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Geoff Latta: The Long Goodbye by Stephen Minch & Stephen Hobbs (Hardcover + DVD)


A magnum opus devoted to the coin magic of a giant of the field, Geoffrey Latta. THIS LIMITED EDITION FIRST PRINTING INCLUDES A BONUS DVD.
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Price: $80.00

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"He was that good. No, he was better--because no story, no book, no photograph, not even video, will ever truly capture what it was like to see those hands up close." -Jamy Ian Swiss

"I first met Geoff around 1982. At that time I considered myself quite accomplished with cards and coins. Well, after only a few short hours, I realized just how wrong I was. For the first time, I was seeing the very best! Geoff's techniques, his timing, his delivery -- perfect. He had an analytical way of thinking unlike anyone I had ever sat down with. If there was a faster way to get from point A to point B, Geoff figured it out. From then on, I spent much time with Geoff, and I can honestly say, from the first day I met him right up to the present, Geoff's talent was and is unequaled." -Mike Gallo

"So great was his prowess that one could stare right at the sleight-of-hand, and there was nothing to see, no hint of deception, because Geoff's execution was easy and natural perfection." -Eric Mead

"Geoff was a wonderful sleight-of-hand performer with coins and cards. He was creative and technically brilliant. His execution of the Retention of Vision Vanish, as well as the Diagonal Palm Shift and the Classic Pass were as good as I've ever seen. The construction of his routines is a testament to his ingenious way of thinking about magic. I only wish you could have seen him perform in person. He was an artist." -David Roth

Geoff made infrequent appearances, but when he did it was like having a visit from an Olympian. See, he was impressive, and dauntingly talented, but bless him, he was equally generous." -David Regal

"This is a book that has been a long time in coming. I have waited for 30 years to see it and it's finally here. This amazing book will go into your library next to Roth's Expert Coin Magic and J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic, as one of the core resources for coin magic. Geoff Latta's work is finally emerging from the underground into the light." - Peter Samelson

"The Long Goodbye – Latta on Coins is destined to be one of the pillars in the literature of coin magic. It should be in your library."Michael Close

The world of modern coin magic has awarded Geoffrey Latta towering status as an innovator and artist, second only to his mentor, David Roth. His underground reputation began in the 1970s and came to fruition in the 1980s, when a selection of his early work was featured in Richard Kaufman’s outstanding compilation, CoinMagic. His reputation has continued to grow and, years after his premature death, it has not waned.

The Long Goodbye presents all of Latta’s known coin magic, published and unpublished. It is a record of brilliant innovation that coin-magic aficionados will be absorbing, mastering and emulating for years to come.

Latta’s large body of work is presented in these pages, with attention paid not only to the sleights, but also to the subtle construction, psychology and choreography that were the hallmark of his magic; the broad strokes and the fine. It is a book that no one cognizant of Latta’s accomplishments will hesitate to place beside the classic texts on coin magic.

344 pages. Over 720 photographs. 48 tricks including over 25 sleights.

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Customer Reviews (showing 1 - 10 of 14)
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A long wait but well worth it Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on September 27th, 2018
Many years ago Jamy Ian Swiss told anyone who would listen about the amazing work of Latta. At that point, Latta was an underground legend known to a small part of the magic community.The only way to see any of his work was to find someone who had a copy of what came to be known as "The Pink Purse Tape." If you could find someone to sell you a duplicate it was beyond expensive for the time. I saw it once and was blown away.
Later, Jamy in his "John the Baptist" role for Latta convinced him to lecture at the LVMI. I was there and the lecture was great. Latta lived up to his hype.
I kept trying to get a copy of the tape (never did) and remembered his lecture with something like religious fervor. When I heard that the book was published (I had heard rumors of the book for years) I immediately bought one. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the back of the volume. Included was part of the "Pink Purse Tape."
This book is beautifully produced with clear prose and many helpful photographs. I don't think that it is hyperbole to say that this book will take its place with Bobo and Roth. Latta was a brilliant inventor and his construction of routines is second to no one. If you are at all interested in coin magic (and you should be) this is a must buy.
Working through this volume will teach the reader many lessons, some of which can be used for cards or other types of routines. I hope that another volume is in the works with Geoffrey's card work. The DVD only contains the coin work part of the tape. There was lots of very important teaching on cards as well and this teaching is certainly worth another book.
The only way that you would go wrong with this book is if you left it on the shelf and never worked through it. It deserves better than that. By it; study it; sneak a vanish or an appearance into your own routine and you will see how good this is.
Don't wait too long, the work may sell out. This may be the most important book on coin magic to be published in the last five, or even ten years. Get it now and you will not be disappointed.
14 of 14 magicians found this helpful.
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Wow Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 2nd, 2018
I know Geoff Latta's wbrk mostly from the 16 volumes I own of the New York Coin Magic Seminar. I have worked on many of his routines that are a cut above the rest. CopSilBrass is a great example of his genius.

