The book teaches the reader how to do amazing and funny things with common objects found around the house or in a restaurant. It is a collection of bar bets, brain teasers, jokes, puzzles and magic effects that I’ve collected over the last 20 years. Many of the classics between these covers have been injected with my own twists and sense of humor.
The book measures 3 by 5 inches, has a black faux leather-binding, has silver gilt edges, a black ribbon marker, etc. There are 75 effects, with 128 pages and over 100 illustrations. The foreword of the book was written by the prolific author Martin Gardner. The book was designed as a reference guide to fit in one’s shirt or pants pocket when out on a fun night on the town.
FOREWORD
A number of books have been published on what magicians like to call “betchas”. I myself have written a few of them. None comes close to the collection that Diamond Jim Tyler has obtained from his experience in working restaurants and bars for the past twenty years, from earlier books, and from his friends and acquaintances. What you now hold in only the tip of an iceberg – the first volume of a projected series.
Who is Diamond Jim Tyler? Besides being my friend, he is a Texas magician, and a top performer, one who has a wealth of novel ideas up his sleeves. He has invented dozens of magic effects sold world-wide and is best known for his book and DVD Pockets Full of Miracles.
For this volume Diamond Jim has collected seventy-five betchas, brain teasers, gags and simple magic effects that can be performed with such common objects as coins, toothpicks, glasses, dollar bills, dice and other things found around the house. Some are old, some new, and some presented here for the first time. And you will get a chuckle out of the joking asides with which Jim concludes most of his items.
Diamond Jim has even carefully selected a tongue-twister for the title of his new book. And I betcha can’t repeat it three times rapidly! -Martin Gardner