Cards As Weapons

Rating:
Summary: Greatest Book Ever
Review: I like this book so much, I stole it from the library. Ricky Jay has reprinted other of his books like "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women" why can't he reprint "cards as weapons"

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown (Very Interesting)

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin. (Very Very Interesting)

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student....

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger...

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing. (Very Very Very Very Interesting)

8. Stunts to Impress One's Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth." (Very... Interesting)

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards. (Interesting)

This Book would make a come back if Reprinted

I would also recommend "Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women" by Ricky Jay

Rating:
Summary: Why this book is so expensive
Review: I was lucky to have been able to find a copy of this now out of print book. This is not only a self-defense book, it's a book on magic and history as well. Ricky Jay, himself a graduate from Cornell University, used to do magic for free at the bars where he worked. Unfortunately, this was before my time but many people in Ithaca still remember him. As a self-styled ninja, martial artist, amateur magician, professional gambler, and historian, I find many of the techniques mentioned in this book extremely useful. It is also very funny. It's interesting to note that many Hong Kong actors like Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, and Stephen Chow read this book to do the awesome card techniques shown in their gambling movies like God of Gamblers and All For a Winner, just to mention a few. However, unfortunately for most of you readers, I hope this book never goes back in print because it contains many secrets that should remain secret.

Rating:
Summary: A well written How-To by the master of the art.
Review: If you want a hobby and might try sticking a target on the back door and spending your nights throwing cards at it ... you will find this practical guide just as helpful as I did. Fully illustrated with good pictures.

Rating:
Summary: Why this book is so expensive
Review: Mr. Jay's book is well researched, and it does a fine job of teaching you to throw a card great distances, better known as card scaling. Mr. Jay is an excellent magician and an author of magic history books.

However, the reason this book is in such demand is that the photographs reveal you (or of course your lovely assistant) need not wear clothes to scale cards. This what one reviewer here called "wonderful, eye-catching photographs." Fair enough, it's Playboy stuff.

Therefore, it is tough to know just how serious Ricky Jay is being here. (I have personally watched in magic shops, years ago, as young men magii tried to buy a copy of this book when it was in stock at its original list price. They failed due to the nude photographs.)

The used book prices of this title are crazy.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: The chapters of the book are:

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin.

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student.

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger.

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing.

8. Stunts to Impress One’s Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth."

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards...

Rating:
Summary: Ricky Jay Must Reprint
Review: This book was published in 1988 by Warner Brothers books. It's paperback, 130 pages, and has over 100 how-to pictures. This book will show you how to throw playing cards farther, faster and harder than you ever thought possible. The chapters of the book are as follows:

1. History

2. Cards and the Martial Arts

3. Magicians and Card Scaling

4. Technique

5. Advanced Technique

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit

7. Self-Defense

8. Stunts to Impress One's Friends

9. Personal Anecdotes

10. Afterword

This books explains such card throws as the Boomerang Card, the Long-Distance Spinner, the Flick, the Back-of-the-hand Flick, the Finger Flick, the Foot Flick, Card Juggling, the Lethal Four Card Fist, the Butterfly Swirl, the Sea Urchin Spin, and the Dolphin Dart. Shows alternative throwing methods such as the Martin Lewis Method, the Thurston Grip, the Jay Grip, and the Herrmann Grip. This is the book that made Jon Wedd famous for his appearance on MTV's "Unfiltered" news show. Ricky Jay held the Guinness world record for card throwing in 1976. He also wrote the book "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women"