Backstory

overview
the
BackStory
project
magic: 30 years in the making
overview
welcome
to
BackStory
introduction by Chris Wasshuber
Ben Harris has for more than three decades created and invented unique
magic effects. His output is stunning and his miracles are amazing. The
only one I would dare to compare Ben with is Lubor Fiedler, who has
exhibited a similar knack to take new materials and concepts and bring
them into magic to create entirely new methodologies and achieve new
effects.
All too often we see in magic little incremental improvements, a touch

here, a twist there and a subtlety over there. So much I love these little
touches and improvements, it is quite another achievement to develop an
entirely new method or effect. And it is even more amazing to do this
consistently over the course of three decades. And Ben Harris has done
that. The record of his creations speaks volumes.
If for example one looks at effects such as "Epic Flight", "Cosmosis" or the
"Enlightenment" gimmick then it becomes clear that Ben Harris has a
special gift to create unique and amazing magic effects. Besides his
groundbreaking inventions where a new material, gimmick or concept is
introduced Ben also exhibits the skills of what I would call the skills of a
'magic engineer'. A magic engineer is someone who takes known bits and
pieces, moves, principles, subtleties, performing concepts, etc. and puts
them together in a skillful way to create something entirely new -
something practical - something beautiful. If for example we take his
most recent creation "Crossroads" then his accomplishments as magic
engineer become apparent. No individual part of the method of
Crossroads is entirely new or unique to Ben Harris. However, Ben has
engineered from known elements something completely new and
wonderfully amazing. For me it is clear: Ben is a magic genius.
With his BackStory project Ben shows great care about the history of
magic and his understanding of things to come. How much better off
would magic be if every magician would have carefully documented his
creative legacy? How many creations have been lost because of
incomplete documentation? Like other creative magicians in the past,
Ben is using new technology, in Ben's case digital technology, to achieve
his goal to document his creations. I can only hope that other prolific
magicians follow Ben's lead and digitize their creative magic output. It
will help all of us to stand on the shoulders of giants.
Thank you Ben for being one of those giants who care to share.
Chris Wasshuber
(Lybrary.com)
An odd moment from Quarks & Quirks
the
BackStory
project
The BackStory Project is a definitive effort to digitize the

entire back catalog of Ben Harris’ magic creations.
Harris released his first effect, “Needled” in 1979. Since then, there have been dozens
of books, dozens more manuscripts, magazine articles, 40 plus individual trick items,
magic related articles for the mainstream media, lecture notes, etc. Truly, a lifetime’s
worth of work in this wonderful field we love—close-up magic!
Following recent and tragic family events, Ben has decided to “put his house in order”
and to answer the occasional past call of book publishers, “When will the Big Book of
Ben be ready?”
“I used to laugh at such thoughts, but now I see a method to the madness. I can’t just
leave all those ideas and effects ‘lost at sea’ they must be brought home.”
So, in a massive undertaking, every available item released since 1979 is being fully
digitized. A partial bibliography follows, and if you treat this as the skeleton upon
which we’ll grow this project, you can then appreciate it’s enormity. The material is
NOT simply being scanned. All items (books, tricks, manuscripts, etc) are being re-
typeset and redesigned so as to be fresh, consistent, and digitally friendly. By making
small chunks available as the project continues, it will we hope, make the exercise
self-funding.
It is estimated the project will take two or three years to complete. The end result is
that the entire catalog will be “digitally-organized”—in a form that can be composed
as a set of hardbound books—“BackStory: Magic: 30 Years In The Making”
Partial
Bibliography
reproduced, with permission, from the book
“Under The Southern Cross:
Australian Published Magic Books 1858-2000”
by Brian McCullagh
When compiling his book, Brian enforced very specific rules.
Thus, many items that failed to meet his criteria are not included in this partial listing.
There are dozens of other manuscripts, notes, and effects
with which we’ll be using to plug the gaps.
the
BackStory
project
the first eight products to be digitized and made available as “instant downloads” (July, 2009)
Notebooks
Private Manuscripts
&
(many released for the first time!)
Apart from re-presenting the well established effects and books

from Ben’s back catalog, we shall be releasing his old notebooks
(see “Pop” from the 1986 Notebook, herewith) and many of his
privately distributed manuscripts. Some of these were so “sub
rosa” that the distribution list was only a dozen or so. But these
were Ben’s private “think tank”—people like Ed Marlo, Harvey
Rosenthal, Jerry Andrus, Jeff Busby, David Harkey and others.
Ben sincerely thanks John MacDonald and Mark Trudinger for

access to their wonderful private collections.
with Ed Marlo, “the round table” Chicago, 1986
material from notebooks and exclusive manuscripts
previously shared by only a dozen or so
1986 Notebook entry
a long lost manuscript from 1987
old
Ben has contributed articles and tricks to the following periodicals
over the decades.
All the material will be brought together, with permission of the
respective magazines:
magazine
Apocalypse
Genii
Penthouse
Playboy
The Magic Circular
The Magic Manuscript
covers
The Linking Ring
1981 1990
How YOU can follow the
BackStory Project!
It is estimated the project will take two or three years to complete.
The end result is that the entire catalog will be “digitally-organized”—in a form
that can be composed as a set of hardbound books—
“BackStory: Magic: 30 Years In The Making”
You may access the material, as it is prepared, (in the form of self-contained
ebooks) via the DOWNLOAD CENTER at WOWBOUND.COM
The downloads are available at any time. It is estimated that three to four new
additions will be made monthly.
These downloads are also available from lybrary.com
Or
YOU CAN JOIN THE BACKSTORY PROJECT CLUB

As a member of the “Project Club” you will receive 1 DOWNLOAD each month.
This will be something in relation to the project, or, more often than not, a full
trick or manuscript that we’ve just completed. You will also receive regular
updates as to the progress of the “Project” and other offers and specials on
NEW BEN HARRIS (digital) releases.
MEMBERSHIP is available for a one-time fee of US$49.95. Immediately on

joining, you will receive your FIRST DOWNLOAD.
This MEMBERSHIP OFFER is only available from:
WOWBOUND.COM

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overview

All too often we see in magic little incremental improvements, a touch

The BackStory Project is a definitive effort to digitize the

Apart from re-presenting the well established effects and books

Ben sincerely thanks John MacDonald and Mark Trudinger for

over the decades.

All the material will be brought together, with permission of the

The Magic Circular

The Magic Manuscript

It is estimated the project will take two or three years to complete.

These downloads are also available from lybrary.com

YOU CAN JOIN THE BACKSTORY PROJECT CLUB

MEMBERSHIP is available for a one-time fee of US$49.95. Immediately on

This MEMBERSHIP OFFER is only available from:

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