tricks are easy but astounding, such that I've memorised two of them and have amazed my friends over the years until now. Since then, there hasn't been any other card trick manual that can beat this one, to the best of my knowledge.



3. Many magicians own the Classic book "Scarne on Card Tricks." But it is said if you want to keep a trick a secret, put it in print! Most of what's in Scarne on Card Tricks is no doubt a complete mystery to most laymen--and many magicians! Its a great book for the card beginner.

   On the other hand, there's a lot of boring and tedious count-down stuff in there as well.

   The book is BIG--over 300 pages of carefully detailed effects. It can be a little overwhelming to someone the first time he picks it up. How do you separate the wheat from the chaff?

   Best, in my view, are the tricks that can be done TOTALLY impromptu, with very little or no stacking, when a deck is shoved into your hands and somebody says "Do a trick!".

   Here are some of the effects that I have judged to be best, based on the above criteria:

   The Upside down Deck by Francis Carlyle
   Hit the Deck
   Scarne's Follow the Leader
   Cardini's Color Discernment
   Card on the Ceiling
   Card through the Handkerchief

   Of course, You Do as I Do is also a classic, though it is fairly well known among magicians.

   In short, a little work digging out the best tricks will make you a true card magician in most people's eyes, with enough practice and performing experience.




4. The book arrived fast & in great shape. My nephew loves it! He loves it so much that he had to have the Scarne book on magic.



5. I can only rate the service of the delivery and the accuracy of the description of the book. I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

1 comments about The Virgin Book of Killer Sudoku.

1. If you enjoy solving logic puzzles and you'd like to sharpen your mental arithmetic skills, then these are the puzzles for you. These puzzles are similar to Classic Sudoku in that you have to place the numbers 1-9 uniquely in each row, column, and box. The difference is that a Killer Sudoku puzzle is also covered with dotted outline "cages", each of which has a number that indicates the sum of the numbers within the cage and the numbers within the cages must also be unique. There are many techniques that can be used to solve these puzzles, and discovering them is half the fun.
   
   This book contains a two-page Introduction, three pages on "How to Solve a Killer Sudoku", a one-page "List of Unique Number Combinations", 50 Easy puzzles, 35 Medium puzzles, 10 Difficult puzzles, 5 Deadly puzzles, and Solutions. The format is one puzzle per page and the puzzles are a good size (3.75" x 3.75").
   
   The "How to Solve a Killer Sudoku" section gives a fairly minimal explanation of some simple techniques. One of the most important techniques (The Rule of 45) is not even mentioned. If you don't figure this one out you'll have a hard time completing a lot of the harder puzzles. For an excellent explanation of Killer Sudoku solving techniques, see Djape's book "Sudoku K (Killer), Volume 1".
   
   In each section the puzzles tend to progress from easier to harder. There are a couple of hard puzzles in the medium section. A couple of the deadly puzzles are slightly harder than the hard puzzles; the others are about the same as the hard puzzles. I would have preferred fewer easy puzzles and more medium and hard puzzles. Overall, I think this is a good book for intermediate solvers and beginners who learn quickly. For advanced solvers who are looking for more of a challenge, check out Killer Sudoku Online. The Greater Than Killer Sudoku puzzles are especially fiendish.

5 comments about Deluxe Dungeon Master's Screen (Dungeon & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Accessory).

1. Generally my opinion is that a screen is a screen is a screen. However, this screen is actually better than most. I like the landscape, 4-panel format because it means I can see and be seen over the screen, while it still hides my map, my notepad and my dice rolls. It also has a better center of gravity since it is lower and wider, which means it almost never falls over, even when struck by a handful of dice or my marauding 18-month old. That is not a claim that most portrait-oriented screens can make.
   
   Is the screen a black-out room and cone of silence rolled into one? Of course not. If you need the full height of the older-styled 11" screens, this one won't work for you. But really, if you are playing with people who can't keep their eyes off the occasional flash of paper behind the DM's screen, don't blame the screen; get new friends.
   
   For my part, the most important part is that WoTC (a company I don't think much of normally) actually gave some thought to what was on the screen. The inside is well thought out, with useful charts and tables easy to hand. Easily the best part is the full listing of all actions, and whether they are free, standard, or movement equivalent, and whether they provoke an Attack of Opportunity or not. The table with hardness ratings for standard items is also useful for those spur-of-the-moment actions when the PCs want to break down a random door, chop that chest open, or split a table in two.
   
