The Man Who Was Erdnase by Martin Gardner, Jeff Busby & Bart Whaley
1991 First edition, published by Jeff Busby Magic, Inc.
From Jeff Busby Magic, Inc's catalog:
S.W. Erdnase's The Expert at the Card Table is the seminal book on card magic. A magic classic, no other book can claim to have transformed so many neophytes into top-rank card experts. It is a brilliant volume of ageless material. Published just after the turn of the century, the name of the author has become the name of the book - "Erdnase." But, who was this shadowy figure that wrote the best book on cards ever published? What type of man was he? Who was "Erdnase"?
This electrifying full-length book is the definitive story of the work, life, and methods of the mysterious cardsharp who called himself "Erdnase" - Milton Franklin Andrews. This highly acclaimed book is the only one to tell the true story. It is full of astonishing facts and new information in print in no other source. You'll follow Andrews' career from birth to grave. You'll learn about the start of his career doing magic, his conversion to a card cheat, and his travels around the world hustling in card games. You'll read about his partners in cheating, his family, and his girlfriends. You'll learn about the murders of which he was accused, the police chase across two continents, and follow Erdnase and his lover on the escape into San Francisco that made the headlines of the day. And, for the first time, you'll find the whole and true story of the tragic events that led to Erdnase's death. You'll read the complete story of the multi-faceted search to uncover the identity of the man. You'll follow the discovery of the exact whereabouts of his unmarked grave. And, you'll read statements from his family and friends, proving that Milton Franklin Andrews was the man who was Erdnase. What about his famous book, The Expert at the Card Table? For the first time you'll read the full story of how he wrote and published his famous book, where he got the material, who helped him, and why. You'll find out about his early manuscripts and efforts as an author before the book was published. You'll read about the magicians who actually met and had sessions with Erdnase. And, you'll be given previously unpublished details on his three favorite magical card routines! You'll read about the methods, presentations, and props he used when performing close-up card magic.
The Man Who Was Erdnase contains the first analysis ever published of all the material in The Expert at the Card Table - more than 50,000 words of historical and technical references keyed to the original book! This section will give you the true and correct sources, not the misinformation so prevalent even today. Included is an extensive technical section explicitly teaching the correct method and use of the Erdnase Grip. You'll read new methods and ideas for the Erdnase Bottom Deal, and discover the truth about the Mechanic's Grip. The Man Who Was Erdnase is complete. You'll read a startling computer analysis of Erdnase's writing style and an expert's examination of his handwriting. There's extensive information on the odd and rare editions of his fabulous book; the text of Andrews' own letters to different newspapers; and a comprehensive list of sources of information on Erdnase and his work, induding several references not previously known to magicians. And, the book includes over 750 technical and historical notes on the text! The book is loaded with never-before-seen photos of Erdnase in life and in death, his card-cheating partners, his collaborators, his girlfriends, and magicians he knew. You'll see his autograph and variations of his signature for the pseudonyms he used. You'll even see his business card! Expertly typeset in easy-to-read type, a massive book of 448 pages, The Man Who Was Erdnase is the only comprehensive examination of the man and his methods ever published. It is the spellbinding story of a fabulous character and his technique - an incredible book like nothing else you have read!
"I read it without stop!!! I enjoyed it very, very, very much!!! It's very interesting and the technical chapters are great!!! What a job!... This kind of work advances magic more and more."
- Juan Tamariz
