Celebrations of Curious Characters
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Performing Arts
Celebrations of Curious Characters Details
About the Author Acknowledged as one of the world’s great sleight-of-hand artists, Ricky Jay has received accolades as a performer, actor, and author. His heralded one-man shows Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants; Ricky Jay: On the Stem; and Ricky Jay: A Rogue’s Gallery were all directed by David Mamet. As an actor Mr. Jay has been seen in many films, including House of Games, Things Change, Heist, Red Belt, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Last Days, The Prestige, The Great Buck Howard, and Tomorrow Never Dies. He appeared regularly in the television series Deadwood, The Unit, and Flash Forward and has written and hosted his own specials for CBS, HBO, A&E, and the BBC. His consulting company, Deceptive Practices (with partner Michael Weber), has supplied “Arcane Knowledge on a Need to Know Basis” for theater, television, and more than a score of films, including Forrest Gump, The Illusionist, and Oceans 13. He is the former curator of the Mulholland Library of Conjuring and the Allied Arts and has defined the terms of his profession for the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Cambridge Guide to American Theater. More information is available at rickyjay.com. Read more
Reviews
I have been a fan of Ricky Jay's work for a long time. He may be the most talented living close-up magician, but he is also the preeminent collector of all things odd and unusual. Every one of his books is a treat to read, no matter your interest in the subject matter. I pre-ordered this work as soon as it was available and have not been disappointed.There are few authors who care about their work as much as Jay. Every word is carefully selected, each picture is one of a kind, and even the design of the book is top notch. It's the type of book that you will want to display on a table rather than hide on a shelf. It's the perfect size for the subject matter and, thankfully, this is the kind of book that is so well done that it will never work as an ebook.Each chapter consists of one page of text and one full page print. Each picture is both interesting and beautiful. In fact, you may want to get two copies just so you can frame a few of the pictures from the book. Some of my favorite chapters include:Tossing The Broads - Jay's thoughts on the 3 card monteTwins - A Celebration of Siamese Twins (the print accompanying this chapter is one of the very best - twins sharing a mustache)Coffee - A History of the first Coffee Shops/Museums of the UnusualTaking It on The Chin - The Story of the best "musical face player"Misconception - Women who have given birth to animalsShot From A Cannon - The first woman to be shot from a cannon (one of my favorite prints)Death By Misadventure - The story of Chung Ling SooThere is not a clunker in the entire book. Each short essay and every picture are nearly perfect; in short, this is a collection not to be missed. Whether you are fascinated with the unusual, curious about the odd, or just a lover of books, this is a must.