Bryson's Magic Books

JESTER'S

PLEASE NOTICE - Due to illness books will no longer be sold from this site.

In association with Algonquin McDuff (an eccentric magical personality if there ever was one!) and Dexter Cleveland, I have been associated with many publishing efforts. I am solely responsible several additional books.

What follows is a brief description of each publication and then information on ordering copies for your personal library.

the MC Bit Book

The M.C. Bit Book

The first publication in "The McDuff Trilogy" (consisting of an aggregate total of four books - McDuff always does things strangely) was The M.C. Bit Book. Published April 01, 1980, it has become a minor classic. The first press run has completely sold out long ago. Hank Lee was given permission to reprint 500 copies. I have no idea if any copies remain from that printing. The book is considered a rarity in the antiquarian book market.

The book was a compilation bits of humorous business and bits to help a M.C. keep a crowd mesmerized between acts of a magic show. It has an introduction by the late great Rick Johnsson.

NOW REPRINTED! 20th Anniversary EDITION!

After 20 years - with the original 2 editions being LONG sold out - Jester's Press has reprinted this highly desirable book. All the same great material - all the great laughs! Now available directly from Jester's Press (ordering information at the bottom of this page - and soon to be available at discriminating magic dealers around the world.) Limited to ONLY 500 copies - so don't wait to order this time! (Special Dealer Discounts available - send eMail to receive details)

McDuff on Close-up

McDuff On Close-Up

This 44 page volume following on the success of a first publication effort focused on Algonquin McDuff's slant (and it IS crooked) on close-up magic. It contains 22 hilarious close-up items using props heretofore unheard of in close-up magic.

Special highlights are The Attack Of The 8-Pack and Wipe-Out Card. To give you an idea of McDuff's advanced thinking on card work, here is his "McDuff's Classic" card force:

This is a force in the classic sense of the word! The magician has to have the element of surprise on his side. Quickly leap on the unsuspecting spectator. Knock him to the ground. Put your right knee across his throat, your left knee pinning his left arm to the ground. Firmly grasping his right hand with your right hand, you thrust the force card into his hand as you say "Here, take ANY card." This never fails to work, especially when presented to a spectator smaller than you are.

the Spirit Cloth Book

Algonquin McDuff's Spirit Cloth Book

Published in 1984, this volume presents the history of that fascinating magic/mentalism prop - The Spirit Cloth, sometimes called the Daylight Seance Cloth.

You will find wonderfully funny routines using the spirit cloth from such luminaries as Martin Gardner, Rick Johnsson, Bev Bergeron, Steve Beam, Hank Lee, Parker Swan and others. The "Further Reading List" alone is worth the price of the book. This book is out of print, all copies have been sold and it is no longer available from the publishers. Check the used magic book lists for a copy. You will be glad you did!

Algonquin McDuff's Watch Winder Handbook

Alginquin McDuff's Watch Winder Handbook

The fourth book comprising The McDuff Trilogy is the Watch Winder Handbook. It saw light of day in 1992. Algonquin and his co-horts (Bryson & Clevceland) offer you an extended history of the ubiquitous watch winder. You will see advertisements and ad cuts dating back to 1898!

The book offers you much more to do with the watch winder than just pretending to wind a watch. Karrell Fox gives you 12 fresh gags, Algonquin brings the watch winder into the 20th century with his New Age Applications. You will also find a collection of snappy comments to make while employing this funny device.

There is a regular edition and a Special Collector's Limited Edition. The collector's edition is signed by the three authors and comes with a numbered, Official Collector's Photographic Silhouette Guide to Identifying Your Watch Winder (printed on faux parchment).

Small Magical Ideas

small magical ideas

In 1989, Rhett published small magical ideas without the aid and assistance of McDuff or Cleveland (how did he do it?). It was an attempt (vain as it turns out) to produce the smallest book in magic history. It is a collection of clever magical ideas, one to a page.

Letters soliciting contributions for the book were sent out to magic friends all over the world. What came back via the mails were some remarkably useful ideas, hints and suggestions. You will find contributions (for some - more than one) from the likes of Dan Garrett, Dan Tong, Martin Gardner, Daryl, Paul Diamond, Al Cohen, Ken Klosterman, Dr. Charles Pecor and Elwood Rabbit - among others!

Don't let the relatively small size fool you. If it is true that the best things come in small packages then this book should be one of your best magical experiences.

The Baby Bag Book

The Baby Bag

The BABY BAG is a book which describes a charismatic new close-up prop which is full of comic possibilities. Imagine a small (2.75 inches x 1.25 inches) brown paper bag which is a miniature version of the ubiquitous grocery bag. The book has templates and construction instructions which will allow you to easily construct your own Baby Bags. Everyone who sees one of these tiny bags immediately wants to know where they came from and where they can get one!

You are going to be amazed when you see all of the jokes, lines, gags and tricks that you can do with this hilarious new close-up magic prop!

