Leather Books

If there is anything in the world you want to know about the M1 Garand, this is the book. If you have a Garand, this book is a must.

This is a must have for the US Military Arms collector. It goes into great detail about the development of what became the .30 caliber, US Rifle, M1, otherwise known as the M1 Garand. It is a fascinating behind the scenes journey telling what is involved in developing a new class of rifle. It emphasizes that there is a lot more to developing a rifle than merely putting the appropriate sized barrel onto a new receiver.

The book describes the use and abuse testing that goes into qualifying the rifle for use by the troops. It also mentions the many occasions when particular versions of a promising rifle were issued to the troops for actual field testing. The M1 Garand also underwent a grueling series of tests with three other rifles, the Johnson and Winchester semi-automatic rifles and the venerable Model of 1903 Springfield. All chambered the same 30'06 cartridge.

Chambering and surviving the pressures produced by the 30'06 cartridge was the major challenge to be overcome in developing a semi-automatic battle rifle within the size and weight constraints for the average infantryman. There had been semi-automatic rifles before the M1 Garand but they were primarily using lower pressure ammunition. Many semi-automatic rifle inventors submitted designs but they were either too heavy, fell apart during firing, or both. Many inventors submitted rifles with parts looking more at home in a typewriter than in battle-field ready rifle.

John C. Garand came from the machine tool design industry. He thought that he could do a better job than many of the current weapons designers. He designed his rifles with a primary focus on how the parts would be easily manufactured with the machine tools then available.

The book describes the path that he followed that led to his employment at the Federal Government's Springfield Armory [it was disbanded in about 1968 after a long history of service] designing what became the M1.

The M-1 Garand was adopted by the US Army in 1936. Springfield Armory began tooling up to produce the new rifle. Winchester Repeating Arms was also given an initial "educational order" for 65,000 M-1's so they could begin tooling up to produce the rifle. When World War II began for the United States on December 7th, 1941, there weren't enough Garands to equip even a fraction of the troops.

Consequently the Marines went ashore on Guadalcanal with M1903 Springfield rifles in August of 1942. When US Army infantrymen began arriving around November 1942 Marines began acquiring their M-1 Garands by trading booty, stealing or following Infantrymen of patrol so they could pickup their Garands if they were wounded or killed.

Hatcher describes this and far more in great detail. Far more than I can describe in a small review. It is a fascinating read.

At a macro level it shows how just a relatively small cadre of people can develop a completely new and innovative rifle. Contrast that with today's Pentagon where it takes many Generals to oversee and screwup the development of a new weapon [I spent more than 30 years in the Military-Government-Industrial complex and have first hand experience]. Contrast how the Pentagon develops new weapons with the development of Special Operations Command's 6.8mm SPC conversion for the M-16/AR-15/M-4 semi- and automatic rifles/carbines. Search the internet for "6.8 SPC" and read how top Generals are trying to kill it even though it is getting rave reviews from soldiers in the field.

Any modern day gun-bug reading Julian S. Hatcher's resume can hardly help but drool. This dude lived during what had to have been the golden age of military small arms development, and seemed to always land a job involving some fascinating aspect of the rapidly advancing technology. No wonder he stayed in the military so long. I can't think of any modern writer that even comes close to the experience and technical background he had.

This book gives very complete information about the development, functioning, and use of the Garand rifle up to the end of World War 2. Of course there were more changes made to the gun around the Korean War and even up through the 1960's that Hatcher could not foresee, but those would mainly be of interest to the more meticulous collector types anyway. Hatcher gives an insider's account of the long struggle to find a good semi-automatic rifle, and touches on many other interesting designs that were cast aside along the way.

As a former reviewer said, "If you have a Garand, this book is a must."

Major General Julian S. Hatcher is not just another author writing about just another rifle. He is talking about the rifle designed by John C. Garand (pronounced with a hard 'g', as in 'go,' with the accent on the first syllable, to rhyme with parent.) The rifle's name, however, is usually pronounced 'guh-RAND' by the men who used it.

And General Hatcher was in on the development of the famous old (WWII and Korea) rifle from the beginning.

