Bob Read (UK) Has Just Died

Message from Todd Karr
Very sad to be the bearer of bad news. Bob Read died today of a heart attack while vacationing in California with his wife Pauline.

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of driving he and Pauline around LA, visiting John Gaughan, Max Maven, and Carl Ballantine. He had a marvelous time and was looking forward to continuing his visit in the US.

Bob was a superb performer, a master of misdirection, an achingly funny humorist, a great writer, and the world's top authority on the history of the Cups and Balls as depicted in prints and artworks.

I had the honor of collaborating with Bob on The Annals of Conjuring in 2001. His humorous essays on the mysterious magic historian Arthur Watson and magic items in The Spectator were brilliant scholarship and fine humor mixed together.

Bob had just lectured at the LA Conference on Magic History and all attendees are, I'm sure, grateful to have had a few last moments with this extraordinary man.

Love and best wishes to Pauline, his partner of three decades.

Best wishes,
Todd Karr

Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

Our subscriber list is not made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein.
Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.

Copyright © 2005 Alan Watson.
Magic New Zealand® E-zine