Download Williamson's Wonders PDF: Learn the Magic of David Williamson
Williamson's Wonders: A Review of David Williamson's Classic Book
If you are a fan of magic, comedy, and creativity, you have probably heard of David Williamson. He is one of the most acclaimed and influential magicians of our time, with a unique style that combines amazing sleight of hand, hilarious patter, and original routines. In this article, we will review his classic book, Williamson's Wonders, written by Richard Kaufman and published by Kaufman and Greenberg in 1989. This book contains some of the best magic ever published, and is a must-have for any serious magician.
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Introduction
Who is David Williamson?
David Williamson is an American magician, comedian, and actor. He was born in 1960 in Ohio, and started performing magic at the age of 12. He won several awards as a young magician, including the International Brotherhood of Magicians Gold Cups Competition in 1981. He graduated from Wright State University with a degree in theatre arts, and worked as a performer at Kings Island amusement park.
In 1989 he wrote a book about his magic act, Williamson's Wonders, with Richard Kaufman. His comedic style began to earn him a reputation and further bookings, for corporate events and eventually a TV special called Champions of Magic. In the 2000s, he began performing regularly for Disney Cruise Lines. He has also appeared on many TV shows, such as The World's Greatest Magic, Fool Us, Masters of Illusion, and Magic for Humans. He is currently the host of The Magic Circle Unlocked, a web series that showcases the secrets of the world's most prestigious magic club.
What is Williamson's Wonders?
Williamson's Wonders is a book that contains 57 entries of David Williamson's magic. It was written by Richard Kaufman, one of the most respected authors and publishers of magic books. It was illustrated by Kaufman himself, with clear and detailed drawings that show every move and subtlety. It was published by Kaufman and Greenberg in 1989, in hardcover with dustjacket, and almost 100 pages. It was printed on acid-free paper guaranteed to last a lifetime and beyond.
The book covers a variety of topics, such as coin magic, card magic, cup and ball magic, sponge ball magic, rope magic, mentalism, comedy magic, and more. It features some of Williamson's most famous routines, such as The Wonderful Coin Vanish, The Two-Cup Routine, Rocky Raccoon Routine, Torn and Restored Transposition, and many others. It also includes some of his original sleights and techniques, such as The Retention Clip Vanish, The Striking Vanish, The Open-Hand Vanish, The Close-Hand Vanish, The Visible Change, and more.
Why is this book important for magicians?
This book is important for magicians because it showcases the genius and creativity of David Williamson, one of the greatest magicians of our time. It teaches not only how to perform amazing magic, but also how to entertain and connect with the audience, using humor, personality, and misdirection. It reveals the secrets behind some of the most baffling and original effects ever created, and inspires the reader to develop their own style and ideas. It is a book that every magician should read, study, and enjoy.
Main Content
The Wonderful Coin Vanish
One of the first effects in the book is The Wonderful Coin Vanish, a stunning and simple way to make a coin disappear in your hand. It is based on The New Era Coin Go by Jimmy Buffaloe, but with some improvements and variations by Williamson. The basic idea is to hold a coin in your right hand, show it to the audience, and then close your hand into a fist. You then open your hand slowly, and the coin is gone. You can then reproduce the coin from anywhere you want, such as your pocket, your ear, or even a pen cap.
The Retention Clip Vanish
The key to this vanish is a clever sleight called The Retention Clip Vanish, which was independently invented by Williamson and Kaufman. It allows you to secretly clip the coin between your thumb and index finger, while showing your hand empty. The secret is to use the edge of your palm as a cover, and to move your hand slightly forward as you close it. This creates the illusion that the coin is still in your hand, until you open it again. The Retention Clip Vanish is one of the most deceptive coin vanishes ever devised, and can be used for many other effects.
Cross-Eyed Coins Across
One of the effects that uses The Retention Clip Vanish is Cross-Eyed Coins Across, a variation of The Mysterious Cross of India by Daryl Martinez. In this effect, you have four coins in your left hand, and one coin in your right hand. You show both hands clearly, and then close them into fists. You then tap your right fist on top of your left fist, and open both hands. One coin has magically traveled from your right hand to your left hand. You repeat this three more times, until all four coins have jumped across. The beauty of this effect is that you can show both hands empty before and after each transfer, using The Retention Clip Vanish.
The Two-Cup Routine
Another highlight of the book is The Two-Cup Routine, a masterpiece of cup and ball magic that uses only two cups and two balls. It is based on the classic routine by Dai Vernon, but with many original twists and surprises by Williamson. The basic idea is to make the balls appear and disappear under the cups in various ways, using sleight of hand, misdirection, and comedy. The routine ends with a shocking climax, where a large ball appears under one cup, and a lemon appears under the other cup.
