What a nice, humble and (above all) solid way John Carey got started in magic (taken from his running week at the Magic Cafe Forum). Worth a read and consideration:
It all began for me as a kid of 9 stuck in a hospital bed. Mum and Dad bought me a book by the late David Nixon which totally fascinated me. I learnt every trick and puzzle in that book and it really gave me a sense of achievement to show friends and family those little tricks.
A couple of years later I got a Paul Daniels box of tricks and a bit after that his book. I was completely hooked! I then started getting books out of the library to study and in one of them was a list of nail order suppliers of magic. I sent away for catalogs and lists and every few weeks a new parcel full of magical treats would arrive.
I continued picking up these little tricks for a few years and then at the Eastbourne IBM Convention in 1986, everything changed. On the late night close up show I saw fit the first time a gentleman called Kevin Reay perform. I was astonished as coins assembled under cards, fruit appeared under metal cups and playing cards seemed to do things that just seemed incredible.
After the show I approached Kevin and he was so warm and kind. I told him I had been buying tricks but wanted to be able to learn what he did. We met the next morning at the dealers and he told me to buy the Royal Road to Card Magic. This changed everything. He advised me to just study one chapter at a time slowly and patiently. We began to meet regularly and Kevin would observe my work from that wonderful book and help me iron out any areas.
To see him bring the pages of that book to life and show me how with focus, enthusiasm and discipline I could learn and improve was profound. I will never forget him and all he did for me.
John Carey
