The FFFF Book
To put it simply, The FFFF Book is a collection of memories and effects from the Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic convention from 1970 to 2011!
There are dozens of contributors, each a member of the convention at one time or another. Such magicians include Pit Hartling, Paul Gertner, Steve Beam, Doc Eason, Phil Goldstein, Herb Zarrow, Allan Slaight, Earl Oakes, Tom Craven, Gary Plants, Obie O'Brien, Sid Lorraine, and many more! The effects explained throughout this book cover cards to coins, even a few ring and match tricks to break things up.
The routines are so diverse and range in skill level, this book should not be overlooked. The memories that are contained in it, both of the 4F convention and of Eddie Fechter, are very telling too. You're not quite "there with them," but you most certainly want to be.
What's really interesting is that this book took more than 20 years to put together. From the Foreword:
Magic books often take much longer than planned to get published, by The FFFF Book has taken a really long time! The original book, what was to be the third in the Magic from the Forks series, was planned for the 20th anniversary of FFFF. And since the gathering this last April was the 41st... well you can do the math!
Where to buy?
Last I checked, you should be able to pick up The FFFF Book at Vanishing Inc. The last price tag I saw for this book was set at $50.00.
Contents of The FFFF Book
Foreword by Charlie Randall
Prologue
- I Remember the Forks by Dick Cook
- A Few FFFF Pranks & Flops
The FFFF'ers
- A Card Stab by Carl Andrews Jr.
- The Layover by Steve Beam
- Cap in Bottle by Ray Ben
- One-Finger Vanish by Glenn Brown
- Transporter by Harry J. Carroll
- Too Puzzling by Steve Cohen
- Manchurian Candidate by Dick Cook
- Flexible Ring Flight by Del Copley
- All Backs Routine by Tom Craven
- Triple Decker Sandwich by Eric Dockery
- The Steel Balls by David Drake
- Hybrid Coin by Steve Dushek Jr.
- Crystal Ball Delight by Bill "Doc" Eason
- Mes Seau Rouge by Ed Eckl
- Triple Coincidence by Tony Econ
- Plunger Rising Cards by Neil Elias
- The Saxon Card Rise by Harry Franke
- The Pinch Switch by Dan Garrett
- Unshuffled by Paul Gertner
- Karate Match by Bill Goldman
- Spelling the Future by Phil Goldstein
- Houdini Outdone by Joe Hammer
- Unforgettable by Pit Hartling
- No Sleight of Hand Knife Thru Handkerchief by Reg Holden
- "A New Coin Fold" by Norm Houghton
- An Advertising Piece by Cap't. Bill James
- Dracula Goes Wild by James Krenz
- Signed, Sealed Delivered in Advanced by Gary Kurtz
- The Slothful Mentalist by Gary Kurtz
- Prefiguration Refigured by David Lederman
- Fastest Overhand Shuffle Stack by Harry Lorayne
- To Vanish a Card by Sid Lorraine
- An Arresting Opening for a Coin Routine by Dan McDonald
- P.T.E.B.O. by Mike McGiven
- R.M. Dice Stacking Routine by Ray Mertz
- Irish Poker by Chuck Meyer
- The Growing Penny by Chuck Meyer
My Early Memories of Eddie by Bill Miesel
The FFFF'ers (continued)
- A Clean Nudist by Bill Miesel
- First Class Backfire by Dave Neighbors
- Quickshot by Dave Neighbors
- Ring Vanish by Earl Oakes
- The Matching Color Mates by Obie O'Brien
- Coins to Glass by Michael O'Dowd
- What I Could Have Had by Tom Ogden
- A Card Control by Gary Plants
- Floating Aces by Joe Riding
- The Mr. Aces Routine by Mike Robinson
- Flash Coins Across by Rocco
- The Hay-Dai Stack by Mike Skinner
- Jacks are Better by Allan Slaight
- No Shoots - No Slides - No Slits by Dr. Robert Smith
- Ring Hank Penetration by Warren Stephens
- Two Card Backfire Matrix by Mark Tams
- Two Thimble Vanishes by Pete Tappan
- Heartburn by Scott Wells
- Double-Snap by Robert Wicks
- Perverse Open Spelling by David Williamson
- "HI!" Sign by Phil Willmarth
- A Business Card Trick by Frank Zak
- Coincidentally Yours by Herb Zarrow
- The Non-Invisible Pass by Hal Zeve
- Immigrant by Ron Zollweg
Appendix