The Center for Inquiry Libraries (www.cfili-braries.org) has received a small but significant collection of books on magic and conjuring from Henry Gordon (1920–2009) and his wife, Zita. Gordon was a stage magician, doing conjuring and magic he called “sleight of mind.” He was a CSICOP (now CSI) fellow, writer, broadcaster, and president of the Ontario Skeptics.
Gordon began his career as a magician and paranormal skeptic in his hometown of Montreal, where he began writing for various venues, such as Suburban, and later a weekly column for the Toronto Star. He became known not only for his magic but also for his skepticism and was a pioneer of the skeptical movement in Canada. Up until the founding of CSICOP in 1976, Gordon felt as if he were the only one doing this kind of work.