Lewis Ganson

Lewis Ganson (1913-1980) was a prominent British magician and one of the most prolific authors of magic books and instructional materials in the 20th century. His extensive bibliography includes over 60 books on magic theory, technique, and performance. Ganson served as the Technical Editor of the magic periodical The Gen and was known for his clear, detailed writing style when explaining complex sleight-of-hand techniques. His works "The Art of Close-Up Magic" and "Expert Card Technique" are considered foundational texts in the field of close-up magic. His careful documentation of other magicians' work preserved many important routines and techniques that might otherwise have been lost. Notably, he authored "The Dai Vernon Book of Magic" and "The Dai Vernon Inner Card Trilogy," capturing the work of legendary magician Dai Vernon for future generations. Ganson's influence extended beyond writing, as he also produced instructional films on magic and served as a consultant to professional magicians. He received the prestigious Literary Fellowship from the Academy of Magical Arts in recognition of his contributions to magical literature.

Readers consistently note Ganson's clear, methodical writing style in explaining magic techniques. Many reviewers on magic forums appreciate his attention to detail, with one reader on the Magic Café forum saying "Ganson documents sleights with a precision that few other authors match." Magicians praise his books for breaking down complex moves into learnable steps. His "Routined Manipulation" series receives high marks for its thoroughness in teaching professional-level card manipulation. Some readers find his writing dry and technical compared to modern magic books. A common critique is that the black and white illustrations can be hard to follow for certain hand positions. Available ratings: - The Art of Close-up Magic Vol 1: 4.4/5 on Amazon (32 reviews) - Routined Manipulation Part One: 4.7/5 on Magic Shop UK (18 reviews) - The Dai Vernon Book of Magic: 4.8/5 on Penguin Magic (45 reviews) Very few Goodreads ratings exist for Ganson's works as they are primarily specialty magic publications.

The Magic of Lewis Ganson - A compilation of close-up magic effects and routines from Ganson's various publications across several decades.

The Dai Vernon Book of Magic - A detailed study of Vernon's techniques and philosophy, transcribed and annotated by Ganson through direct collaboration with Vernon.

The Art of Close-up Magic - A two-volume work covering fundamental principles and techniques of close-up magic performance.

Magic of Robert-Houdin - A technical analysis of Robert-Houdin's methods and inventions, based on historical documents and artifacts.

The Routined Manipulation Series - A comprehensive multi-volume work detailing manipulation techniques for cards, coins, and small objects.

Inner Secrets of Card Magic - A study of advanced card magic methods, featuring techniques from Dai Vernon and other notable practitioners.

Dai Vernon's More Inner Secrets of Card Magic - Additional advanced card magic techniques and theories, continuing the previous volume's examination of Vernon's work.

The Complete Ganson Magic Teaching Series - A collection of instructional material originally published as individual lessons for magicians.

Royal Road to Card Magic - A systematic course in card magic fundamentals, co-authored with Jean Hugard.

Expert Card Technique - An advanced treatise on card handling and manipulation, co-authored with Jean Hugard.