Several of our friends visited the Magic Castle in Hollywood and came back raving about the fact that they met Howard Hamburg. Howard was close friends with Dai Vernon from 1970-1992 and also good friends with Charlie Miller, Larry Jennings, Bruce Cervon, Jerry Andrus, Mike Skinner, Tony Giorgio, Johnny Thompson, Max Maven, Martin Nash and many others too numerous to mention.
Jack Carpenter's review of this booklet:
If you were not one of the fortunate ones to attend Mr. Hamburg's Lecture at the Golden Gate Gathering during the summer of '09, all is not lost. Mr. Hamburg has graciously agreed to make the soon to be coveted "D" manuscript available. Although it would be far better if you could catch Howard's lecture in person, obtaining the beautiful manuscript he prepared for us will serve as a close second.
This booklet, beautifully written and illustrated, is divided into two sections. The first section delivers a wonderful personal and historical account of Howard's days as a friend and student of Dai Vernon, complete with stories and photographs not generally known or seen among the fraternity. Howard relates these stories in a fashion that will captivate you just as he mesmerized everyone in that lecture room- including the story behind the the very title of his booklet: "D". I don't want to ruin that for you, but let me say that it was one of the most touching, (and revealing) stories I've ever heard concerning Dai Vernon.
The second section is the Magic! You are in for a treat. I only wish that you could have been in the audience that day, as we were ALL fooled soundly by Mr. Hamburg. As he performs these wonderful items, you sense the years of tutelage and exposure to the master; and Howard's contemporaries at the Magic Castle in those days. Not one stone unturned in these routines honed to entertain and fool your audience badly! And here's the good part, not one a knuckle buster! Howard does magic that is for the real world, and magic that leaves people happy to have been so wonderfully fooled. And he did the same for a room full of magicians. My personal favorite is "Hidden Prediction", a devious masterpiece that unfolds right under your audience's nose, and finally reaches up and smacks them right on the forehead! Happily, it's a smack that leaves them absolutely delighted, as I'm confident you will be as you explore this little masterpiece, "D".
