Hey guys!

Want to let you all know that Princeton University Press had just released a new magic tricks book, Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas that Animate Great Magic Tricks by the great Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham.

Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas that Animate Great Magic Tricks

Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks–and the profound mathematical ideas behind them–that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today’s mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath Principle–a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled–is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat’s last theorem.

Diaconis and Graham are mathematicians as well as skilled performers with decades of professional experience between them. In this book they share a wealth of conjuring lore, including some closely guarded secrets of legendary magicians. Magical Mathematics covers the mathematics of juggling and shows how the I Ching connects to the history of probability and magic tricks both old and new. It tells the stories–and reveals the best tricks–of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. Magical Mathematics exposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the thirteenth century and the oldest mathematical trick–and much more.

If any of you are into “Mathemagic”, this is the book that you don’t want to miss out. Review coming soon!

Hi there, my name is Matt and I would like to welcome you on board! Today, 15 December 2007 is the official launching date for The Magic Tricks Blog. This blog was scheduled to launch somewhere in July but because of some unavoidable problems, the launching is delayed till today.

I’ve put in a lot of time and efforts in designing and fine tuning the blog, and I’m really happy with what I have.

More posts will follow, I’ll focus more on magic tricks and if you have any tricks (videos/explanations) feel free to let me know.

Lastly, do subscribe via the RSS feed or email to get the latest updates from The Magic Tricks Blog. Remember to bookmark this site as well!

Thanks and enjoy your stay,

Matt