Rawson and Merlini

[Bill Mullins]

Otto Penzler is a big name in detective/mystery fiction. He's a collector and dealer (owns The Mysterious Bookshop, specializing in 1st editions, rare volumes, etc in mystery books), and editor of numerous collections of mystery short stories. The first two parts of the auction of his personal collection of mystery fiction brought many record prices for titles it included and there is another part www. historical.ha.com/c/auction-home.zx?saleNo=6212&type=surl-6212a.

Penzler wrote a memoir of his collecting life, and has recently brought it back into print. A few sample pages are available, and they include the story of how he got 1st edition copies of some of Clayton Rawson's books, and of meeting Rawson.

[Joe Mckay]

Clayton Rawson was a wonderful creator of magic.

Genii magazine had a great cover story on him about 20 years ago. A bunch of tricks were republished (including an additional one in the following months' issue - if I remember correctly).

We all love Gaetan Bloom, and he is the only magician I have seen discuss publicly how brilliant Clayton Rawson was.

So - if you love Gaetan Bloom (and you surely do) - then you should check out the work of Clayton Rawson as well.

Different style of magic, but similar in terms of ingenuity and creativity.

[Joe Lyons]

Oh, to have been in the game when Penzler, Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block, Robert Ludlum and others played poker...

Here is a good link to the upcoming auction.

[Bob Farmer]

I have all the Rawson mystery novels and all the John Dickson Carr novels. They are great. Literary magic tricks, on the page rather than the stage.

[Joe Lyons]

Otto Penzler must be a magic fan. While perusing my fictional books on magic I find that he edited the 70's Merlini books, published the Norgil's and edited Whodunit Houdini, an anthology including Rawson and Carter Dickson(Carr).

[Bill Mullins]

Otto Penzler must be a magic fan.

From the sample pages, linked above: "Anyone would have enjoyed this private performance [by Rawson] but I particularly love magic shows, still go to them whenever I can, and performed in one at the age of eight in a school talent show. The best trick (think low bar) was a promise to the audience that I would show them something that nobody in the world had ever seen before and, after they saw it, nobody ever would again. I then removed a peanut from its shell, held it up for all to see, and ate it.

[jimb_85]

I never knew Rawson developed his own tricks. I'll definitely have to look them up.

[Joe Lyons]

I never knew Rawson developed his own tricks. I'll definitely have to look them up.

A lot of his effects and where they can be found are listed here.

[Joe Lyons]

Rawson also founded The Witchdoctors Club in New York in the fifties.

I like the by-laws.

[Gordon Meyer]

And Penzler has wonderful hardbound (and paperback) editions of the Rawson's "Death from a Top Hat" and "The Headless Lay" books for sale at his bookstore's website. I highly recommend the Mysterious Bookshop as a visit or online shopping site.

[Max Maven]

Regarding the Witchdoctors' bylaws, a later version had this for #14: "Any Witchdoctor who utters the name Milbourne Christopher shall be obliged to pay everyone's check."

[jimb_85]

Rawson also founded The Witchdoctors Club in New York in the fifties.

I like the by-laws.

Those are quite clever, yeah. And thanks for sharing his the list of his effects.

[Leo Garet]

No magic in it, but I have a book edited by Otto Penzler, which features essays and whatnot by a collection of mystery writers, some mentioned earlier by Bob Farmer.

"In Pursuit Of Spenser" is the title and the contributors are discussing Robert B. Parker and his Boston PI, Spenser. No first name, or rather he has a first name, but it's never mentioned.

[Bill Mullins]

Here is a review of Death from a Top Hat. The review itself is fine, but at the end are a number of links to other pages about Rawson and his books.

[Bob Farmer]

My pal, Ron Base, a mystery writer, was doing a book promotion appearance in Florida and met Clayton Rawson Jr. who is apparently also a magician and knew my name. Ron's stuff is here:

http://www.ronbase.com/

[Diego]

Rawson and Carr were good friends of another writer/magician, William Lindsay Gresham. The may have been among those who gathered at the magic table at The Dixie Hotel, (now named The Carter Hotel). In his final note that he sent to his wife that she would receive, (after he commited suicide in a room at The Dixie Hotel) among other things, he had instructions of things to give to friends. Don't have a copy of that note in from of me, but among other things, he instructed his wife to give Fred Keating's bird cage to either Rawson or Carr. (Gresham knew Keating well and had tried to "12 Step" him into the A.A. program, that he was a long time member of.)

[Joe Lyons]

Here's a great story of how Steranko joined The Witchdoctor's Club and beat Orson Welles at a Ten Card Poker Deal.

[Bill Mullins]

A picture of Steranko:

[Joe Lyons]

Boy, he's sure got a different take on Vanishing Lady.