I can count the number of great coin magic books on my two hands... many of which are decades older or longer. It is not often we get a new book that is invaluable and a must own for every coin magician. This is it.

I received the book with the bonus dvd and have been working on his one coin routine ever since... Amazing work. Amazing man. This book is a wonderful and well deserved tribute
6 of 6 magicians found this helpful.
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Not the content ... Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 20th, 2018
but the layout is what I'd like to give a comment about. I long thought about if I should write this or not. Because the material in the book is great, as everything I know from Geoff Latta. However, the last years I have noticed the tendency to publish material(if printed, i.e. books, or in other form)in smaller and smaller font sizes. This is annoying and discriminates everyone who has not 100% eye sight (like me - even with glasses I have at best 80%). So the book is very hard to read for me. In addiiton, the fotos in the book are also very small. Further, why publish books in such unusual formats - this needs only additional space on my book shelves I could use better. So, I hope some publisher and editors will realize that it would be at least more pleasure to read books wiht a layout that can be read easily, even if you don't have an eyesight like an eagle.
7 of 9 magicians found this helpful.
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Also Not The Content Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 28th, 2018
I agree 100% with Thomas Henkel's review. I think the content within the pages you will find some great work on coin magic but for $80 dollars the layout could be much better. Why they made the book this odd size and small print on a magic book where you have to re-read a lot when trying to learn a effect. Also the pictures could be a better quality, larger and not so dark.
I do not think the book is not worth $80, more on the line of 55-60.
5 of 5 magicians found this helpful.
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This will be a classic coin book Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 27th, 2018
This is a great book on close up coin magic.
This should not be your first book on coins, you
need to know the palms before reading this book.

The book has 300 pages. The first 50 pages cover moves,
the rest is routines.
The DVD show you some of the items from the book.

The routines are practical. Most of the routines
can be done surrounded with no lapping.
There is no sleeving or topiting.

This will be a classic coin book.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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the long goodbye Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 19th, 2018
guys get this book, i have been a coin worker here in australia for many years and am considered to be the best in australia and i can tell you that this book will give you many hours of learning pleasure - GET IT NOW you will not be disapointed. errol
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
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Beautiful Book Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 21st, 2018
Beautiful book although I'm not a fan of the horizontal layout. At least it's easy to locate on the shelf! Great ideas and thoughts in this book. This will keep me busy for awhile.
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Hello Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 18th, 2018
There is good and then there is really good....and then there is Geoff Latta. I don't say The Long Goodby, I say "Hello."
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INSTANT CLASSIC Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 18th, 2018
Geoff Latta's Coin Magic is superb! The production is top notch. The book size and weight is easy to study. The "Pink Purse Tape" DVD illustrates Geoff's genius, skill, and personality. You can see the Genius and the Pain simultaneously.
It is easy to see why most of the sleights and subtleties used today by all top coin workers are only possible through His talent and generosity.
Nothing in this work is "filler" or "theory". Rather, this is Geoff's best and brilliant creations; including his subtleties and tips for how and why they are so successful!

Highest Recommendation!

Thanks Penguin...and I am looking forward to Geoff's CARD Magic in the future!
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Woderfull Report this review
Verified buyer Pro Privacy ON (login to see reviewer names) on October 18th, 2018
Awesome book! The dvd with it is awesome too, it is very interesting to see Latta perform a few effects. Highly recomended.
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