Looking Foreword: One Degree

Nothing sets the stage for a new book like a great introduction. “Looking Foreword” is our new series where we give you exclusive sneak peeks at our upcoming titles through their prefaces, introductions, and of course, their forewords.

To start us off, we're getting ready for John Guastaferro's Final Degree by looking at where it all started. Please enjoy John Bannon's foreword from One Degree.

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I am very pleased to introduce you to the auteur of this marvelous collection of tricks, John Guastaferro. The reference to the film criticism auteur theory is apt because even a single magic trick requires an understanding and command over many disparate elements—theory, technique, construction, framework, presentation, performance and, in the case of explanation, the ability to communicate all of these elements to the reader. Most of us cobble these elements together and hope for the best. An auteur, on the other hand, combines these elements in a unified way and crafts a trick that has a distinctive, recognizable style.

Over the years, I’ve developed my own personal theories, areas of interest, and standards by which to judge whether a particular magic trick is a “good” trick— or not. This fundamental question cannot be answered merely by viewing the reactions of “street” people or filmed audiences. Sure, as we start out in magic, everything new is exciting simply because it is new, and because we have no standards with which to compare. I am sure we all remember those early heady days in magic and how much fun we had just taking it all in. As I have learned more and developed and refined my own thoughts, fewer new things meet those standards; fewer new things seem good. I can, and often do, cruise through a new magic book, mainly because it doesn’t take much to convince me to move on to the next trick. DVDs are even faster; I hardly ever need or want to watch the explanations and barely make it through the full performances.

So, imagine my surprise when about six years ago, I found myself watching every trick and every explanation on a new two-DVD set. The reason? John’s Brainstorm DVDs. The effects were good, the methods were direct and devious—even by sophisticated standards—and the tricks exhibited a high degree of care and craft. I was fascinated and engaged in a way I hadn’t been for a long time. As an example, on the Brainstorm DVDs, John performed a series of two packet tricks, "Intuition" and "Out of the Blue". The first trick, a Hofzinser-like packet transposition, had me puzzled. The second trick, where the backs started changing color, fooled me completely. The punch line, however, was at the 2009 MAGIC Live convention, when I met John in person and he fooled me again—with the same two tricks!

You’ll find these two tricks in this book, and a lot more. One Degree contains John’s greatest hits, and his latest spectacles—all thoroughly modern magic. In "Duplex Change", not only do you not see anything, the handling is so slick that you won’t suspect that anything could have been done. "Palm Reader Plus", lean and razor-sharp, will change the way you look at the classic Hofzinser with-a-kicker class of tricks—so efficient, you won’t see the kicker coming. John’s fabulous card-in-plastic luggage tag, "Lost And Found", is now officially “buried in print”—don’t overlook this one.

So, yeah, I’m a fan. And, yeah, I am excited about this book. Each trick is good, fresh, and finely wrought. This collection oozes style and substance from a true auteur. Meet John Guastaferro. And, no matter how jaded you are, remember the early heady days in magic and how much fun you had just taking it all in.

John Bannon
Chicago, Illinois
April, 2010