This is the rifle to which General George S. Patton referred, when he said, "The greatest battle implement ever devised by man!"

During the Second World War, the United States Army and the U.S. Marines (except in the very beginning, in the Philippines) were equipped with this rifle, and thus were the only combatants on either side equipped with a semi-automatic main battle rifle. With it, they could fire eight rounds of .30-'06 ammunition as fast as they could pull the trigger. When the ammunition in the clip was exhausted, the clip popped clear with a 'tinny' sound, and they simply shoved another in, and kept firing.

For a time, their enemies though they were all equipped with machine guns. And, the rifle was accurate and rugged. It would take punishment, and keep right on shooting.

Everything you could conceivably need to know about the "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1" is in this book: the history of its development and trials, general description, the sights, the operation, care and cleaning, disassembly and assembly, malfunctions and stoppages, ammunition, its use in World War Two, its use as a match rifle, and detailed photographs and drawings of its component parts.

I own one. I earned the right to buy a Garand from the givernment by competing in a sanctioned rifle match, going through an FBI investigation and clearance, and filling out a bunch of government paperwork. Then I purchased it from the Department of Civilian Marksmanship, and the postman delivered it to my door.

Before I got it, I bought this book.

You can get one too, the same way I did, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (a government program, run by civilians, out of Port Clinton, Ohio.) See your local gun club for details.

Joseph Pierre,
Author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

The development process of the M1 Garand rifle is detailed in this book. The problems of developing a reliable semi-auto full power military rifle are detailed. The attempts, the failures, the successes, the problems, the solutions, all are there. The book gives insights into inventor John Garand's genius and the manufacturing/military process. The result is what Patton called "The greatest battle implement ever developed." A must for collectors and afficiando's. See also Scott Duff's books on collecting this rifle.

This is a great book for Catholic Junior High or High School students. It contains many different ways of praying within the Catholic faith. I would recommend it to anyone who works with young Catholic students.

I was very impressed with this Prayer Book and highly recommend it not only for Youth, but for Adults of any age. Many wonderful prayers, leather-bound book will last a lifetime. Makes a wonderful gift!

This is a must have for every teen. What a great resource for them to not only learn about different forms of prayer, but to have meaningful and relevant words and ideas to use in their personal prayer as they form their relationship with their God.

This is a wonderful prayer book. It presents prayer in a context that young people can understand and appreciate. Topics are organized into four sections: I. Prayers for Today's Teenagers, II. Prayers from the Catholic Tradition, III. Methods for Personal Prayer, IV. Liturgical Prayer. The book follows the "Pray It! Study It! Live It!" format of the Catholic Youth Bible and the Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth. There are sidebar notes throughout the book which provide additional information and ideas for the reader. In part IV, Liturgical Prayer, the Mass is explained in the context of prayer and how one's personal experience of the Mass can be deepened.
While this book is written specifically for teenagers, it can also be understood and appreciated by pre-teens. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Religious Education students like this book very much. And, as an adult, I find this book fascinating and helpful to my own continuing formation. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to every Catholic!
(One little note--It is not leather-bound as described; it is bound with a leather-ette material--similar to leather, but NOT LEATHER. It is still a very nice, sturdy binding and cover.)

I work in a Catholic High School and this little book has been a great resource for Youth friendly prayer. It has the basics and much, much more. I love it! More importantly the kids love it and USE IT!!!

beautifully bound journal with space for sermon notes and other musings. my only complaint is that i asked specifically for the burgundy color -- even made a phone call requesting burgundy -- but I got black : ( What's the point in advertising two colors if a person can't choose??

This book has been an invaluable tool for me over the years. I bring it along whenever I carry my Bible and make notes from sermons or teachings as I feel led. It gives me a chance to record my impressions and review my notes later. Each one lasts me about three years and they wear very, very well. They've served to document my growth and are a written testimony to my life in chronological order. I've never found anything to compare to this book and would highly recommend it to anyone. Even someone who is generally not inclined to take notes will find this useful.

