Harris, Paul: Art of Astonishment, Book 1
Pieces of Strange to Unleash the Moment
©1996, 1st Edition. Paul Harris. Pub by A-1 MultiMedia, CA
Hardbound, large format, 310 pages

Comments (Bill Duncan): Art of Astonishment (AoA) series includes some incredible off the wall magic from Paul Harris and others.

Contents: (page number, effect title, title of book effect originally appeared in, description)

3 "What Does ""Additional Writing by Eric Mead"" Mean"
5 P.H on Astonishment (Astonishment Is Our Natural State Of Mind) Essay: Paul makes the case that children see the world with astonishment and good magic returns us to that state.
11 Buck Naked (from New Stuff) The 'bent corner' principle used in Seductive Switch is used with currency to provide a bill switch gimmick.
23 Unshuffling Rebecca (New Stuff) A Triumph-like effect that is light on the sleight of hand.
27 Light and Heavy Dime (New Stuff) Odd effect wherein a spectator cannot lift a coin. Ever!
29 Backlash (New Stuff) A 'no palm' card to pocket transposition effect.
31 Improv Nightshades (New Stuff) Sunglasses drawn on a dollar bill flip up to show George's eyes.
35 Apple (New Stuff) Torn and restored Mackintosh, or Granny Smith or Golden Delicious...
37 Lip Balm (New Stuff) Okito box-like effect using a common drugstore item.
41 P.H Vanishing Deck (First Piece) Remove a deck from it's case, cover it with your hand. Remove the Joker from the top, wave it over the hand and the deck vanishes only to appear back in the box.
47 My Dinner with P.H. (Magic of Paul Harris) Essay
51 Illusion (Magic of Paul Harris) A card, placed between two Jacks vanishes and reappears face up in the center of the pack.
55 Color Stunner (Magic of Paul Harris) Simple color changing deck routine.
59 Flip Flop Plop (Magic of Paul Harris) Card control based on the Three Card Monte toss.
63 Bayberry Bag Swindle (Magic of Paul Harris) One cup, cup and ball routine using a paper lunch sack. ( You should produce an apple at the end... it's a lunch bag after all )
67 Think of a Card (Magic of Paul Harris)
71 Deep Thought (Magic of Paul Harris) Two methods - a deck is fanned, one card is upjogged. A spectator names any card (no force) and it proves to be the very card. (Left-handed magi take note: this requires that you handle the deck as a right-handed person does)
75 Silver and Aces (revised) (Magic of Paul Harris) Gaff to carry and produce four coins for a card/coin routine such as ...
79 Giant Killer Coin (Magic of Paul Harris) Paul's Matrix follow-up with a giant coin finish.
83 Rip-Off Reverse (Magic of Paul Harris) Paul's first 'impromptu flap card' effect which came to full fruition in 'Buck Naked'.
87 Flash Fold (Magic of Paul Harris) Dead simple signed business card to matchbox using an ingenious gaff.
95 LaLa's LuLu aka The Phantom aka Cue Cards Etc (revised) (Intimate Secrets) Inspired by Larry Jenning's classic 'The Visitor'.
99 Dehydrated Deck (lntimate Secrets) A small packet is unfolded and assembled into a card case. The case is opened and a deck is removed!
101 Bizarre Twist (Intimate Secrets) A Harris Classic: two face down red aces are used to sandwich the ace of spades which is positioned at a right angle (crosswise) to the red aces. The cards are twisted ala Twisting the aces and the spade visibly turns from face down to face up. This is repeated and on the third turn the back visibly changes from blue to red!
105 Curley Cue Move (lntimate Secrets) Randy Holt's odd flourish where a one handed fan springs from the top of the pack.
107 Solid Deception (lntimate Secrets) A short ambitious card routine which ends with the deck being welded into a solid block.
113 Ultimate Rip-off (Super Magic) A torn and restored card using only ONE playing card.
119 Ultimate Rip-off: Dancing with the Last Piece (Super Magic) Further thoughts on the Ultimate Rip-off
121 Double Monte (Super Magic) Two aces change places with one queen. A follow up for Three Card Monte
123 Earth Shoes (Super Magic) Complaining of a stone in his shoe the performer removes the shoe and dumps a foot-sized rock out of it and onto the floor!
125 Grasshopper (revised) (Super Magic) A card jumps from between one pair of kings to the other.
127 Open Revelation (revised) (Super Magic) Two one-handed fans are waved over the table and a face up ace appears. The fans are shown on both sides and another aces is produced. In this way all four aces are produced.
131 Three-Way Display (Super Magic) Another flourish: the deck is cut into three one handed fans.
133 Machine Gun Aces (Super Magic) The Peter Kane/Ken Krenzel bullet trick is pushed into service to create a deck/pistol which fires aces.
135 Pain (Super Magic) A card is placed on the table. A shirt pin is stuck into the card (point into the table) and the magician slams his hand down onto the pin, raises his hand and the card is 'pinned' to his palm.---Don't Even THINK About Actually Doing This!---
137 Re-Set (Super Magic) Perhaps the most imitated and 'improved' of Paul Harris' effects. Two packets, aces and jacks are shown. Jacks are placed on the table and aces are held in the hands. One at a time the aces change places with the jacks. For a kicker ending the four jacks "reset" and become aces once again. All without going anywhere near the jacks on the table.
