I don’t need to tell you that we are living in strange and exciting days.

Amid the global shake up it’s easy to lose our way, to forget what inspired us to be artists, what made us follow that magical brick road. I felt that way recently, as I know many of my friends have. Then a minor miracle pulled me back. I had grabbed an old book from my library. One I had not read in quite a while. I was a kid again, I knew these words, these words were engraved on my soul. Suddenly I was transported back in time to the first time I read it. The first time the words hit me. The first time I was inspired to BE a magician. There it was, that excited little flutter in my stomach...

What were your magical inspirations? I have so many: the opening chapters to ‘Greater Magic’, Milbourne Christopher’s ‘The Illustrated History of Magic’, Max Holden’s ‘Programs of Famous Magicians’ and this old dusty tome I grabbed from my bookcase, a little known book by Will Dexter called ‘Everybody’s Book of Magic’. Unusual as it wasn’t really a book of tricks, but a TOUR of the magic scene at the time.

Everybody’s Book of Magic is beautifully written in an intimate tone that not only makes you feel like the author is talking to YOU, that he understands YOU, but somehow he gets you just as excited about the mysterious world of magic and magicians as the tricks themselves.

My favourite chapter was when he takes the reader on a journey into the top secret underground sanctum of ‘The Magic Circle’. The entrance way, the rooms and people we meet, the conversations we overhear. Heady stuff.

This chapter alone stuck with me for the rest of my life.

This chapter inspired me to BE a magician.

THIS CHAPTER is the one I will perform for you on this episode of ARMCHAIR STORIES.

NOTE; This is an audio podcast only, listen in the car or when you have a moment. Let the words wash over you, the situations and many of the people mentioned became legends.

I wish you all nothing but inspiration. Let’s re-light that fire.
Steve.