It was fabulous quality especially for the reasonable price! I bought it as a gift for my husband and he likes it very well. It has ample space and many different sections to use. Arrived in a short amount of time. Very happy with the product overall.

Very impressed...4 days to get to Canada in exactly the condition I was hoping for.

This is a great journal for taking notes. There is plenty of room to write on the front and back of each page. Also, every page has lines on them so you don't have to worry about writing all over the page. The references at the back of the book are great and I highly recommend this book for any note-taker!

I purchased this Bible for my husband. The translation is excellent, and the print size is great. I like the size of it as well. It is a wonderful purchase and means a life-time of blessing to him.

A perfect size for my daughter to take to church and still put into a purse! Not meant to study from but great for travel because of its size.

I have a lot of Bibles, however, Tyndale did a great job on this one, it is by far my favorite. I purchased one as a gift for my daughter, and it's now her favorite as well. I also bought one for a male co-worker, and he even loves it. It's everything about this book that I love, absolutely EVERYTHING. It's small, but not too small, thick, but not too thick, NLT is a great version and the font that Tyndale used is easy to read. It's a very comfortable book, kind of reminds me of a lap cat, very cool. If you plan to spend a lot of time in the Word of God, I suggest this one. LOVE IT!!!

We love the readablity of the print and this translation. The compact size is good, too.

I'd been looking for a compact Bible, most have print so small that I can hardly read it. But,this one is really nice, it's very well made, the print is a size that is readible. Would highly recommend for those who want the Word of God with them while they're on the go.

Comes in a stylish and artistic red and gold box suitable for a gift. Underneath the glossy box, the Bible itself is wrapped in flexible plain black leather with just two gold words on the front cover, "Holy Bible", as well as essential wording on the spine.

Each page is divided into three full length vertical columns. The text is contained in the first and third columns. The second column contains references. It is like reading from a newspaper because the first and third column are each just 2 inches (5cm) wide. The small second column is less than an inch (1.7cm) wide.

To demonstrate the center column references, the main text for Psalm 23:1 reads:
1 The Lord is (k) my shepherd; (l) I shall not want.
(Note that the (k) and (l) are discreet superscript letters without brackets.)

The associated second column references are as follows:
23.1: (k) Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:4; Ezek. 34:11,12,23; John 10:11; 1 Pet. 2:25; Rev. 7:17 (l) Phil. 4:19.

Features (as described by the glossy box):
- Words of Christ in Red
- Premium Bonded Leather
- Center Column References
- Gold Page Edges
- Concordance
- Presentation Page
- Family Record Section
- Full-Colour Maps
- Ribbon Marker

There is also a Study Helps section containing a number of detailed tables and references: Parables of Our Lord, Miracles of Our Lord, A Harmony of the Gospels (with events such as the Baptism of Jesus, or Christ blesses little children, and the location in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Messianic Prophecies of the Old Testament, Predictions Made by Jesus, and Prophecies of Jesus' Second Coming.

Being Ultrathin the pages are very, very thin (and sweaty fingers may temporarily warp a single page). The paper is non-glossy.

Cornerstone tightly rivals Zondervan itself with producing lovely and DURABLE Bibles (unlike Broadman).

This book has lasted me almost five years, and it still today displays the same sheen and crispness that I smelled and saw when I first took it out of the package for Christmas.

I have a nice large study Bible that I use for church, but for trying to read through the Bible in a year, this is a nice and small version suitable for reading on the train or bus without drawing too much attention to what you're doing. A good travel Bible because it is so thin.

This is my favorite Bible. Because it is ultrathin, it is very flimsy, meaning that you can bend it rather easily and it pops right back into shape.

If you're looking for a Bible with study notes, larger text, or wide margins, look elsewhere. But otherwise, this is a great Bible if your just looking for the Word of God and center column references. It also has a place to write notes in the back, a concordance, and a few other common study helps, including several maps with a map index. (Nov. 2003 update: This review refers to the KJV bonded leather version (ISBN 1-55819-8318-8) which you possibly can't buy anymore.)

