Barry Grateful Performing Arts Center

💥I'm honored and grateful to my hometown newspaper, the Toledo Blade, for sharing a piece of my story and my new memoir, The Illusion of Control. Growing up in Toledo, I never imagined that the winding road of magic, music, recovery, and life would someday bring me back home as an author.
My sincere thanks to the reporter, photographer, and everyone at the Blade who took the time to tell the story. It means more than I can say.
One small correction: they were kind enough to add an extra year to my age. I'm actually 62, not 63—but after performing in more than 80 countries, surviving myself, and accumulating a few miles along the way, I suppose I'm earning them one year at a time.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the book, shared a kind word, attended an event, or simply followed along on this journey. I am deeply grateful.
The article is linked below.

Toledo-born magician, musician writes raw memoir of growing up in the Glass City Kip Barry learned the hard way that alcohol wouldn’t solve his problems. “When I was a young guy, I had panic attacks,” the 63-year-old magician and ...

https://www.wtol.com/video/entertainment/television/good-day-on-wtol-11/kip-barry-talks-about-travels-sobriety-new-memoir-the-illusion-of-control-good-day-on-wtol-11/512-c36edff0-073b-4a4c-abf2-b71864b46684

Kip Barry talks about travels, sobriety, new memoir 'The Illusion of Control' | Good Day on WTOL 11 Toledo native, illusionist and now author Kip Barry returns home to discuss his memoir 'The Illusion of Control' and overcoming personal challenges to find success.

🙏 This week has changed the meaning of this book for me forever.
On May 5th at 1:10am, my sister Vicki sent me what would become the last text message she ever sent anyone. They found her a day later. Then just days later, after that tragic fall and terrible suffering, she passed away.
I never imagined while writing The Illusion of Control that life would bring our family here. But Vicki believed in this book deeply, and one of her wishes was that people would read it. So today, I’m sharing her words in her honor.
This was her final message to me:

“Your book was very good! I pray it sells well! I didn’t know I was related to such a talented brother!!!! I thought I knew ALL of your talents, but you have many more! So I will pray you have good luck with your sales! My friend from work is reading it now!
By the way, Dave was head of sales at Catholic Knights of Ohio, and I worked there too for two years!
Love you much, Vic”

Vicki was a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend. She was generous, encouraging, funny, loyal, and full of heart. I will carry this message with me for the rest of my life.
This memoir is about survival, addiction, recovery, music, magic, family, and the uncomfortable truth that much of life is beyond our control — no matter how much we wish otherwise.
If this story helps even one person feel less alone, I believe that would have made my sister proud.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this journey, read the book, or reached out to our family this week. Your kindness has meant more than words can say.
The Illusion of Control: A Memoir of Magic, Music and Survival by Kip Barry is available now on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.
amazon.com⁠�

⭐WE'RE HEADIND TO ANN ARBOR NEXT WEEK⭐️

I’ll be doing a special signing for my new memoir, The Illusion of Control: A Memoir of Magic, Music and Survival, on Sunday, April 19th.

If you already have a copy, bring it — I’d be honored to sign it for you.
If you haven’t picked one up yet, you can grab your favorite version on Amazon — paperback or Kindle — and bring it with you.
Message me for the time and location.
I’d truly love to meet you 🙏✨

TheIllusionOfControl