Five Star Review!

It's official...The Essential Stewart James is a five star winner!

REVIEW

"Imagine that for just $35 you could have some of magic's finest performers and inventors cull through the collected works of a genius and provide you with the very best of the material. Well, that's no pipe dream, that's exactly what this book provides. Even if you have the mammoth James publications, consider this took a "reader's guide" at a bargain price. If you don't have the publications from which it draws, then consider this a must have addition to your library. The price, production, and quality of material cannot be beat."

Gordon Meyer, MyLovelyAssistant 10/7/2009 Full review

About the Book

Canadian Stewart James was the most prolific inventor of magic in the twentieth century. Where most magicians invent a handful of magic routines during the course of their life, Stewart James created over one thousand. His prodigious output has been recorded in two mammoth publications totally over 2,700 pages. James' vast body of work has now been distilled to 50 of his "greatest tricks", The Essential Stewart James.

Allan Slaight, co-editor of "Stewart James In Print" and author of "The James File", asked dozens of Stewart James' aficionados including Max Maven, Michael Weber, Bob Farmer, Stephen Minch, Bill Goodwin, Gordon Bean, David Ben, Roy Walton, Charles Reynolds, Gabe Fajuri, Steve Beam, and Peter Duffie among others, to whittle over 1,000 of James' creations down to their fifty favourite, in other words, the essential Stewart James.

For those who own the earlier Stewart James tomes ("Stewart James In Print: The First Fifty Years" and "The James File") but are intimated by the size and scope of the material, this book is for you! The Essential Stewart James serves as a tourist guide through the land of James. For those who are encountering this wily Canadian wizard for the first time, this book serves as a primer to the brilliance of the man, his methods and his magic.

August was pure magic!

"No BS, just good magic."

That’s what Texas magician Norman Beck emphasized in his lecture to a group of magicians earlier this August. Beck, an accomplished magician delighted an intimate audience with several tricks, sleights and cons from his personal repertoire. He presented his lecture along with John Carney, a living legend in magic and sleight-of-hand.

Attendees were treated to nearly four hours of

outstanding magic performed and explained in great detail. Congratulations to Reuben Gazer who, through Magicana’s Tony Eng Youth Program, entered and won a front-row free seat to this one of a kind double lecture.

Earlier in the week, we were also fortunate enough to feature two fantastic workshops: upstairs, card magic enthusiasts were treated to an in-depth, hands-on class with Chicago card-man David Solomon. Meanwhile, downstairs Toronto magicians participated in a performance workshop with John Carney. John invited attendees to perform a piece of magic and then he offered practical and useful feedback, for everyone's benefit. Workshop participants were also the first to have the chance to buy Carney’s newest release Magic by Design; a book on techniques for learning, practicing and rehearsing magic.

Norman Beck, John Carney and David Solomon were in Toronto for the magic conference, 31 Faces North, hosted by Magicana. Thanks to all three for making these fantastic learning opportunities available to the Toronto magic community.

31 Faces North

The seventh year of our 31 Faces North conference was a smashing success. This year's guests of honours were Bob Sheets and Michael Weber. The conference was jam-packed with lectures, interviews and shows and was particularly well-received by participants.

Congratulations to Michael Weber who was this year's recipient of the Jay Marshall Award.

Keep your eyes peeled for our next Blog ... Masterclass revisited! More soon...