   Normally I wouldn't bother to review a screen, but this one has such an unfairly low rating that I almost feel sorry for it. It's a good product; I use it in every session, it keeps the players' eyes off the important stuff, and it's durable enough that even after 2 years of use it's in quite good shape. If for some reason you don't have a screen already, you could do a lot worse than this one.



2. The charts selected for the inside of the screen are surprisingly useful; basically, they selected a lot of the things that most frequently come into play during a dungeon crawl, but that most people wouldn't bother to learn or remember. Things like various item and material hardnesses, common modifiers to AC, various types of actions and whether they provoke Attacks of Opportunity, skills, movement penaltes, light, and auras for both magic and evil/good. The creators were thoughtful enough to include the book and page number for various charts in case you need to get more info. On the downside, as other reviews mentioned it is surprisingly short for a screen, and pretty high-priced considering what you get. Yeah, yeah; you get a bonus D20 modern screen. Wow. I'd say that seven bucks would be a more reasonable price; five if it didn't come with a D20 modern screen.



3. We ordered this a month ago. We kept waiting and checking.. not shipped yet. Wait some more, not shipped yet. The item said "usually ships in 1 to 2 weeks" however, in 4 weeks, still "not shipped yet". Recomend if you want this, to buy it somewhere else. We ended up canceling this order and getting it somewhere else. Amazon doesn't know how to ship this particualr item.



4. Cool looking, but you could do without them. Nice quick info on inside, but again could do without.



5. The tables include:
   
   -Equipment hardness/hitpoints
   -Substance hardness/hitpoints
   -Break/Burst DCs
   -Items affected by magical attacks
   -Size and AC of objects
   -Object hardness/hitpoints
   -Wall stats
   -Door stats
   -Turning undead
   -Increase/Decrease weapon damage by size
   -Attack roll modifiers
   -AC modifiers
   -Influencing NPC attitudes
   -Missing w/ a thrown weapon figure
   -Climb check DCs
   -Listen check DCs
   -Combat Actions (AoO)
   -Concentration Check DCs
   -Skills list (Armor check, AoO)
   -Ability modifiers
   -Movement and Distance
   -Hampered movement
   -Armored/Encumbered speeds
   -Max distance for spot checks
   -Detect Magic stats
   -Detect Evil stats
   -Light sources and illumination
   
   While the list is comprehensive, I was looking for some random encounter tables, oh well. The screen is short and while I didn't think that would be an issue, it is. I'm now paperclipping the D20 Modern screen (which has a few D&D relevant things on it, but not many) on top of the D&D one (they're the same size exactly).

5 comments about Homebuilding Basics Carpentry (Homebuilding Basics).

1. I would recommend this book to beginning framers, apprentices, and homeowners who want to learn to do there own work. Professional carpenters and journeyman should pass it by. The book itself is very well layed out and complete. It is rather low tech and somewhat dated in the new world of 'hurricane and earthquake' code requirements. But, I like it. it does not promise more than it delivers and what it delivers in content is well presented.



2. This book is the best I've ever seen as a teaching tool on this subject. It assumes no prior knowledge, everything is very clearly written, and the illustrations make it simple to understand. (In fact, if you scanned through the book and only studied the pictures and read their captions, you would learn a great deal without reading the book's text.)

   If you choose to buy this book, it's money well spent.




3. "Homebuilding Basics: Carpentry" may just be one of the best
   carpentry tools you could buy. Larry Haun, a production framer
   and carpentry teacher for over 45 years, wanted to "share with
   others what I have learned from my teachers." He has certainly
   succeeded.

   He begins by covering both hand and power tools and explaining
   how to choose one version over another depending on the task.
   Safety tips and tricks for more effective use are presented in
   sidebars.

   The jobsite section explains the frame structure of a typical
   home in detail: nomenclature, whys and wherefors, and sequence
   of tasks.

   Next, Haun moves through the actual frame construction from the
   foundation sill through the completion of the structure and basic
   finishing in sections on framing floors, walls and ceilings, roofs,
   stairs and finish details.

   This large, well-organized handbook will prove invaluable to anyone
   planning to build a home, remodel one, or simply wanting to be able

   to recognize proper framing methods and high quality work. It
   provides an introduction, list of sources for tools, supplies and
   books and an index as well as a slew of excellent illustrations.

