John Born’s Seeking the Bridge is a very interesting read. If you are familiar with John’s work, you know that he thinks very, very, very carefully about his card routines, and each one builds a thick tapestry of deception: elements of psychology, risk, sleight-of-hand, and gaffery play into his work at different points, and the result is devastating magic that fools your audience now, and will have them talking about your work a year from now.
Seeking the Bridge is divided into two parts: the first part deals with John’s innovative and extensive work on memorized deck magic. Nearly all of it can be done with any stack; instead, these routines deal mostly with a smart way of connecting multiple selections to each other using a “bridge” mindset (you have to read it to grasp the idea).
But the book isn't for memorized deck users only. There is plenty to offer including a very intriguing deck switch idea and some fine gambling effects. It is very clear that John Born has become a real "worker" as his effects are practical and original.
The quality of the book itself is beautiful: blue cloth-bound, matching his previous Meant to Be in size, and 189 pages full of illustrative photos. John continues to push boundaries as a performer and a creator, and Seeking the Bridge is worthy of careful study.
Contents of Seeking the Bridge
- Perfect Pick
- Seeking the Bridge
- Sticking the Bridge
- Hands-Off Deck Switch
- Pocket Change
- Bridging the Deck Switch
- Time to Shine
- Numerical Reverse Revisited
- The Second Push
- An Instinct for Cards Revisited
- The Way for One-Way
- Jazzing Baker
- Mind Mix
- The Delayed Crimp
- Lucky Penny
- Slugged
- A Blackjack Bet
- Mathematical 3-Card Monte Revisited
- Finally Matched Revisited
- Motivation: Glued Deck
- Right on the Money
- Casino Card Killer
- Riding the LePaul
- Watch Transpo
- Queens Prediction
- My Ladies
- Motivation: Cutting to the Aces
- Twelfth-Method Match
- “My Cards”
- Card in Spectator’s Pocket
- Card under Spectator’s Shoe
Hardbound with 189 pages.