Ricky Jay

Jay, who died Sunday, was an avid scholar of con games and could make cards disappear and reappear in ways that seemed impossible. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1987, 1998 and 2002.

His recent book is Dice: Deception, Fate & Rotten Luck. The book is a collection of essays about the history of dice and the many ways to cheat at the game. Photographs by Rosamond Purcell accompany the text. The New York Times says of Jay, "He's a master's master." Jay's other books include Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women and Jay's Journal of Anomalies. He's appeared in a number of David Mamet films and his one-man shows include "Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants" and "Ricky Jay: On the Stem." This story first aired Dec.

His new book is Dice: Deception, Fate & Rotten Luck. It's a collection of essays about the history of dice and the many ways of cheating at the game. The New York Times says of Jay, "He's a master's master." His other books include Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women and Jay's Journal of Anomalies. He's appeared in a number of David Mamet films and his one-man shows include Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants and Ricky Jay: On the Stem.