"Life Stories: profiles from the New Yorker"

[fiefoe]

"Mr. Hunter's Grave" (George F. Hunter) / Joseph Mitchell (1956)

    Staten Island used to be famous for oysters and strawberries. 'It's such a pleasure to eat on a boat.'
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"Secrets of the Magus" (Ricky Jay) / Mark Singer  (1993)

    Definitely file this under "magnificent obsessions". Here's a telling description of Jay and one fellow conjurer extraordinaire: 'Charlie had the capacity of watch Ricky practice (a certain card handling technique) for several hours non-stop. '

    One would probably need to have read "Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women" by Mr. Jay to understand why he deems "A Synopsis of the Butchery of the Late Sir Washington Irving Bishop (Kamilimilianalani), a most worthy Mason of the thirty-second degree, the Mind Reader and philanthropist, by Eleanor Fletcher Bishop, His Broken Hearted Mother" important to his book collection.

    "Learned Pigs" is a rewarding read in other ways. Mr. Jay's somewhat baroque prose style is perfectly suited for his subjects that include once-famous mind readers, poison resistors, noose-wearing high-divers, and armless calligraphers, and his theme -- 'the relationship between the horrific and miraculous'. It's a true wonder what humans can achieve in search for diversion.

    Bonus links: the master's own web presence, (where you can find phrases like 'that half-world where the willful missings go') and a member of his mutual appreciation club, Persi Diaconis.