Charles Holdefer, author of Dick Cheney in Shorts, The Contractor, and Back in the Game, has here uncovered, with abundant aplomb and loads of literary-archaeological legerdemain, a crucial long-lost manuscript by legendary magician Blast. For years Blast has been an ongoing source of wonder on five continents, for crowned heads, international celebrities and ordinary folk alike. His record for the world’s longest card trick still stands. Now this famous manipulator offers you a choice selection of his most delightful magic tricks, all carefully explained and simplified with the beginner in mind. You need not practice for hours. This is magic even you can do, laid out in an easy-to-carry pocket edition for convenient reference no matter where you find yourself, and sumptuously illustrated in full color by Royce M. Becker.
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“Behind a radiator in the La Serrurerie café in Poitiers, France, Mr. Holdefer found an important, long-lost manuscript written by the legendary, imaginary magician ‘Blast.’ Mr. Holdefer faithfully restored the greasy, tattered manuscript and has now published it as Magic Even You Can Do, a beginner’s magic book.
“This wee tome is very attractive. Royce M. Becker’s design and colorful illustrations are beautiful.
“Mr. Holdefer is an abundantly gifted, witty writer. His creation, his delightful doppelganger Blast, is a funny, goofy, erudite, Baron Munchausen of magic….
“Magic Even You Can Do is a wonderful, wacky, whimsical romp! You’ll breeze through it in less than an hour, grinning toothily from ear to ear with the turn of each page. Blast is a blast! I hope we see more of him in the future.
“Since no real magic methods are revealed, you can heartily recommend this book to your lay friends. They will be thrilled, and feel empowered that their Rube Goldbergian explanations of magic have been validated. Such a satisfying swindle!
“Highly Recommended.”
---Tom Frame in Genii Magazine
Charles Holdefer grew up in Iowa and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Sorbonne. He currently teaches at the University of Poitiers, France.
His short fiction has appeared in many magazines, including the New England Review, Chicago Quarterly Review, North American Review, Los Angeles Review, Slice and Yellow Silk. His story “The Raptor” won a Pushcart Prize.
He also writes essays and reviews which have appeared in The Antioch Review, World Literature Today, New England Review, The Dactyl Review, The Collagist, l’Oeil du Spectateur, New York Journal of Books, Journal of the Short Story in English and elsewhere.