When I bought this Bible, I was very pleased and surprised to find that it contains what most printings of the King James version don't seem to have: the original translators' footnotes. These are similar to the footnotes you find in a modern Bible that explain the literal meaning of a word or phrase or an alternate meaning. (I'm not talking about the study notes you see in a study Bible.) But it's obvious that these footnotes were not added by later commentators because they are in the same familiar "King James" English.
Let me give some examples. Genesis 41:15, "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it and I have heard say of thee, that **thou can understand a dream to interpret it." Footnote at ** says "Or, when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it." Many of the footnotes give more information about the literal meaning, for example: Job 20:2, "Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I** make haste." The footnote says: Hebrew "my haste is in me." Job 21:17, "He shall not see the rivers, the floods, **the brooks of honey and water." Footnote says "Or, streaming brooks." A few mention differences in manuscript evidence: Luke 17:36, "**Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Footnote says: "This 36th verse is wanting in most of the Greek copies."
It's not that these footnotes tell you anything earthshaking, but I think it's nice to have the footnotes that the translators originally wanted you to have! And it could be interesting to compare them to similar footnotes in other versions.
This is a lovely Bible in general apart from the footnotes. It has center column cross-references, a beautiful style of type, and a nice leather cover. The size is convenient, not too big and not too small. With so much recent interest in the history of the King James version, I thought some readers might be interested in knowing about these footnotes. Just a very nice plus! A great value for the price. (It would be great for gifts because it comes in a nice box.)

The daily guideposts is a very inspirational book. It starts your day off in a positive way !!

I buy this devotional for myself every year and also give as gifts to all my friends and relative for Christmas. These are short, daily devotions that are very meaningful. You get to know the writers as almost friends as many are the same from one year to the next.

Have purchased a book each year for 5 years. Starts my day in a good direction, inspirational, thoughtful and a true treasure. Everyone needs a little inspiration each day. Especially like seeing the photos and short bios of the authors at the back of the book. It is like getting to know a new friend.

The books arrived in a timely fashion and were new and in excellent condition and were considerably cheaper than if I had ordered directly from Guideposts.

Every year we purchase the Large Print Guide Posts edition for all siblings from Amazon. The price is lower than any comparable dealer, including Guide Posts themselves...and the topper is--Free Shipping on orders over $25!
We highly recommend buying HERE.

This is a beautiful, prayer book sized leather edition of Saint Faustina's "Divine Mercy in My Soul", especially made to commemorate the First Divine Mercy Conference in Rome, April 2008. I highly recommend it to Divine Mercy lovers.

I highly recommend to anyone who loves St Faustinas Diary. The edition is compact so it easily fits into your purse which makes it much easier to take with you to Adoration. It is a collectors edition that you will cherish for a lifetime.

The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina serves as an essential reading for the followers of the Divine Mercy. The Diary should be read in order to have a better and deeper understanding of Sister Faustina's journey, as described in her four notebooks which are included in The Diary. I would recommend The Diary to all Catholics and those interested in understanding our religion.

This blessed Diary of Saint Maria Faustina's experiences with Lord Jesus Christ; a true revelation of Jesus' Divine Mercy (of God's Divine Mercy & Love), is truely beautiful, and deeply spiritual. And in which one's heart/soul, when reading this, will be in deep agreement, and inflamed with great zeal to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, prayers for forgotten souls in Purgatory, lost souls/sinners around the world who are in full need of compassion, mercy, Baptism & Salvation. And for the deep consecration of one's heart, mind, and being to the Sacred-Divine-Mercy-Heart of our Lord, Redeemer, Saviour, Sanctifyer, illuminator - Jesus Christ.

This leather-bound edition is perfect; it is thin, for the paper is made from the same cloth paper as that of the Bible, and the Missals. It has gold gilding, and a burgandy satin ribbin to keep your page, and the burgandy leather is soft to the touch. It reads very well. I love it.

This is an absolutely necessary book for everyone to own and meditate on. For those truly committed to gaining a deeper understanding of Our Lord this is an essential resource.

