Description
At long last the card wonders of underground mentalist Ben Blau have been amassed into a hard-bound volume. Ben has been quietly influencing the mentalism community for years with his meticulously-crafted miracles.
This 355 page, hard-bound and dust-jacketed book reveals many of Ben’s most closely-guarded secrets, moves and principles – all of the things that he uses in his mind-busting arsenal.
Illustrated with 140 crystal-clear photographs, many of these effects break new ground in the realm of mental mysteries with playing cards.
Here’s what people are saying about Ben Blau’s ASYMPTOTES:
“Ben Blau is a very clever fellow, indeed! If you like impossible card discoveries that will fool just about everyone, then ASYMPTOTES is a must have. In it’s pages are many ideas that are real additions to the armory of those who practice Mentalism with playing cards.”
– Bruce Bernstein
“Ben Blau’s book is a must-read for all lovers of sophisticated card mysteries. His approach is scholarly, his thinking is immaculate and his work is deeply fooling. Very highly recommended!”
– Mark Elsdon
“With the mind of a philosopher, the precision of a surgeon and the lyrical genius of a poet, Ben Blau crafts brilliant mental masterpieces that you will cherish like a classic. He is like Charles Dickens, but with cards (and much more clever). For close-up mentalism workers, this will only be ‘the best of times!'”
– Sean Waters
“Ben Blau’s ASYMPTOTES has some incredible and public-pleasing ploys! I think that all serious performers of mentalism should read it. I was surprised by how much I learned (and re-learned) from this book.”
– Marc Salem
“Ben is a GENIUS at fooling me and everyone else! He has a streamlined way of layering subtleties with arcane principles with lies and – at times – simple sleights that are completely disarming. Ben’s book covers lots of varied magic and mentalism ideas, as well as psychology that will leave your audiences destroyed. Some of Ben’s perspectives on performance may even change the way that you shape your current effects and even your performing style. If you are serious about your craft, and you want to engage, entertain and ultimately fool your audience – this is your next purchase!”
– Dan Fishman
“ASYMPTOTES may very well change your perceptions about using playing cards for demonstrations of mentalism. Ben Blau’s creative combination of engaging plots and unique applications of card methods and principles has resulted in a collection of 18 amazing mental routines. From the playful ‘Sending It Down’ to the intimate ‘Ishin – Denshin’ to the gobsmacking ‘Con-Centration’ (my personal favorite), each routine has been well thought out and choreographed to provide a highly entertaining and mystifying experience that will leave audiences stunned. This is a must for every mentalism bookshelf.”
– Steve Yachanin
“Clearly, when it comes to theatrical mystery, Ben Blau aspires to perfection”
– Max Maven