143 Re-Set Options (Super Magic) Further thoughts twenty years after the original publication of Re-Set.
145 Torn and Restored Coin (Super Magic) Just what it says...
147 Las Vegas Split (Super Magic) The magician tells the tale of a Blackjack game where he was dealt a pair of deuces. He makes good by splitting the deuces into four aces. Then the four jacks are produced to make four winning hands!
153 Flash Control (Super Magic) A flourish and control
155 Ace Trap (Super Magic) A four ace routine where a trap (made of cards) is baited with one ace to collect the other three.
157 Hi Ho Silver (Super Magic) A coin vanish using the deck for cover.
159 Vacuum Cleaner Cards (Super Magic) A very funny four ace routine with a script full of bad puns and innuendo. A lesson in entertaining with playing cards!
165 Care and Feeding of P.H. (Las Vegas Close-Up) Very short essay by Chuck Martinez on Paul Harris
167 Stapled (Las Vegas Close-Up) Two Jokers are stapled together. A signed card changes places with one of the stapled cards and is now stapled to the other joker!
171 Over Exposure (Las Vegas Close-Up) The deck is turned into a disposable camera (using a Queen as a flash Cube) and magic ensues...
175 Absorption (Las Vegas Close-Up) A card ins 'absorbed' into the card case during an amusing 'memory test'. Paul calls this a 'sort of cardician's whoopee cushion'.
181 AeroDynamic Dollar (Las Vegas Close-Up) A bill is folded into a propeller and nailed to the ceiling. Card on the Ceiling without the card!
185 Las Vegas Leaper (Las Vegas Close-Up) The best, and one of the easiest Cards Across routines ever created.
187 Leap of Faith (Las Vegas Close Up) Bill Malone's take on 'Las Vegas Leaper'
189 New Twisted Collectors (Las Vegas Close-Up) J.C.Wagner and Alan Ackerman's hybrid of 'Twisting The Aces' and 'The Collectors'
191 Gambler vs. Mentalist vs. Magician (Las Vegas Close-Up) Another lesson in presentation... this time a Triumph routine.
195 Looy's False Count (Las Vegas Close-Up) A clever gag based on a line from the classic horror novel Dracula.
197 Cros-Twist (Las Vegas Close-Up) A one-handed version of the Bizarre Twist (page 101).
197 Silver Slide (Las Vegas Close-Up) Four cards are slipped from the deck and placed on the table. A coin is vanished and the spectator is asked to guess under which card it will appear. After revealing that the spectator guessed correctly the magician moves the other cards to show that he made sure the spectator wouldn't miss as there are coins under every card!
205 Cardician's Blendo (Las Vegas Close-Up) After missing twice (4 of diamonds, 6 of diamonds) the magician takes the two incorrect cards and blends them into the selection (10 of diamonds)
207 Invisible Rising Card (Las Vegas Close-Up) A Invisible Deck routine without the trick deck!
211 Paper Chase (Las Vegas Close-Up) Chink-A-Chink with paper balls
213 Korem's Card on Tie (Las Vegas Close Up) A selected card appears pinned on the performers necktie.
217 Perpetual Motion Coin Myth (Las Vegas Close-Up) An impossible (!?!) coin flourish
219 Interlaced Vanish (Las Vegas Close-Up) 223 Interlaced Space (Las Vegas Close-Up) Three cards, face down between the four kings, vanish!
225 Uncanny (Las Vegas Close-Up) A one cup, cup and ball routine using a Beenie Weenie can. At the end the can fills with Beenie Weenies so that you enjoy a hot meal!
231 Air (Misc. Pieces of Paul) The air in your lungs changes places with the helium in a balloon.
233 Classic 11 Card Trick (Misc. Pieces of Paul) Paul reinvents the classic 11 card trick with hilarious results and adds the revelation of a selected card for a climax.
241 Cheap Juggler (Misc. Pieces of Paul) Pennies are balanced on edge which would be very impressive if you didn't reveal that they have been stapled together!
247 Creation (Astonishing Friends) Patrick Martin's method for creating a live moth from a paper cocoon.
251 Griffin Under Glass (Astonishing Friends) Card through a glass topped table! Card can be signed...
253 Silver Mirage (Astonishing Friends) a graceful coin vanish and reproduction.
255 Within Your Reach (Astonishing Friends) A odd bit of physical magic where you arm apparently stretches.
257 Grippo's Wish (Astonishing Friends) Jimmy Grippo's handling of Slydini's Silk Knots
261 Orange (Astonishing Friends) a novelty method of sculpting an orange peel.
267 Who the Heck is Gregory Wilson? (Gregory Wilson) 269 Wilson on P.H (Gregory Wilson) Essays
271 License to Thrill (Gregory Wilson) Greg Wilson's full presentation and method of Paul effect License (your drivers license changes places with a spectators)
277 411 (Gregory Wilson) Telephone mentalist. A random number from the phone directory is called to determine a randomly selected object.
285 Shell-Shock (Gregory Wilson) Coin in Egg
285 Vanish 5000 (Gregory Wilson) No TT version of the vanishing sugar trick
287 Molotov Cocktail (Gregory Wilson) Vanishing Ice Cube
289 ReCap (Gregory Wilson) Full routine using only a stick style ball point pen and cap. Cap vanishes, pen vanishes, audience laughs...
303 Tunnel Vision (Conversations from the Edge)
305 House Guest (Conversations from the Edge) Two very odd ideas that even Paul can't make into a trick... yet.