Today marks the birthdate of Harry Houdini. A legend, that has left a lasting impression within the magical arts for over a century. It’s also two years since Paul Daniels shuffled off this mortal coil, who also left a marked impression on my ambitions in magic. This reminded me how I initially got the magic bug.
It all pretty much started with the following books by another legend, Ali Bongo. This was also around the time a set of books for young people entitled Whizz Kids, another by Ali Bongo, ‘Be a Magician’.
I’ve always been an avid reader and the local library provided a treasure trove of magical discoveries. Learning the secrets of magic, you had to go out and research. No internet, and VHS videos on magic weren’t quite within my price range at eight years old. As a Christmas gift I was the proud receiver of ‘Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic’, still a recommended book for starting up in magic. I later discovered the ‘Road to Card Magic’ whilst at one of many magic conventions. As well as magic books by Paul Daniels, an excellent hardback with magic tricks inside. I discovered a monthly book and magic subscription service. ‘Hey Presto, Its Magic.’
This was a monthly subscription where membership would entitle you to a trick with instructions and this could be collected in a filing box. The tricks were of decent quality and at this point I started performing.
Having just read Creativity: The Magic Formula by Adam Wilber, this got me all fired up and all creative, it made me think about the inspiring books I’ve read throughout my studies in in the art of magic…
