Still basking in the distant glow of Rauschenberg, the reclusive John Hostler unleashed five powerful pieces of close-up magic in 2012's widely praised Cryptical Envelopment. Hostler's material rarely sees print, and his attention to detail makes these tricks worthy of careful study. This 41-page book features:

New Speedway Boogie – A slash-and-burn approach to the classic four card assembly.

Bertha – A distant cousin of Fred, Oscar, and Phil.

Alligator – A stunning demonstration of precognition, telepathy, and clairvoyance with a standard pack of playing cards.

Estimated Prophet – Aronson’s Shuffle-Bored masterpiece... with a borrowed deck.

Cryptical Envelopment – The book’s centerpiece. A spectator is thoroughly convinced that you have altered her memory.

Available at Lulu