Hidden in the depths of The Magic Circle in London was a long forgotten notebook, written around the second half of the 18th century by an unknown author. Its handwritten pages contained over 81 different tricks, sleights and subtleties with cards. What makes this book different to other known magic books from the time is that it’s believed to be one of the first books on magic that was written with the intention that magicians would be able to study and learn from it. This means that a large number of items feel surprisingly modern and would work alongside magic created in the twenty-first century, despite the fact they are over two hundred years old. Some of the material could even be published today and pass for current creations!

Will Houstoun has painstakingly transcribed the original, hard to read handwriting and provides this alongside facsimile copies of the pages. Additional notes are also included that will aid in the understanding of the text as well as biographies of all the performers mentioned in The Notebook. A dating section explains the features of The Notebook that allow the completion date of a two hundred year old, anonymously written, undated document to be estimated.

“The entire project is a treat – an inexpensive adventure in time travel for any reader with some imagination and a passion for card magic and, perhaps, an interest in its history.”– Genii Magazine

“Card-trick aficionados and magic historians will be grateful that Will Houstoun has unearthed and published this centuries-old curiosity. Houstoun has done historians and card-magic lovers a great service by publishing The Notebook…” – MAGIC Magazine

The Notebook is written and published by Will Houstoun as a high quality 128 page hard bound book with a dust jacket.

If you would like your copy of The Notebook signed or dedicated to you just say so in the additional comment section of the order form.