Concerning the Palming of Cards by John Galsworthy

I had never heard the name John Galsworthy before reading this book, and I have a feeling most of my readers won’t be familiar with him either. He states in his Foreword that he is not a magician; he just loves card moves and has continued to work with cards long after he gave up magic. What he presents throughout this book is his take on classic palming moves that he has refined to feel as effortless and tension-free as possible.

After the Foreword, we get an Introduction that admits proficiency with palming is expected out of the reader, but even so, he teaches the basic way to classic palm a card and how you can maneuver the grip to have different options to keep the palming hand looking natural. It also discusses the mental hurdle of hiding the palm completely in the intended/motivated action which is the ultimate goal.

It feels inappropriate to break down each and every palm in the book and look at them in-depth, because how much can I really say about the differentiation of one palming technique to the next? Instead, I’ll discuss each section as a group.

First, we get the Top Palms that allow us to palm the top card(s) of the deck. The Berg Palm is a really great two-handed top palm that feels free of tension and very casual. I have a feeling it will become my go-to top palm. His take on Topping the Deck makes it feel especially easy and casual. John also covers the One-Handed Top Palm and the Hugard Top Palm (the top card palmed into the left hand.)

Next John covers Bottom Palms that–as you expect–allow us to palm the bottom card of the deck. He covers two versions of the Erdnase Bottom Palm which brings the palmed card into the left hand, and the Leipzig Bottom Palm which brings the bottom card into the right hand. He then goes over how to use the Leipzig Palm as a Colour Change. John also teaches his take on the Malini Change. In this section, I found his thoughts on the Erdnase Bottom Palm to be enlightening. His small adjustments make a big difference in the move.

The penultimate section is all about Palm Steals. Here, he covers the Side Steal and the Diagonal Palm Shift. I know a lot of performers get really excited about the Diagonal Palm Shift, but I’ve never been a huge fan. I think it's needlessly complex and I’d prefer to have the chosen card in my right palm afterward, but that said, John's teaching is the best I’ve seen on it. His work on the Side Steal is really great. Again, his small touches make a big difference in application.

The last section contains some Miscellaneous Moves like the Top Card Palm Replacement, a Palm-to-Palm Transfer, and a Box Load that is pretty unique. His top card replacement is pretty run of the mill as is the palm-to-palm transfer, but the Box Load is unique if a little unnecessary. John even labels it as “a novelty, a plaything, a piece of frippery.”

The book ends with a brief Conclusion and a References section that contains other places to look if you want to learn more.

The big takeaway for me is that John has put a lot of attention to refining these palms until it is the minimal amount of movement and tension needed to execute the palms. This is across the board. I was worried it would be difficult to follow the small intricacies in a written format, but I had no trouble at all, and if anything, I thought it provided extra clarity at times. I have never been a big card palm guy, but with just a little bit of effort, these palms are all achievable even for mere mortals like me, and he tips the real deal details that make the palms invisible from beginning to end.

Available here:

http://vaninc.org/YBA6Z