I have owned one of these for a number or years and I love it. I do have other versions of the scriptures, including the new English Standard Version, which I really like. For simply reading the scriptures, as in a daily Bible reading program, I do prefer a version other than the King James. However, this Bible is incomparable when it comes to real, sink in your teeth study. The study helps are second to none. I especially like the sections after each book which give extemperaneous history, etc. They truly make the scriptures within each book come alive. The King James is like Sheakespeare. It may be a bit out of date, but it reads like fine poetry. That's why I still enjoy it. I suggest keeping another version nearby for home study to enhance accuracy and clarity. If you need a good study Bible, the Dickson is an excellent choice.

The Dickson study Bible is one of the best of all time. It has helps before and after each book, complete with outlines, outstanding features, and more. The dictionary at the front is very helpful. The topical study and concordance in the rear are great. There are so many helps. This is one of the finest study Bibles of all time. I have 3 and have ordered them for many others.

The Dickson New Analytical Study Bible, published by World Bible Publishers is a study Bible of the older type. It was first developed in the days when the Thompson Chain Reference Bible became popular and before the current deluge of "niche" Bibles. It contains the text of the King James Version, with square bracketed alternate renderings to help the reader. The cross references are under each verse, which makes them quickly accessible. There are over 800 pages of study helps including maps, charts, introductions, articles on various subjects, topical indices, a concise Bible dictionary, a decent concordance, etc. all arranged in a useful and non-cumbersome way.

The print is good quality and the workmanship is good. The reader who patiently explores the various features will be aided greatly in their understanding of the Bible. The various articles and studies are notable for not being "exotic". Those responsible for compiling it steered a careful course, with the result that conservative Christians of various backgrounds can make use of this reference work without being constantly confronted with odd theological perspectives. If you, like me, enjoy using the King James Version, and if you like your study helps Christ centered, and straight forward without a lot of fluff, you will like this Bible.

I wrote this review because this study Bible is not easy to find, and few people, it seems, know about it. Do yourself a favor and get a copy before the publishers discontinue it.

This Bible is a throw back to an era where publishers felt a true calling and ministry to the Body of Christ in Bible publishing; as opposed to mass producing sugary hyphenated annotations according to the passing "special concerns" of the american religious consumer today.

It comes with a Bible Dictionary, a Topical Section, General Index, and Concordance. It also has insightful outlines, book introductions, and Book Charts, that truly illuninate the text. The cross references are spot on and numerous - very precise, on topic.

This Bible makes you a student again, as you feel like you are sitting at the feet of a very good Bible Teacher and Scholar, while reading. While the aforementioned amenities are scholarly, they lead you into the text, not anyone's opinion.

Within the text Dickson uses brackets to interject ASV (1901) words, that illuminate difficult KJV words. Even in this, the ASV words do not question the veracity of the KJV translation, but simply illuminate archaic KJV words for our generation.

This Bible deserves 7 stars. It is scholarly, straight forward, and solid; all the while maintaining a unobtrusive, helpful tone.
It is quite simply my favorite study Bible.

This bible has everything you need to study. You don't have to by any additional resources for a thorough bible study.

John Marshal was probably looking at the world around him when he decided to publish "THE ENTERTAINING, MORAL, AND RELIGIOUS REPOSITORY; CONTAINING UPWARDS OF THREE SCORE SEPARATE PERFORMANCES, ALL OF WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN A SIMPLE YET PLEASING STILE; AND ARE EMINENTLY CALCULATED FOR THE AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION OF THE YOUTH OF BOTH SEXES (Leather Bound)" in 1797. For 1797 was a complicated year.

George Washington stepped down as President, and John Adams took up the task. The USS Constitution was christened and set sail, a fearless Frenchman made the first parachute jump (from a balloon) while Napolean annexed Austria, the scrub board was invented (no more pounding your clothes to get them clean), and the United States entered the world spice trade with a delivery of pepper to a home port. My own history was presumably affected by the birth of Archibald McLellan in Scotland, who would go on to become a "coach builder, and patron of the arts".

