Vernon Chronicles

See also Chronicles the magazine.

The Vernon Chronicles were a series of books published by L & L about Dai Vernon's magic.

With Dai Vernon's permission, a small amount of the material from the "Castle Notebooks" was used in "The Vernon Chronicles."

Volume 1 - The Lost Inner Secrets (1987)

Written by Stephen Minch and edited by Bruce Cervon it contains more than fifty sleights, tricks and routines with cards and coins. Included are insights into the thinking and psychology that is known as "The Vernon Touch," and historical anecdotes. Numerous photos and pieces of memorabilia from The Professor's private collection were also added, as well as a biographical essay on him by Elizabeth Wilson.

Volume 2 - More Lost Inner Secrets (1988)

The Vernon Chronicles, Vol. 2: More Lost Inner Secrets

Contains hapters of impossible card locations, transpositions, ace tricks, linking ring moves, silk routines and even a trick with walnuts.

Volume 3 - Further Lost Inner Secrets (1989)

The Vernon Chronicles, Vol. 3: Further Lost Inner Secrets

This book contains an essay, which surveys a cross section of the close-up magic being done by New York City during the 1920s and 1930s by Bill Miesel. Prominent there were Dai Vernon and his friends; people like Sam Horowitz, Ted Annemann and Luis Zingone.

Mr. Miesel picked some of their more intriguing effects and, in collaboration with Dai Vernon, Max Maven, Bruce Cervon and Stephen Minch, the methods were reconstructed as accurately as is possible. This study is an imporatant historical document, and revealing in the life of Dai Vernon.

It explains of the legendary "Joker Monte" trick that Mr. Vernon used to baffle fellow magicians.

Also magic from Dai Vernon's friends including Arthur Finley, Sam Horowitz, Henry Christ, Dr. Daley, Faucett Ross, Herb Zarrow and Bruce Cervon.

Volume 4 - He Fooled Houdini: Dai Vernon A Magical Life (1992)

An anecdotal biography of Dai Vernon from his birth to his arrival at Hollywood's Magic Castle in 1963.

Dai discusses his approaches on: "Attack on Magic", "Practice", "On Using Trick Cards", "Secrets", Effects Defined", "Shade", "Authority", "Great Tricks", "Classics" and "What's Wrong With Magic".

Dai describes his idols (Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser and Max Malini) inspirations (Nate Leipzig, Dr. James Elliott and J. Warren Keane) and other magicians including Harry Houdini, Jud Cole, Fred Keating, Jarrow, Cliff Green, and Tommy Downs.

Deluxe Collector's Edition

This set was released as a numbered collector's edition and signed by Vernon. Each book was specially bound with it's own gold stamped slipcase.

Each book also has a special item tipped in:

• A reproduction of the Professor's personal notebook, written in his own hand.
• Seagram's Mental Tricks - reproduction of a giveaway trick designed by Vernon in 1932.
• Young & Robin Color Photo - This photo was taken 50 years after his famous Hal Phyfe photo (same pose).
• A playing card that belonged to and was actually used by him along with a certificate of provenance.
• Letter hand signed by the Chronicles team, Louis Falanga (publisher), Bruce Cervon (producer) and Stephen Minch (author).