A Card Trick for The Machine

Posted: August 3rd, 2009 | Filed under: Media | 38 Comments »

In today’s world, it isn’t easy to sell books. Truth is, it has never been easy. Little known fact: Tolstoy was so discouraged by sales for “War and Peace” that he started a Facebook page for “Anna Karenina.” And you probably know that Walt Whitman sold copies of “Leaves of Grass” door to door, and was often heard to say, “I never should have agreed to do that Borders book signing, like four people showed up, even though I Twittered it for two weeks leading up.”

All of which leads to why I am doing poorly executed YouTube card tricks to promote The Machine. I actually did not come up with this idea on my own … I believe James Joyce was the first to use card tricks as a book promotional stunt. Anyway, here is the first card trick … it’s an homage to the This ‘N That card trick that got like 800 billion jillion hits. It is done about 800 billion jillion times worse BUT it has the unique advantage of having a copy of The Machine in the video.

38 Comments on “A Card Trick for The Machine”

  1. 1: Tyler said at 8:12 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    That’s actually pretty cool. Even though I preordered the book like two months ago, I just preordered another one because I am easily sucked into gimmicks. That’s why I own five Apple products.

  2. 2: Greg said at 8:34 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    So that’s how the Reds won all those games, sleight of hand?

    Cool trick. Inspired me to buy 4 books on magic.

  3. 3: Ted said at 9:26 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    The card trick was nice, but it was the Star Wars reference that hooked me.

  4. 4: Red said at 9:36 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    One wonders how many copies of “War and Peace” Tolstoy would have sold if he had kept his original title, “War: What is it Good For”

  5. 5: Red said at 9:40 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Just watched the video…very impressive. Joe, have you ever thought about becoming a hand model?

  6. 6: Matt said at 9:49 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    I always loved that card trick Joe. Your methods worked … I want your book even more now. Even though it will painfully remind of how the Sox had that series won.

  7. 7: John Q said at 10:31 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Here’s 3 things I’ve never been able to figure out about the Big Red Machine:

    1: How did they ever get beat by the 1973 Mets?

    2: Why did they trade Tony Perez after the 1976 season?

    3: How did they not win the west after aquiring Tom Seaver in 1977?

  8. 8: antoniomo said at 10:34 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Great trick, great promo. If only Tolstoy, Whitman and Joyce had had their own blog!

  9. 9: pokerpeaker said at 10:37 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    I’m such a sucker for stuff like this. I love magic. I think I’m going to quit journalism and become a wizard.

  10. 10: Spud said at 10:45 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    John Q – going by memory here, but:

    1. The Mets had Seaver-Matlack-Koosman and it was a five-game series with the last three in NY. Anything can happen.

    2. So Dan Driessen could play first base every day.

    3. The Dodgers were already pretty far ahead in mid-June when Seaver got to the Reds.

  11. 11: RamboDiaz said at 11:03 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Okay, so money’s tight and we’re trying to save as much as possible at my house, but…

    …

    … you had me at “Play the Game.” I’ll preorder this afternoon.

  12. 12: Ant Bham said at 11:04 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Google James Joyce + card tricks and first up is “Joe Posnanski >> Blog archives >> A Card Trick for the Machine”–which, as we all know, is a chapter title in ‘Finnegans Wake.’

  13. 13: stpat said at 11:15 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Hey Joe,
    Do you plan on writing a column for the Star sometime before, say, Labor Day?

    It’s going on 3 weeks man. What gives?

  14. 14: Jack said at 11:19 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Nice.

    Now there’s one other video on YouTube in which Joe appears. Here’s the first:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDC6-cfMYdc

  15. 15: Dark Side of the Mood said at 11:35 am on August 3rd, 2009:

    Might maybe think about adding the Cardinals to your deadline poll? Moves made in advance ought to count.

    I don’t see Joe as a hand model. Something about being master of his own domain…

  16. 16: FireDaytonBlog said at 2:16 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    That’s awesome. Can’t wait for 09/09/09

  17. 17: Micah said at 2:45 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    Nice card trick!

    Forgive me if I missed this, but what kind of a book tour are you going to be doing? That’s really where my only worry about preordering comes in – if you’re going to be in or near LA, I would absolutely love to come to a book signing, but bookstores often make you buy a copy of the book there if you want to get it signed, and a couple of times in the past I’ve ended up having to buy a second copy of a book I already ordered just so I can get it signed.

    Do you have any idea on that yet? If I can take a preordered book and get it signed, or if you’re simply not going to be in the area, I’ll preorder in heartbeat.

  18. 18: Ryan JL said at 3:07 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    Alright Joe, you got me.

    Consider the book preordered.