So I'm guessing, that with all that was transpiring around him, and with the additional complication of Thomas Paine publishing "Essays on Religion" that very same year, John Marshal sought out our author, Illustrated throughout with Woodcuts, to pen a simple, pleasing, repository of religion that would be amusing to the youth of both sexes. Surely, "Essays on Religion" could not boast any of these qualities. Surely, "Essays on Religion" did not contain upwards of three score separate performances. Surely, "Essays on Religion" (a much too brief title) was not bound in the rich, luxuriousness of leather.

And so, could I, I would buy this wonderfully telling title, and hope that it deserves the five stars that I am giving it.

As always, a corker. Still, while boys will no doubt be instructed by I.T.W.W.'s latest repository of performances, they will certainly not be amused; as for girls, the opposite. Stiles are to be jumped over, not always for writing, and calculations, while eminent, cannot always be trusted to be either amusing or instructive or, for that matter, available to be shipped overnight.

All too often young hermaphrodites are completely shunned by society and are thus deprived of the very information they need to cope effectively with their unique situation -- especially during those difficult teenage years! I.T. Woodcuts has done a simply marvelous job of addressing this problem by providing appropriate instructional materials (including illustrations) that are not only easy to follow, but encourage the reader to have fun as well! By infusing religion throughout this work, Woodcuts successfully sends an important message to his audience: Just because you happen to be a hermaphrodite doesn't mean that the God of your choosing doesn't love you. If you are the parent of a hermaphrodite and find it far easier to talk to your child about drugs then, about, well, you know, then I highly recommend this book.

I have been a fan of this book's author, Illustrated throughout with Woodcuts, ever since he began writing the stories of his traditional native-American village. I can't help but feel that something important has been lost in this current volume. Illustrated throughout with Woodcuts used to delight us with everyday tales of his mother, Linotyped with Ample Margins, his father, Carefully Etched into Delicate Crystal, and his little brother, Mostly Composed of Clip Art and Stock Footage.

Now, perhaps in an attempt to tap into a larger audience, our author has left his tradition behind. In an attempt to generate upwards of three score separate performances, he has chosen to simplify his style and attempt to "please" the reader rather than enlighten them. There's something about this book that is too calculated, too confused between whether it wants to be amusing or instructive, too uncertain about which sex of youth it wants to engage.

One feels that Illustrated throughout with Woodcuts has been, shall we say, "domesticated." He has left his heritage behind to create yet another moral and religious repository, as if we needed one. Something has been lost.

I assign this book five stars for two reasons: 1) I hope it will encourage the author to return to the exotic and authentic stories of his youth, perhaps telling us more about his kindly grandfather, Printed on Pure Cotton Linen and Containing over 20-Full-Color Photographs. 2) The leather cover of this volume leaves me some hope that the author's true character is still there, struggling to get out through an expessive choice of binding materials.

I am a demanding reader. I want to be amused and instructed. I want a book to be both entertaining and moral. I want the writing to be simple yet pleasing. And I would like it to contain upwards of three score separate performances that are eminently calculated for the youth of both sexes. Oh yeah -- and there must be woodcuts throughout.

The Bible comes close. It is amusing, instructive, entertaining and moral. But it lacks woodcuts. Plus, Leviticus kind of dragged for me.

Also, I like the title to tell me exactly what I'm going to get. For instance, if it were up to me, "The Trial" would be titled "Young bank clerk gets caught up in the machinations of a cruel and byzantine bureaucracy and they kill him at the end." See? Much better.

Five stars!

A childhood friend of mine was "grounded" for a week when we were about 10 years old (~1970). As his "partner in crime", having a much stricter mother, I was grounded for 2 years. (yes, TWO YEARS). The only places I ever went (aside from school) were the public library and a bookstore downtown (always accompanied by my mother, of course). Mom didn't much care what I read; she just believed in reading. I was fascinated by magic, and read *hundreds* of books on the subject. Often, I would get a new book as the result of a bibliography search of one that I already read or owned. That's how "S.W. Erdnase" became my new best friend. I eventually fancied myself as riverboat gambler, but, as luck would have it, I became a software developer. Go figure. Nevertheless... this book is worth it's weight in gold.