   Larry Haun currently teaches carpentry in Coos Bay, Oregon and is
   the author of "The Very Effectient Carpenter" and a long-time
   contributor to "Fine Homebuilding Magazine".




4. this is an excellent primer on stick framing, covering everything from tools to layouts of floors, walls, ceilings and roofs. nothing about shingling, drywalling, plastering, etc. - just framing. that's the strength of this book, in the depth of its treatment of the subject. nicely illustrated, there are at least two or three photos or useful diagrams per page. the book's a big step up from your usual how-to, as the author ties in his own personal building experiences, in ways that illustrate the logic of methods and practices.



5. "Carpentry" by Larry Haun, is the Number 1 book that I recommend owning first when beginning carpenters, homeowners, and do-it-yourselfers ask me about learning different aspects of this trade. I also tell these folks that this book, in particular, is well written, easy to understand, and filled with high-quality color photographs and drawings, that help make clear what this Master Carpenter is teaching on the subject of basic carpentry.
   In addition to the above, I'm asked this question many times as my crew and I frame or remodel homes in our state of Minnesota: "What other books do you recommend buying to help us learn more about homebuilding and fixing-up our home?" I tell these folks that they can be assured of finding additional high-quality, informative books from the publishers at Taunton Press, and Fine Homebuilding.
   I tell the carpenters that ask me the same question to check out Larry Haun's book titled, "The Very Efficient Carpenter," also published by Taunton Press, as their next step in becoming more efficient as working carpenters.

5 comments about Character Development and Storytelling for Games (Game Development Series).

1. I've known Lee Sheldon for several years. He is one of the most pleasant and knowledgeable people I've met in the game industry, so I was very much looking forward to this book. Suffice it to say that I wasn't disappointed.
   
   Writing for games has a lot in common with writing for other media (e.g., character and theme) and a lot that is unique to itself. Lee does an excellent job of covering both aspects - so much so that I would recommend this book to writers with absolutely no interest in interactive media. (I've read my share of writing books over the years, and this one stands at the top of the heap.)
   
   Of particular interest to me were chapters 3-6 on character and chapter 14 on modular storytelling, the most elegant way I've seen of organizing a linear experience into a non-linear structure. The book also does an excellent job of discussing storytelling in massively multiplayer games and provides extensive background material, much of which is intended to set up and justify Lee's modular storytelling model - rather more background than necessary, actually, since you should be sold on the need for something like modular storytelling long before he gets around to explaining it.
   
   The book's does have a few faults. For example, a couple of the later chapters feel out of place, and the text is dusted with a handful of puzzling and sometimes repeated typos (Eowen? Kalishnakov?) But these are of little consequence and should not detract from your enjoyment.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. I really enjoyed this book, and I think it's definitely worth considering if you're interested in how stories can be told in video games. I've bought plenty of books about video game design and storytelling. (I'm a programmer who's been making video games professionally for about 10 years -- I wish more people would include their personalbackground in their book reviews...) Some books on game design are written by people who obviously have more "static media" backgrounds like books or movies, and don't understand the fundamental problem of making a story in a situation where the audience has freedom to do what they want. Another problem that a lot of people don't understand is that people playing a video game don't necessarily WANT a story, in the sense that they are playing a video game because of the interactivity, and not to watch a 10 minute cutscene to learn some back story. If they wanted to watch a movie they'd pop in a DVD.
   
   I think the author really understands these difficulties. You want to make an emmersive worl, but you need to do it very quickly. So he talks about dialog, and how to convey as much information as possible in as few words as possible. He talks about how to get the player to sympathize with a chaacter, from the situation that characetr is in, to the design of the character art, to the words that the character says. All of the information is very practical, not like some books that leave you with a bunch of high-level nonsense that doesn't work in a real game. I really appreciated that he wasn't one of these "video games are mindless because they don't tell a story" type of guys. Or acting as if video games need to learn how to tell a story in order to "grow up" like movies or TV have. In a straight up action game or fighter, you don't need as much of a story as you do in a more adventure game. Playing a video game is a just a different experience, and the story has a different role, it's NOT the holy grail like some people think. Rather than trying to tell you how to convert video games into novels, he describe ways that you can inject story without taking away from the inetraction. I think he makes a good case that in almost any game, you can introduce just a bit of characetr depth and relationships, without stopping for a ten minute cutscene, and it adds value to the game.
   
