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There are three main reasons a magic book is generally considered a "must-read": Firstly, it may be the collected lifework of an important magical figure. Alternatively, it may be filled with original, hard-hitting, practical routines, techniques and ideas. Finally, it may be so beautifully produced that it demands a space on your bookshelf. La Campanella emphatically ticks all of three of those boxes. It is set to become one of the most important books in years.
La Campanella is a book you will come back to again and again in search of strong, creative magic. From gambling demonstrations to packet tricks, dazzlingly virtuosic flourishes to fiendishly clever mentalism routines, Shimpei's work spans the full gamut of card magic. It also features a number of essays where Shimpei shares his ideas on the relationship between music and magic, as well as how to strengthen close-up performances by incorporating ideas from the stage.
Unsurprisingly, the care, attention and artistry that Shimpei puts into his magical creations is reflected in the quality of the book itself. Filled with musical motifs, stunning photography and and finished in an elegant gold foil hardcover, La Campanella may just be one of the most beautiful magic books that has ever been produced.
A Sample of the Contents of La Campanella by Shimpei Katsuragawa
The Pinky Count
The most thorough investigation of this versatile sleight, including multiple breaks, small packets and more.
Naked Ambition An ambitious card routine featuring a blank deck and not one but four signed cards. The signatures continue to rise to the top, even when buried in the middle of packets held by the spectators themselves.
Crimpromptu
A technique for achieving a modified breather crimp in front of the spectators. Shimpei also shares his magician-fooling impossible location using the technique.
Blindreader
A mentalism effect where three packets are cut and placed in the spectators' pockets, yet even under these impossible conditions the magician can not only name all three cards, but can do so blindfolded!
Music, Magic and the Ballet of the Hands
A groundbreaking essay exploring the use of music in close-up magic.
La Campanella
The namesake of the book. This is Shimpei's reputation-making routine which combines Vernon's classic Triumph with Pepe Carrol's Suit Apparition. The thirteen Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds are all produced from a shuffled deck in increasingly impossible displays of virtuosity.
