The title "Secrets - Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow, ..." suggests a lot, but these are merely the interpretations and versions of U. F. Grant to some of the classics of Malini, Leipzig, Vernon, Jarrow and others. Grant uses only one page to describe each effect and method. This book is therefore to some degree a disappointment. Nevertheless I think it is a cheap way to learn the plots and a method to several of the greatest tricks of all time. Just don't expect very detailed descriptions. Grant displays in this book an arrogant writing style with comments like 'This is good' or "The best method" or "Fools all".
U. F. Grant is a man of many ideas, most of which have been enthusiastically received by other magicians, and some of which have seemed to us to be unusually novel and practicable. We have often felt that Mr. Grant underestimated the importance of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and neatness in preparing his publications, which have usually appeared in very imperfect mimeographing. For some time now, a considerable number of Grant's Secrets have been available, in single mimeographed sheets, at the price of 35 cents each or three for a dollar. At last they can be had in a far more attractive and more durable form; for the author has had them edited, re-typed, reduced to six-by-nine inch pages printed by the offset process, and bound into a good-looking, substantial, gold-stamped cloth cover. There are 48 pages (that is, 48 tricks) in all, which at the old price would have cost sixteen dollars. In their vastly improved format, they now sell for five dollars or a trifle more than ten cents a trick.
We cannot take the space that would be required even to list these tricks, much less to describe them in detail. We may say that Mr. Grant has ranged pretty well over the whole field of magic, describing sleight-of-hand, mental feats, escapes, comedy effects, patter for tricks, Chinese magic, and stage illusions. There is a little of everything in Secrets, and probably enough usable material to make every purchaser feel that he has received his money's worth. It should be noted, however, that Mr. Grant's style is very concise, as will be evident when it is remembered that he uses only one page to explain each trick. The result is an absence of detail which some readers may miss.
The author has drawn not only upon his own stock of ideas but upon other magicians for some of his effects; and a recital of some of the "secrets" that are associated here with well-known names in magic will give a notion of the variety to be found in this little volume. We note, then, The Cards Up the Sleeve (George DeLawrence's method, performed with great success by Tommy Martin), The Button Off the Vest (a la Malini), The Card Stabbing Trick (again by Malini), The Super Telephone Trick (which, says Mr. Grant, has sold for $15.00), Grant's Brain Wave Trick (after Dai Vernon), The Bank Note in the Lemon (Garrow), Grant's Double Exchange Illusion (a stage illusion that requires very little equipment), The Thurston Rising Cards (as performed by Leipzig), The Gloves to Dove (as performed by Blackstone), and The Cut and Restored Electric Light Wire (by Mr. Grant).
Though this list includes most of the famous names mentioned in the book, it includes only about one-fifth of the tricks that are explained here. We cannot help hoping that those who like Mr. Grant's writings will think it desirable to own this book. We should like to see him get away from the publication of badly mimeographed manuscripts.