   This author's background was originally in TV, but he also has considerable experience in video games. I felt like he has a good background to be writing the book, and was speaking from experience.
   
   The only negative comment about the book is that I found several of the chapters to be very similar. Like you'd be reading a chapter, and you'd think, "Hey, didn't I just read this exact same thing a few chapters ago?" Actually, you didn't, this chapter is covering a very slightly different topic. In other words, I think he could have consolidated a few chapters, which would have saved me some time. I suppose this makes it easier to jump around, since you don't rely on information from previous chapters. But I found it a little repetitive.
   
   All in all, a really good book for anybody interested in video game design or storytelling in general.



3. I am working on forming a game development studio, and our team is in the middle of producing our flagship title, an RPG entitled "Revolution's Dawn." I am the main writer of the script, and I just recently finished reading this book. Where I thought my duties as a writer were finished, I now see new openings to provide dialogue and sidequests to fill in the backstory, plot gaps, and other means of enrichment that I didn't see before. Because of having read this book, my team and I can now take this game and bring it into the realm of what we intended it to be-a vehicle for telling a story.
   
   While the title of the book is "Character Development and Storytelling for Games," the book really focuses more heavily on the latter. I was expecting the former, but by no means am I complaining! I have been able to break through blocks in my own role as a writer for this project.
   
   If you are looking for the "right" way to write your story, you won't find it here. What this book does instead is to open doors, and then let you decide whether to walk through them or not. And even then, you still have to choose for yourself what to do once you've walked through them. If you are looking for new openings in crafting your game _and_ writing your story(and synthesizing them both together), this is the book for you.



4. This book is excellent. Sheldon is witty and insightful and his book is a joy to read. I can't really think of anything negative to say, although I should perhaps mention that this book is pretty focused on RPGs and adventure games, since these are the genres which have traditionally relied most on story. Anyone interested in developing their understanding of storytelling in games should definitely pick this book up.



5. Cons: The book seemed slightly long for what it was, kept reusing the same semi-obscure examples from the writer's experience, and didn't always go in the directions I wanted it to go (for example more detail on world building, settings, or individual story scenes would have been appreciated).
   
   Pros: It didn't matter that it didn't go where I wanted it because it was still very entertaining and unexpectedly beneficial to follow the writer on his path. The book is solid from start to finish and doesn't have a false air of superiority about it; everything is very practical and friendly. Definitely a good read that rewards the effort.

5 comments about Pieced Curves So Simple: No Applique, Pinless Piecing.

1. Dale Fleming has come up with ingenious techniques for piecing shapes that I would otherwise have to hand applique (not my forte!) The book provides great inspiration to develop your own ideas and designs. HIghly recommended for the contemporary quilters library.



2. Okay circles and other shapes like this are always a pain. This book shows you how to sew circles and other curved shapes easily without messing it up. I loved the instructions, they were easy to follow and fully documented with pictures. If you quilt you definitely need this book, you will love it. The illustrations are crisp and precise and the ideas you will come away with will even surprise yourself. It is a can do book, you will be able to do curves, circles and more once you get this book.



3. This is a beautiful and useful book by Dale Flemming. After I bought the book, I got to take a class with her and she is amazing. Every student in the class was able to sew any size circle into the middle of a piece of fabric. The book shows you how. The chapter on color is worth the price of the book alone. The techniqes can be used for other work like landscapes. You really don't use pins! You use a simple gluestick instead.



4. Although I've been sewing for 30+ years, I am not a quilter. I thought quilts with curves would be more forgiving than matching up all those straight lines of traditional quilts. The instructions are well done and good use of pictures. I also enjoyed the explanation of color and use of different fabric patterns/solids to create interest. BUT, I had a hard time with the circle sewing and ended up using some of my own techniques that also look very good. I definetly got my money's worth from this book and would recommend it to others.



5. This is a good book not only for the beginners but also for advanced quilters. It will give you a few original quilting ideas with original designs. I found the chapter or color/light theory very informative and useful. On the negative site I found the book rather expensive which prvents me from giving it five stars. Amazon discount is certainly very helpful...
   
   If you liked this book, I suggest to also check out:
   Coloring With Thread: A No-Drawing Approach To Free-Motion Embroidery
   Thread Calligraphy By Nancy Kazlauckas

4 comments about Precision Pool, 2nd Edition.

