Please answer the following question: Facts:   - genre: magic      - birth date: 16 may 1958    - name: richard j. kaufman    - image: richardkaufman.jpg    - birth place: new york city , united states    - occupation: writer , illustrator , publisher , magician   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of richard j. kaufman .
A:
richard j. kaufman -lrb- born may 16 , 1958 -rrb- is a prolific author , publisher , illustrator , and editor of books and magazines in the field of magic .born in 1958 in new york city , he became interested in magic at age 5 after receiving some novelties from the s.s. adams company sent by his uncle alan soffin .this was followed up by a gift of several magic books .richard 's father , lewis c. kaufman -lrb- president of b. altman and co. -rrb- , also encouraged his interest by purchasing tricks at a magic shop , learning them , and demonstrating them to his son .