The Later Years Stewart James

The Later Years Stewart James. Magician Inventor Historian 1908-1996. , Back from World War II, Stewart continued to create magic at a feverish pace, constantly discovering new principles in magic, with the help of the "Three Companions Who Never Were"., In 1956, Stewart became a rural mail contractor and delivered mail around the Courtright area. His own personal correspondence, however, was so extensive that he often received more mail on any given day than all of Courtright. From 1975 onward, a small group of magicians came annually from all over North America to gather at a local motel and perform and chat with this sage of Courtright., Years earlier, when Stewart was 39 years old, he received a letter from a 16-year old amateur magician, Allan Slaight. Stewart replied with an encouraging letter and a 49-year friendship began. Allan Slaight became one of Canada's foremost media moguls, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Allan met Stewart for the first time after he acquired radio station CHOK in Sarnia, Ontario, 26 years after they began corresponding. In 1989, Allan Slaight and Stewart's other longtime friend and champion, P. Howard Lyons, published "Stewart James in Print - The First Fifty Years". It was the largest magic book ever published devoted to the magic created by one man. While working on the book, however, Stewart lost contact with his imaginary companions - first Faxton and Khardova, and then eventually, in 1992, Rigonally. He believed that his creative muses left him because he had ignored them while working on the book for far too long. , Stewart was hospitalized in December 1995 and died a year later on November 5, 1996. Shortly before he died, Stewart said, "I have a great desire to discover or create a principle of magic that will continue in use after I'm gone"., After both Stewart and Howard's passing, Allan Slaight soldiered on and published in 2000 "The James File", reconstructing and documenting Stewart's previously unpublished material into a two-volume magnum opus. "The Essential Stewart James" was published in 2007., Stewart can rest assured that his magic will live on as it is performed by young and old throughout the entire world. More importantly, his approach to creativity and problem solving, particularly in the face of adversity, remain a source of inspiration.