The Striking Vanish
One of the sleights that makes this routine possible is The Striking Vanish, a way to make a ball vanish from your hand as you strike one cup with another. It looks like you are simply hitting one cup with another, but in reality you are secretly dropping the ball into one cup as you do so. The secret is to use a finger palm grip on the ball, and to release it at the right moment as you strike the cups together. The Striking Vanish is a very natural and deceptive way to vanish a ball, and can be used for other effects as well.
The Open-Hand Vanish
Another sleight that is used in this routine is The Open-Hand Vanish, which is a variation of The Striking Vanish where you show your hand empty after striking the cups together. It looks like you are simply opening your hand to show that the ball has vanished, but in reality you are secretly clipping the ball between your thumb and index finger as you do so. The secret is to use The Retention Clip Vanish technique that was explained earlier, and to move your hand slightly forward as you open it. This creates the illusion that your hand is empty, until you close it again.
The Close-Hand Vanish
into the other cup as you do so. The secret is to use a finger palm grip on the ball, and to release it at the right moment as you close your hand. The Close-Hand Vanish is a very subtle and convincing way to vanish a ball, and can be used for other effects as well.
The Visible Change
Another sleight that is used in this routine is The Visible Change, which is a way to make a ball change into another object under one cup as you strike it with another cup. It looks like you are simply hitting one cup with another, but in reality you are secretly switching the ball for another object that was hidden under the other cup. The secret is to use a finger palm grip on the object, and to drop it into one cup as you lift the other cup with the ball. The Visible Change is a very surprising and visual way to change a ball, and can be used for other effects as well.
Other Highlights from the Book
The book contains many other highlights that are worth mentioning, such as:
Coin from Pen Cap
This is a simple but effective way to produce a coin from a pen cap. You show a pen cap in your right hand, and then pretend to take something out of it with your left hand. You then show your left hand empty, and toss the pen cap into your right hand. As you do so, you secretly clip a coin between your thumb and index finger using The Retention Clip Vanish technique. You then open your right hand slowly, and show that the coin has appeared from the pen cap.
Rocky Raccoon Routine
This is a hilarious routine that uses a spring animal puppet called Rocky Raccoon. You introduce Rocky as your pet raccoon, and then make him do various tricks and stunts, such as playing dead, jumping through a hoop, biting your finger, and more. You use ventriloquism and comedy to make Rocky seem alive and funny. You also interact with the audience, and make them laugh with Rocky's antics. The routine ends with Rocky kissing a volunteer on the cheek.
Torn and Restored Transposition
This is a stunning card effect that combines two classic plots: the torn and restored card, and the transposition. You have two spectators select two cards from a deck. You then tear one card into four pieces, and give them to one spectator to hold. You then fold the other card into quarters, and give it to the other spectator to hold. You then snap your fingers, and ask them to open their hands. They are shocked to see that they have switched cards: the torn card is now whole in one hand, and the folded card is now torn in the other hand.
Conclusion
Summary of the Book
Williamson's Wonders is a book that every magician should read, study, and enjoy. It contains some of the best magic ever published, by one of the greatest magicians of our time. It teaches not only how to perform amazing magic, but also how to entertain and connect with the audience, using humor, personality, and misdirection. It reveals the secrets behind some of the most baffling and original effects ever created, and inspires the reader to develop their own style and ideas.
Where to Buy the Book
If you are interested in buying this book, you can find it online at various magic shops and websites. One of them is Penguin Magic, where you can buy it for $42 plus shipping. You can also read some reviews from other customers who have bought this book.
FAQs
Q: Who is David Williamson?
A: David Williamson is an American magician, comedian, and actor. He is one of the most acclaimed and influential magicians of our time.
Q: What is Williamson's Wonders?
A: Williamson's Wonders is a book that contains 57 entries of David Williamson's magic. It was written by Richard Kaufman and published by Kaufman and Greenberg in 1989.
Q: Why is this book important for magicians?
A: This book is important for magicians because it showcases the genius and creativity of David Williamson, and teaches not only how to perform amazing magic, but also how to entertain and connect with the audience.
Q: What are some of the effects in the book?
A: Some of the effects in the book are The Wonderful Coin Vanish, The Two-Cup Routine, Coin from Pen Cap, Rocky Raccoon Routine, Torn and Restored Transposition, and many others.
Q: Where can I buy this book?
A: You can buy this book online at various magic shops and websites, such as Penguin Magic.
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