I picked up a copy of Roberto Giobbi's Card College, Volume 1 at a used bookstore a few weeks ago. It may be the best book on card magic I've found in a long time.
I'm not very interested in big stage magic, illusions or massive production. My love of magic has revolved around creating wonder with a standard deck of cards. Card College is a treasure trove of wonderful illustrations and simple to understand descriptions. Unlike the famed Royal Road to Card Magic, which I struggled with for years, this book is much easier to work with. The illustrations and directions are clear and the tricks are ones I'd like to learn.
Things I find specifically helpful are his sections on forcing a card with the Hindu shuffle and flourishes, but I've honestly just barely scratched the surface of what is in this book. I do not know when I'll be ready for Volume 2.
Card College, Vol. 1: A Complete Course in Sleight-of-Hand Card Magic