1. As a chef and pool fanatic, I have, over the years, built an extensive pool and cookbook library. While the culinary arts have mastered the recipe for successful publishing, it's about time pool authors and publishers released a FULL COLOR edition of a pool instruction book. This book has awesome color diagrams, photos and brilliant content. If you are even remotely serious about playing pool, or know someone that is, for less than $20, Precision Pool is a must! Don't hesitate to order this book. If this can't help your game, give up - nothing can!



2. Just what I've been waiting for! I'm a total pool novice but have always wanted to cue up! You know how you watch ESPN and WISH it was you up there? Picked up PRECISION POOL, and now I feel like I'm ready, set for action. Love the color pictures and diagrams. It's all so easy to understand. Plus it's lots of fun to read. You can tell the authors love this game and want us to love it, too. Thanks!



3. A few years back, my husband introduced me to pub nights and the game of pool. Even though my play was sporadic at best, I immediately loved the game and took on the challenge of getting better. Now, I play whenever I can and am looking to join a league.
   
   Since I've learned to play pool mostly through trial and error and by watching other people, I always wondered what bad habits I had picked up while trying to improve my game. When I saw the book Precision Pool, I had to have it.
   
   I would highly recommend Precision Pool to anyone wanting to improve their game. This book starts with the basics: everything from the stance and creating a proper bridge (an area I needed some guidance in) to finding the right cue for the job at hand and understanding the construction of a pool table. The majority of the book, however, focuses on how to succeed at key shots and set up for the next shot.
   
   For best success, you can practice these shots by replicating the full color illustrations and instructions given for each set of angles, strategies, and trick shots. I read the book, went off to the pub to play a few games. I was surprised at how much I retained and was able to use during actual play. Even though I'm still getting used to the new bridge, I can already see a drastic improvement in my game. My husband even wants to borrow the book now.



4. At last, a book on pool that EXPLAINS what you are trying to do and doesn't assume you are related to Willie Mosconi. You gain a better understanding of the reactions of the cue ball and an accurate insight of where the target ball will go. Well written, beautifully illustrated, and logically laid out, this book has already shown improvement in my game and will do the same for yours.

No comments about 51 High-Tech Practical Jokes for the Evil Genius.

2 comments about The New York Times Sunday Crossword Omnibus Volume 8: 200 World-Famous Sunday Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (New York Times Sunday Crosswords Omnibus).

1. Puzzlers know that the Sunday Times crosswords are not necessarily the hardest ones--those are the puzzles that appear on Fridays and Saturdays in the Times--but they are much bigger, about half again as large as the daily puzzles. And they also have a title--which helps the solver to figure out what the puzzle's theme might be--and they supply name the constructor of the puzzles, something that doesn't occur with the daily puzzles.
   
   Doing the Sunday Times crossword puzzle is a habit with many of the Times's readers, but for those of us who don't live in New York or buy the Sunday Times, this is the next best thing. I know I wouldn't be able to feel like a Sunday was complete until I had done the Sunday puzzle.
   
   My method, in case anyone is interested, is to tear each puzzle page out and put it on a clipboard. That way one doesn't have to deal with any awkwardness from trying to do the puzzles while holding a largeish book, although I've done that, too. Also, this allows for your pencil marks to remain crisp whereas if you leave the puzzle in the book the softness of the underlying pages makes your pencil marks a little blurry.
   
   Make no mistake, these are wonderful puzzles and the price is very reasonable.
   
   Scott Morrison



2. Whilst the puzzles in this book are regular Sunday size, the grids are smaller than I like, which makes it kind of difficult to read the numbers in the boxes. Also, I would say 80% of these were printed in the Wall Street Journal Omnibus which I received for Christmas, and would recommend that one of 250 puzzles with larger grids.

4 comments about 101 Best Family Card Games.

1. "101 Best Family Card Games" is a clear, consise and informative book. It explains the rules and course of play for many card games. The best part of the book is the section on why families should play together. I also found the card games explained in the "For the Family with Young Children" to be a great guide and a wonderful source for my young children.



2. I love to play cards with my children but can never rememberthe rules to my favorite games. This book has solved that problem forme :) It's amazing how a deck of cards and a rule book can bring a family together...



3. I was expecting a variety of card games that I knew such as Euchre to be contained in such a book. None were.



4. Easy to read book of games. I liked how they divided it up into types and also suggested number of players and ages for each game.