Jim Steinmeyer's new book "'Hiding the Elephant'' is reviewed by Teller in The New York Times where he concludes, "…the true subject of 'Hiding the Elephant' is not Houdini's trick, or the technology of magic or its colorful history. This book is about how it feels to be a magician -- not a romantic Robertson Davies fantasy but a craftsman and laborer in drafty backstages, ever in search of subtler ways to build miracles out of contradictory fragments of drab reality. No author has ever better conveyed the way the love of conjuring consumes a magician's life with magic's joys, terrors and longings." To read the Dec. 7 review by Teller titled "'Hiding the Elephant': Now You See It..." click: HERE.(12/8-subscriber site)
--To buy the book click: HERE.

David Copperfield's appearance at the Crown Theater is reported in The Fayetteville Observer where they describe the show as. "Billed as An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion, Copperfield's 90-minute show was a mixture of humor, emotion, traditional magic and the complicated illusions many have seen on his television specials." To read the Dec. 5 article by Stacy Peterson titled "Copperfield gives magical performance" click: HERE.(12/8)

David Copperfield's upcoming appearance in Columbus is promoted in a Ledger Enquirer article that reported, "Copperfield said he was 8 when he started learning magic tricks, and he hopes to be making magic happen for a long time to come, he said. 'I just love what I do,' Copperfield said." To read the Dec. 5 article by Sandra Okamoto titled "Copperfield brings illusions to town" click: HERE.(12/8)

Goldfinger & Dove, Larry Wilson, Joaquin Ayala, Matthew Grunwald, Brandon Scott, Rich Cowley, Woody Pittman, Jason Baney, and Doug Hoover appear at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles on Dec. 8-14.(12/8)

Paul Kieve who has been creating amazing effects behind the scenes of some major productions is featured in a Daily Post article that reported about his roll in producing magic for the next Harry Potter movie. Kieve will also have a roll in the movie as a wizard. The article quotes Kieve, "It was quite a curious thing… I have spent my life developing live illusions and this was a film on which millions were being spent, a lot of it on computerised effects… But Alfonso [the new director] was keen to have live magic as well as the computer effects to layer things to create a more magical world." The article also reported that the film's star, Daniel Radcliffe, has become fascinated with magic and Kieve has been teaching him. Kieve is quoted, "Like any other 14-year-old, he has been bitten by the bug. When the producers took him for a Chinese meal, he was doing magic at the table." To read the Dec. 5 article by Philip Key titled "A wizard performance" click: HERE.(12/8)

"The Magical Life Of Long Tack Sam" is reviewed in the Toronto Star where it is described as "On one level a genealogical mystery -- a conjurer of history as well as bowls of water, Sam seemed to tell a different story about his origins to anyone who asked -- The Magical Life Of Long Tack Sam is also an account of the rise and fall of vaudeville. It is also a study of early 20th-century racial politics and, perhaps most suggestively, a fond demonstration of the make-believe element that binds movie-making with magicianship." To read the Dec. 5 review by Geoff  Pevere titled " A doc with something curious up its sleeve" click: HERE.(12/8)

Paul Eds who became the "youngest-ever president of the North Wales Magic Circle" is featured in a Liverpool Daily Post article. To read the Dec. 5 article titled "Magicians choose their youngest-ever president" supplied by YellowBrix click: HERE.(12/8)

Gerry McCambridge and his TV special "The Mentalist" are the subject of a Variety article that explains how he managed to get the special and quotes, Jeff Gaspin, NBC's exec VP of alternative series, specials, longform and program strategy, "Gerry McCambridge is one of entertainment's best kept secrets, and the special highlights his seemingly inexplicable talents… Gerry's project should prove equally fascinating to those who believe -- and those who don't." There is still no official word as to when the show will air. To read the Dec. 7 article by Michael Schneider titled "NBC's going 'Mental'" click: HERE.(12/9-subscriber site).

Steve Cohen who has been having great success with his "Chamber Magic" shows in New York City and around the world has just signed a book deal with HarperCollins. The book is titled "Just Like Magic" and is currently scheduled for a Spring 2005 release.(12/9)

"The Magical Life Of Long Tack Sam" is reviewed in a National Post article where they describe it as, "The movie uses archival footage and photographs, the latter livened up by being animated. This effect is mixed -- sometimes they look like Terry Gilliam's Monty Python cartoons -- but when a hundred-year-old photo suddenly blinks or waves, it provides a startling reminder of the vibrancy of Sam's almost forgotten life." To read the Dec. 5 review by Chris Knight titled "Tracking a peripatetic magician" click: HERE.(12/9)

Paul Daniels who has been trying to get permission to raise part of his house on stilts to avoid future floods appears to have finally succeeded. A Henley Standard article reported that "Parish councillors agreed to notify the district council of their support for the application when they met on Monday night." To read the Dec. 8 article titled "Council Backs Magician's Plan For House On Stilts" click: HERE.(12/9)

"Harry Anderson's World of Magic" featuring Anderson and his friends will appear at the Cerritos Center (12700 Center Court Drive) in Cerritos, California on Mar. 26-28, 2004 with three shows. For more information click: HERE.(12/10)

Gerry McCambridge's special "The Mentalist" which was scheduled to air on NBC last month will first air in England. It is currently scheduled to run on Tuesday Dec. 23 at 8pm on Sky One television. The promo for the show describes some of the feats and ends with "This is incredible stuff -- it's mental." For more information click: HERE.(12/10)

Lance Burton will appear on the television show "Vegas Live!" on Thursday Dec. 11 as he co-hosts the show with Clint Holmes. The show airs on local channel 8 at 1pm.(12/10)

Chris Toomey who is a young magician in the Massachusetts area is featured in a Providence Journal story about his career and his magic. The article reported on one of his restaurant gigs, "This is Toomey's second home, the place where he moves from booth to booth and table to table displaying his head-spinning tricks. …Toomey, who does his routine with the sleeves of his black suit rolled up to the elbow and elastics around a wrist, approaches customers with a sense of suave magic confidence that he hasn't always had." David Oliver is also quoted in the article, "A lot of people hear a teenager or a kid is doing magic and say, 'Isn't this going to be cute,' …But when they see Chris or another kid perform, they are totally blown away by it." To read the Dec. 5 article titled "Tricks Of The Trade" supplied by YellowBrix click: HERE.(12/10)

PRESS RELEASE: Magic Camp Scholarships.

