Ricky Jay at a Los Angeles bookstore in 1994. Ricky Jay, the extraordinary magician who died in late November, was not just a master of illusion, but also a scholar, historian and investigator of all manner of prestidigitation, the author of several books on the subject — some specialized, others popular entertainment — including “Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women,” a bizarre history of sword-swallowers and mind-readers, and a biography of Matthias Buchinger, a 29-inch-tall performer from Nuremberg who, among other things, fathered 14 children. In professional circles, Jay was best known for his close-up work: magic done at a table, across from a single observer. I had experienced a modified version of this in 1994, at the play “Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants,” an Off-Broadway show during which he did two hours of astounding card tricks while seated at a table in a very small theater. I met him 15 years later at a book party for a mutual friend. We chatted about his acting work with the...
