A few years back, I decided to begin collecting and learning some card tricks which could be done at a moments notice...'anytime, anywhere'. I have my longer routines, and my collection of beloved gaffed decks, but the impromptu tricks are ones I consistently refer to. What's gorgeous is that people say things like 'but...I didn't see you DO anything..how...?'-or, 'are those TRICK cards?'. My own criteria for impromptu card tricks, is that they are brief, clear in plot, high impact, need zero setup, don't involve making so many piles, or require so much counting, or 'spelling'. A contrast of effects, with surprises that people just have hopefully never seen before. So far as Aldo Colombini's 'Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere', it seemed to offer more of the type of tricks I like to collect (even though I probably have plenty enough already!)

The book begins with a characteristically clownish forward from Aldo, that nutty Italian. Despite the fact that the book's blurb says 'no set-ups', some of the effects DO require setups. Nothing complicated though, as they can be done under your spectator's nose.

The writing is clear, no-fat, and it didn't bother me that there are no visuals to accompany any of the tricks. In ways, this book reminded me of some of Nick Trost's early lecture notes from the mid-seventies. Clear, and no more information than was neccessary. The sleights are standard and I'd say light weight.
Some effects, rang familiar. A Karl Fulves version of the classic 'Penny Plain';

'Get a Clue' by John T. Sheets, is quite reminiscent of Dunbury Delusion. There are some 'find a selection' effects, some with multiple spellings of words/cards (I avoid too much of this), and a couple of 'telephone' tricks. (Now, I believe it was was Hilliard or Walsh, who first began to use telephones back in the early twentieth century, with magical tricks. Makes perfect sense. My own experience in 2010, whether its with friends, family, ANYbody anymore, is that few people actually ANSWER their phones! Surely SOMEONE is working out magic effects that are capitalizing on this ocean of VOICEMAIL I keep having to swim?!!!)
More effects deal with aces buried that find themselves reunited-or, behave in acrobatic ways before one changes into a selection. Familiar plots that I've seen many times before.

Here are some the tricks that I thought were novel, and made me glad I bought the book...

'Follow the Sign' by Peter Duffie, is a lovely transposition of 1 and three aces between two halves of the deck; Steven D. Gervais offers 'Body Count' a coincidence trick, that ends with a pile of 'dead' court cards; "Suprise Spell' by Ian Adair, is a cute six card affair using two jokers, and ending with 4 aces-nice lead in to a four ace routine; Paul Gordon's 'Dazzling Flush' has 4 selections turning up between a royal flush of spades; then there's a really interesting one called 'The Conquerer Worm', by Ryan Matney. In this effect, three out of four queens change identity twice, and the punchline is clever as hell! Great fusion of plot, story, and visual transformation.

Now, I'll refer to perhaps my favorite trick in the book-it's Aldo Colombini's 'The Peak'. This trick was apparently inspired by Ronnay's 'Perfect Match', which I am not familiar with. 'The Peak', has 4 Kings and 4 Queens mixed repeatedly, the spectator freely choose cards throughout, yet four pairs at the end are Kings and Queens matched by suits. The trick's sequencing provides a nice rhythm-reminded me in ways of that other eight card gem, Peter Kane's 'Jazz Aces'.

So out of 35 effects, I have about ten that I can see using. This booklet had just some of the potent impromptu gems that I was looking for. (I'd call Aldo to say thanks, my luck I'd probably get...'Hi-Mamma Mia! Youv'e reached Wild Colombini Magic. Sorry we are not here to take your call.....' ).