David Copperfield had to cancel two of his shows on Wednesday in Kalamazoo, Michigan after one of his semi tractor-trailers overturned in Kentucky around 5:30am and was totaled. An Associated Press article reported that "About a half-dozen crates spilled out of the trailer, said Williamstown fire Capt. Mark Jump." The trailer was part of a four bus and five trailers with a staff of around 50 people. The driver of the truck was injured but is recovering in a local hospital. The two cancelled shows have been rescheduled for Mar. 8, 2004 at 5:30pm and 8:30pm. All other shows on the current tour will continue as scheduled.(12/11)
--To read the Dec. 10 Associated Press article titled "David Copperfield Cancels Michigan Show" click: HERE.(12/11)
--To read the Dec. 10 Battle Creek Enquirer article titled "David Copperfield show canceled" click: HERE.(12/11)

David Copperfield's sold out show on Tuesday in Ashland, Kentucky is discussed in a Herald-Dispatch article that reported, "He was welcomed with applause and cheers as he appeared on stage sitting on a motorcycle emerging from a supposedly empty box." To read the Dec. 10 article by Christina Redekopp titled  "Copperfield sells out Paramount" click: HERE.(12/11)

Scott Tokar will be appearing in four different television commercials for Freeway Insurance that will features him performing a floating ball, a matrix, four ace cutting and a silver sponge. The spots are expected to begin airing in California next week and should continue for four to six months.(12/11)

The second annual "Lance Burton's Magic & Comedy All-Stars" starring Jeff McBride, The Great Tomsoni & Co., Norm Nielsen, Tyler Linkin, and Lance Burton runs on Dec. 12-14 at the Lance Burton Theatre at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. Tickets are $60.45-$65.95 and discounts are available for hotel guests and Vegas residents. For reservations phone: 877-386-8224.(12/11)

Monty, Monica, Harvey Ouchi, Yona Chock, David Brown, Bryan Yoshimoto, Joshua Arnold, Wes Young, Richard Kennedy, and Renee Humphrey appear at the "Breakfast with Santa for Prevent Child Abuse" on Dec. 13-14 at the Japanese Cultural Center in Hawaii. Monty's Magic Theater is organizing the magic. Tickets are $17 per person and are available by phoning: 808-951-0200.(12/11)

Magic Makers in Huntington, West Virginia are featured in the Huntington Quarterly where most of the article is dedicated to their costume and special events business but also mentions, "The business began nearly 25 years ago when Fox and Epperly were both performing magicians. Back in the good ol' days, they opened a magic shop at Johnson Plaza in Barboursville, in a 10 foot wide space. After moving to a larger store next door, they started selling costumes, and later opened a second location at the Huntington Mall." To read the December article by Kevin Savage titled "The Magic Makers" click: HERE.(12/11)

Steve Cohen is featured in the current issue (Vol. 8, No. 3) of Smoke Magazine. The article titled "The Millionaires Magician" reported, "When the wealthy and well-heeled want to be entertained at a party, they put on their finest tailored cocktail wear, uncork the vintage wine, open the box of good cigars and put in a call to Steve Cohen." Cohen also gives some solid advice, "Despite the fact that magic has been his main source of income for most of his life, the Millionaires Magician has one piece of advice for anyone making a go of legerdemain as a career: Go to college. Learn how to interact with people without a deck of cards in your hand. Magic isn't just about the technique; its about the communication between the performer and the audience."(12/12)

Torkova, Amazing Louie, Rogue, Gary Dreifus, Carlos Sasso & Rockin Freddy are scheduled to perform at Evenings Of Wonder on Saturday Dec. 13 at 9pm at Rogue Productions (85-08 Queens Blvd.) in Elmhurst, New York. For more information phone: 718-505-0316.(12/12)

Rocco, Jamy Ian Swiss, and Torkova headline at Monday Night Magic on Dec. 15 at 8pm in NYC. For tickets phone Ticketmaster at: 212-307-4100. For more information click: HERE.(12/12)

"The Big 78 Minute Show" starring John Carney and Steve Stajich appears on Sunday Dec. 14 at 7pm at the Electric Lodge (1416 Electric Ave) in Venice, California. Tickets are $10 per person and are available by phoning: 310-306-1854.(12/12)

A. Alexander is planning on performing a 24-hour magic show beginning on Saturday so he can enter the Guinness Book of World Records. A Deepika Global article reported that "Dr Alexander, who has acted in 43 films, said the income from this mega show would go to the Indian Magic Hobby Association (IMHA) as donation to its building fund." Alexander explained, "With a team comprising 150 members, I plan to perform roughly 3,000 events like conjuring, illusion, close-up and hypnotism." To read the Dec. 12 article titled "Bid to create world record through 24-hr magic show" click: HERE.(12/12)

MARYLAND: Howard Schwarzman gives a free lecture on Saturday Dec. 13 at 7:30pm at Denny & Lee Magic Studio (325 South Marlyn Avenue) in Baltimore. The free lecture is only open to customers who have attended at least two lectures during the past year. For more information phone: 410-686-3914.(12/12)