I can only add to these reviews that this edition is very small, cloth bound, and ribbon bookmarked, so it can be carried with you always, everywhere. That alone makes it worth a purchase. There is something nice about being able to carry drugstore playing cards and a source of a lifetime's worth of practice all in one pocket. If you travel or commute, this is the perfect edition to own - the binding does not feel cheap or crease, and the type is very small but very legible, not in the least blurry. If portability is of any concern to you, this is the one to buy. I carry it with me always, and it's so compact that it's never an issue. Let other people fiddle with their Blackberries or play mindless games on their cell phones - you can learn to second deal or blind shuffle and actually acquire a skill.

This book is thorough in both its theory and explanation of card manipulation. An enjoyable reading, it is a bit lengthy, but well worth it. From simple shuffling to expert three card monte, this book gives it all to anyone truly interested in studying card manipulation. Set forth to professionals and amateurs alike in 1995, it is a one of a kind in both content and style. Made to last, it is not written in common jargon and is not fancied with useless information about the latest crazes. Erdnase uses his knowledge of cards and card manipulation to create this compelling compendium.

If you are a magician you must have this book! This is my favorite book on magic ever written. Some of the deals might be a little outdated, but the book itself is timeless.

Originally published over one hundred years ago in 1902, this book forever changed the way magicians viewed and practiced sleight of hand. Written by a former gambler, it introduced card sharp secrets to the magic community for the first time. Something you don't expect is that the style of the narrative is so timeless. This guy is very well educated and offers truisms that you might find yourself quoting from time to time. I have often heard a rather ridiculous claim that these "old" books are too hard to follow. The truth of the matter is that anyone who has sat down and tried these moves for more than ten minutes knows this is not true. It doesn't matter if you learn from a slick DVD or from "old" books, you can't ever get around the basic fact that a lot of this stuff takes time and practice... but, surprisingly, some of it is not difficult at all and can be picked up in very short order. Erdnase's book teaches you excellent methods that are not outdated and there are only about five well-known and obvious mistakes in the book that are pretty easy to figure out (most of them are in the bottom dealing section where the text should read the "third" finger instead of the "second" finger - trust me, you would figure it out when learning the moves). I also have the annotated issue of this book by Ortiz - excellent in that it provides photographs of the moves and enhances the original book with commentary. However, generally, there is no reason not to follow Erdnase's original instructions as outlined in this book, unless someone like Dai Vernon (who worshipped this book and had it memorized) or Paul LePaul has an improvement and even then it's sometimes just a matter of personal preference or style. And to top all this off, as of 2007, instructional DVDs taught by Wesley James (7 DVDs) and Alan Ackerman (still pending release) are on the market that walk you through the entire book step by step. What is next? Perhaps a Hollywood movie about the life of S.W. Erdnase?

By the way, another really nice version of this book is the now hard to find "facsimile" first edition issued in 2002 on the one hundredth anniversary of the original 1902 edition. That "facsimile" first edition is an exact replica of a real first edition that is perfect in all regards. The only tip off is that the word facsimile appears on the first page and that it looks brand new, but other than that it looks exactly like a real 1902 first edition that would cost $1,000 to $3,000 (only about 100 are thought to exist) if you could find one for sale. The publishers even found the exact same green cloth used for the original, but kindly updated the binding and paper used to archival quality. The "facsimile" first edition is hard to find (only 750 produced), but very nice to own if you really like this classic book.

This review, of course, is for the "bible" edition that is slightly larger in diameter than a poker-sized card and easily fits into a shirt pocket - it's about a quarter of an inch thick. The book has a semi-hard cover and a marker ribbon with gold edges that mimic a bible. Please note that the cover is not truly "leather bound"; if anything it might be some sort of hybrid-leather product that mimics leather. I find that the text font is a bit small, but I can still read it clearly - older readers might have trouble with this small font. The diagrams are large enough to easily follow - the diagrams are actually the exact same size as the original first edition, it's just the font of the commentary that is smaller to accommodate the compact size of the book. The bible edition is nicely produced and I highly recommend it.