  19. 19: Sean said at 6:36 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    I’ve been reading the blog since day one and this card trick finally got me to pre-order.

  20. 20: Sean said at 6:38 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    can i also get a Brooklyn book tour stop?

  21. 21: Mike in Hawaii(accredited Brilliant Reader) said at 7:52 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    Apparently where I work has even better IT magicians, because they made the whole link disappear.

    As noted above, I am now an accredited Brilliant Reader for saying the Yuni Watch resembles rubbernecking on the highway. My only question is the title of Brilliant Reader permanent, or is it under constant evaluation?

  22. 22: Jon said at 10:17 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    Which Chicago are you talking about in the poll? The Cubs added a nice bullpen piece and took a flyer on a starter. Whereas the White Sox got a quality starter.

    Now the Cubs might be more useful actually because it gives Lou the flexibility to move Sean Marshall to starter and not have the ‘pen devoid of lefties whereas Peavy is injured. So it’s not as easy as it looks.

  23. 23: Bellwether Johnson said at 10:46 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    One wonders what card trick would represent the Kansas City Royals.

    Probably the card trick where your house burns down at the end.

  24. 24: ajnrules said at 11:20 pm on August 3rd, 2009:

    Wow. That trick blew me away. Now I have to order a third copy of the book. XD

    And Yuniesky got two hits today, the first time he did that since his first game with the Royals (on July 17). Perhaps it’s the start of the Betancourt Dynasty?

  25. 25: Shay said at 12:45 am on August 4th, 2009:

    I viewed the other Poz YouTube clip. Do I get a free bag with my pre-order?

  26. 26: Jonathan Ede said at 1:02 am on August 4th, 2009:

    Joe,

    I am a huge fan of your blog. I love how you are able to mix comedy with statistical analysis when looking at the Kansas City Royals.

    I am in my final year of college in Milwaukee, WI, studying journalism. I have been a huge Brewers fan for my entire life (I can feel your pain guys). Anyway, I started a blog on the Brewers, and major league baseball, this season. I would greatly appreciate if you took a look at it. I am trying to model my blog somewhat near yours, but not nearly the same thing. I guess instead of a Yuni watch, I could start a Kendall watch. I think they are almost equally bad. Anyways, thanks for your time. My blog url is

    brewcrewdaily.blogspot.com

    Thanks,
    Jonathan Ede

  27. 27: Red said at 7:31 am on August 4th, 2009:

    Mike @21, I believe the correct designation would be, “Mike, ABR”. Yes, I think it should go on your resume too.

  28. 28: Mikey said at 7:52 am on August 4th, 2009:

    Coincidentally, David Copperfield has started a Banny Log to promote his show in Vegas.

    For a magician, Copperfield is a pretty good student of pitching. He touts three keys to success: work fast, change speeds, and nail Claudia Schiffer daily. Interesting take.

  29. 29: Geoffrey said at 9:06 am on August 4th, 2009:

    Joe, don’t know if you saw the game at Tampa but…

    YUNIBOMB ALERT!

    That’s right, Yuni hit a homer! Is this the second coming of Bonds? Only time will tell

  30. 30: Steve said at 9:33 am on August 4th, 2009:

    The card trick that best represents the Royals is 52-pickup.

  31. 31: The Rookies » Blog Archive » Joe Posnanski Is An Actual Magician Now? said at 10:31 am on August 4th, 2009:

    [...] words, then cards? Pos, you are too perfect. Leave things for the rest of us. (Sidebar: The sequence of wins and losses in the video is [...]

  32. 32: AK said at 10:42 am on August 4th, 2009:

    No Banny Log? Even after he out-pitched James Shields, who received all the attention after the game? Come now, Joe, make it so.

  33. 33: Lou Doench said at 11:23 am on August 4th, 2009:

    BTW, on the poll question… the team that helped itself the most at the deadline was definitely Florida.

  34. 34: Steve said at 6:26 pm on August 4th, 2009:

    Snuggies for dogs?!?!
    http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32274668/ns/today-today_pets/

  35. 35: Sleepy Floyd said at 8:16 pm on August 4th, 2009:

    Joe!

    If the story is true, best of luck with the change. We will continue to consume from afar.

  36. 36: kbearz70 said at 9:02 pm on August 4th, 2009:

    saying there is a card trick that represents the Royals is an insult to cards tricks around the globe.

  37. 37: Bryan said at 9:36 pm on August 4th, 2009:

    If the Royals win the World Series you better write a guest column for the Star.

  38. 38: Paul said at 1:27 pm on August 5th, 2009:

    I’ve been ready to pre-order the book since you first announced it, but I’m waiting for a Kindle edition. Any word?

    Thanks.

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