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Title: The Eric Lewis Trilogy Author: Eric Lewis Illustrator: Eric Lewis Description: Three volumes with over 700 pages measuring 8 by 10 inches Dozens of historical photographs Hardbound with dustjackets A Choice of Miracles - Published in 1980 A Continuation of Miracles - Published in 1981 The Crowning Miracles - Published in 1983 |
| Click here to purchase | A Choice of Miracles |
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In some ways, Eric Lewis is responsible for the existence of Magic Words. In 1979
we published a modest book (French Pasteboards) on the card magic of Frenchman
Bernard Bilis. It was printed locally. It was plastic comb bound. It was manageable.
Then Eric showed me his completed manuscript with illustrations for the first volume
of a proposed trilogy that lay languishing in his closet for lack of a publisher. Seems
it was too ambitious, too expensive, too risky for anyone to take on. Perfect,
thought I. How could I miss with three huge books written by a man who already had more
than a dozen magic books to his credit, had twice been voted the Magic Castle's Stage
Magician of the Year, who had consulted on or built illusions for Doug Henning and
David Copperfield TV specials. The publication of A Choice of Miracles in 1980 made us
legitimate.
Volume I chronicles Eric's early life up until the outbreak of World War II. Besides teaching a wide array of magic including mentalism, children's effects, close-up, platform and stage, you will read fascinating stories about John Ramsay, Will Goldston, Robert Harbin, Dante and others. $35. Volume II, A Continuation of Miracles, is out of print.
"This represents the largest and finest collection of original magic ever published."--Phil Willmarth, Linking Ring magazineA PEEK INSIDE THE ERIC LEWIS TRILOGY [With over 700 pages to choose from, it's difficult to know where to start. Perhaps a short, personal anecdote about a very famous (and controversial) magician.] Helmut Schreiber It was during prewar days that I received a surprising letter enclosing a sheet from a German newspaper from the president of the German Magic Circle. The newspaper I could not read, but it was clearly an illustrated exposé of current magical effects, the name of the writer being in large print as "von Eric C. Lewis." The letter, which was written in English was very polite, and asked me if I was indeed the author of these articles, and if so to please give my reasons for publishing them. The letter was signed by a Helmut Schreiber. My reply, in which I disclaimed any knowledge of the articles, started a friendly correspondence between us, and he sent me typed copies of several of his own tricks which he told me I could use as I wished. Then in the latter part of 1939, the letters I wrote were returned marked "Address Unknown," which completely baffled me until a few months later when the war broke out. Some years after the war when I was living in Leicester, the great illusionist Kalanag appeared with his full evening show at a local theatre. I sat and enjoyed this performance as much as any I had seen by Dante, Levante and others. Afterwards I went to the stage entrance and asked if I could speak to Kalanag, and sent in my visiting card. The doorman returned and said that Kalanag would be pleased to see me, and he ushered me into the dressing room. We sat talking in general for five or ten minutes. I became uncomfortably aware that he seemed to be regarding me with a secret amusement, and I wondered whether I appeared naive and amateurish to him. Suddenly he said, "You know who I am?" "Why, Kalanag," I replied, surprised at the question. "I am also Helmut Schreiber!" he informed me. So now I knew the reason for his amusement-he knew me, but I had not known him. It is a surprising thing to me that Kalanag was not successful with his show in America, where he was met with prejudice because he had served during the war as an officer in the German Airforce. Surprising because in England, the country which really suffered, accepted him completely, and his show was a hit wherever it went. While touring England he had the perfect solution to the problem of theatrical "digs" or hotels. Apart from the huge truck which carried his magic and settings, he had a mobile home in which he lived and which he parked in the yard of each theatre he played. |
Volume III, The Crowning Miracles; more great magic and more great stories from
Eric's postwar years. Not just nuts and bolts magic but the reader is kept entranced
by a continuous flow of interesting anecdotes about a wide variety of magicians,
both famous and otherwise. $35