Handy Spiral Binding - 79 pages
Tricks and ideas by Martin Gardner, Dan Garrett, Frank Herman, Karl Norman, Al Cohen and 7 others too numerous to mention
Customized Templates (6)
Tricks, Bits, Gags, Comedy Lines
Entire Text in English
Introduction by Pernell Zorch
Each copy HAND BOUND
Convenient Size (6.5" x 5.5")

The LF Book

The LF Book
by Rhett Bryson

Published in 1997, this "wee book" is both a tribute to legendary southern performer Doty? and a historical investigation of the "LF" double-talk language.

This charming story in double-talk is transcribed from an actual performance by J.C. Doty. First he tells the duck hunting story in normal English and then retells it in the side splitingly funny LF language.

For the first time in print, the complete history of the origins of this language and routine are detailed.

The Money Maker Machine Manual is the 6th book in the McDuff Trilogy. It contains the fascinating history of the money maker machine (the origin of which goes back over 100 years!), original instructions for several models, original ads, photos of a wide variety of models and 4 U.S. Patents - with drawings!

Distinguished contributors include Martin Gardner, Al Cohen, Dan Garrett, Warren Stephens, George Schindler and Frank Herman. Skipper Frank Herman said of the advanced copy he has examined: "The lucky owner of this book and a money maker machine could present a different socko routine monthly for more than two years!"

Handy Spiral Binding - 102 pages
6 x 8 1/2 inches
15,242 words, 71 illustrations, 40 photographs, 14 patent drawings, 41 ad cuts, 1 logo, 16 contributors, 2 proofreaders, 915 sentences
Tricks, Bits, Gags, Comedy Lines
Entire Text in English
Introduction by John Moehring
Each copy HAND BOUND
Limited Press Run - No second edition planned. Order RIGHT now!

The Money Maker Machine Manual Supplement

After the publication of the highly successful Money Maker Machine Manual, so much valuable historic information, machines, routines, ads, and associated ephemera came to light - the authors decided that a Supplement to the book was in order so that the historic record as regards the Money Maker Machine would be as complete as possible.

Distinguished contributors include Algonquin McDuff, Jon Racherbaumer, Ed Marlo, Sid Lorraine, Professor Putter, Parker Swan (who's contribution IS worth the price of the book x 100), Don Alan, Rick Johnsson, Ben Stone and others too complicated to type.

Four (4) pages of color plates/illustrations (not numbered or indexed) Never before seen Money Makers in full color. (The FIRST use of color in Algonquin's publications!)
Rare Money Maker ads. (Some rarer than others)
First supplement to the 3rd book of the second half of the first trilogy (not to be confused with the 3rd book of the first half of the collected works) of Algonquin McDuff.
Satire COMPLETELY misunderstood by Martin Gardner (and we have the letter to prove it!)
More than a dozen (12) routines mostly by dead contributors.
EACH book hand printed and assembled - in VERY limited quantities. This volume is SURE to become a prized and RARE collector's item!
Quirkiest supplement ever conceived or published.
Modestly priced at a meagre $30 per 48 page booklet. (Doesn't even come CLOSE to re-compensate the authors for the costs to produce.)

The Devil's Prayerbook
by Rhett Bryson
(now in V. 9.0!)

A fascinating compendium of all of the numerical coincidences associated with a deck of playing cards. Also includes the variations on the "Soldier and the Prayerbook" story, in print and song, tidbits about the suits and the deck. Spelling the suits is presented (in FOUR languages!) along with two methods of "culling" the cards into the proper position right in front of the audience. The author has discovered an AMAZING new numerical coincidence which is so amazing that it is the PERFECT ending to a story about all of the numerical details about the deck that it is SURE to cause the audience to have CHILLS when they hear it! All this in a WeeMagicBook of 3 x 4 inches and 53 pages! Only $5.00 +$1 P&H.

(NOW contains contributions by Bob Neale, Max Maven and Algonquin McDuff, a gospel version of the "Middleton Story" and reprints of woodcuts from an early English chap-book! )

The Money Maker Machine Manual
ADDENDUM to the Supplement

ALL of the new money maker material discovered since the publication of the Addendum to the Money Machine Manual in 1999 is contained in this NEW volume of heretofore unpublished in the same place material.

Some of the distinguished contributors are: Mac King, Paul Curry, Algonquin McDuff, P. C. Socar, Larry White and Louis Bertol.

• 83 Illustrations, 22 in FULL COLOR
• Each copy hand assembled (with TWO staples for security.)
• Cover printed in AT LEAST THREE colors
• 11 routines from 10 contributors (including a diabolical contribution from Paul Curry.)
• 5 previously undiscovered instruction sheets.
• 4 NEW patents discovered and depicted.
• Sixty-Six (66) pages (Half again longer than the Supplement)
• COMPLETE details and photos of the ZUPAN Money Maker (from Slovenia!)
• Rare close-up photos of the D. Verner gigantic trade show motorized money maker.
• Much new historical information and background.
• Picture of a rare Petrie machine and John Scarne's personal machine.
• The history of the "wallet money makers" fully explained
• Completes the Money Maker Machine trilogy!
• BONUS Insert Photograph (Rare Collector's Item!)

ONLY $20 ‚ Postage FREE in the continental United States.

Autographed for an additional $2.26 for each signature.