To learn more about the life and time of Dai Vernon get this book "The Vernon Chronicles, Volume 4 - He Fooled Houdini, Dai Vernon a Magical Life." It contains many fascinating anecdote about Dai's Life, but only a few magic tricks. There are very few copies of this book available and it is, without a doubt, the hardest of all the "Vernon Chronicles" to find. To the amateur magician who is only interested in the latest trick this is not the book to get, however if you are a magician that wants a greater comprehension of a Master Magician then this is an excellent start. It shows the thinking process of one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century. Not only has Vernon influenced many young magicians, he has personally known many great magicians of the past. For example: Nate Leipzig, Cardini, Malini, and Harry Houdini. He also knew Tommy Downs (The King of Koins), Harry Blackstone, and many others. Vernon talks about all these great magicians in this book. If you are interested in the history of magic then this is a gem of a book so get it while it is still available.