About I Saw That!

Hello! I’m Ariel Frailich, the face behind I Saw That!.

Many years ago, the great card expert Martin Nash told me that every trick he does has to be worthwhile, because “when people watch me, they are giving me the most valuable thing they have: their time”. This is a lesson I took to heart as a magician. It is also a lesson I am taking to heart as a magic book publisher and dealer.

At I Saw That!, you will find:

• Books that are worth reading There are lots of books that simply re-hash what you already know, but you won’t find such books here. Instead, you will find books with fresh ideas and with depth, books that give you insights and make you think.
• Truth in Advertizing All tricks are guaranteed to work as described. Information on the skill level required, suitable working conditions and size of audience, and reset time required are provided for each trick, so you know whether it’s suitable for you before you buy it.
• Some of the best instructions on the market Listing the steps required is not always enough. For many tricks, detailed instructions for every technique used is included, one or several scripted presentations are provided, and if possible, the history of the trick, variations, and references.

About Ariel

I was bitten by the bug at age 10, with a book on card tricks by The Great Merlini (Clayton Rawson). I soon discovered Klingsor’s Magic Shop in Brussels, Belgium, where I lived at the time. I learned a lot and met many magicians there.

I saw “modern” card magic for the first time when Frank Garcia did a European lecture tour; it was a revelation. I gave up all other forms of magic to concentrate on cards and close-up.

I returned to Canada (where I was born), learned a lot from a few good people, and became fairly well-known on the local magic scene. I performed at many club activities and at a few conventions, and gave a few lectures. Then I dropped out of magic for several years.

Eventually, I came back to magic, read everything by Eugene Burger and started looking at magic in a different way. My primary interests are presentations and creativity.

Since starting I Saw That!, I spend most of my time writing and publishing magic books and, occasionally, devising a trick. I lecture once in a while as well.

More information on my views on magic and why I started I Saw That! can be found in my blog post, By way of introduction…, and in a short excerpt of an interview with David Acer, on Magicpedia (you can read the whole interview if you’re a Genii subscriber).