Celebrations of Curious Characters Hardcover – May 24, 2011

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.

I’m a real fan of Ricky Jay but this book was pretty disappointing.

I gave it as a gift to a fellow Ricky Jay fan. He loved it.I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Ricky

An absolutely beautiful book....the subject matter and writing are also wondrous, and its old-fashioned embossed hardback cover and gorgeous design are a perfect marriage to its contents. Everyone should have this book.

Ricky Jay writes an informational, entertaining book celebrating curious characters. Pictures are quality. Paper & print are easy to read. I'm glad we purchased all the Ricky Jay books we have.

nicely produced book, but 'thin.'

Very disappointed, have not finished it, but it is boring.

I have known Ricky Jay for years, and own almost all of his books which are always very good reading.

Snapshots of oddities from an expert in the field.

In questo libro l’autore racconta aneddoti e piccole biografie, su personaggi del passato legati al mondo della Magia, del Circo e dei Side Shows.Si trovano cose molto interessanti e particolari, anche non prettamente legate al mondo dello spettacolo, il primo locale che vendeva caffè, rigurgitatori del XVII secolo, freaks del 1600, il giocatore d’azzardo George Devol, la Magia negli scritti di Dickens, serial killers del diciottesimo secolo, la truffa del Bottle Conjurer, topi ammaestrati, e tantissimi altri curiosi personaggi, che escono fuori dalla collezione storica di Ricky Jay.Non ci sono spiegazioni di effetti, ma tanti, tantissime informazioni per arricchire in modo curioso, intelligente e raffinato il patter dei vostri effetti, o per creare nuovi effetti in contesti inusuali.Il libro e’ molto particolare e curato, la parte “rossa” della copertina e’ di stoffa, per ogni personaggio o aneddoto vengono uutilizzate due pagine, quelle a sinistra riportano una riproduzione di stampe o giornali dell’epoca, le pagine a destra riportano la storia, senza continuare nelle pagine successive. Davvero comodo.Un libro molto consigliato anche per la particolarità di certe storie, sopratutto a chi piace rendere ricche le proprie presentazioni con una strizzata d’occhio alla Bizarre Magick.

I think Ricky Jay's books are some of the most interesting books on topics that really bring colour to history. Besides being probably one of the best close-up magicians in the world, Mr. Jay is a fantastic writer and story-teller. Over the years I've bought every book he has written - including Cards as Weapons. I'm a real fan who hopes there will be many more books coming from Ricky Jay in the future.