Perley the Magician is a man with a talent for putting smiles on the faces of both young and old. However, what makes Fredericton's magic man remarkable is how he's maintained his own smile through difficult times.

Perley Palmer was born 74 years ago in Doaktown, N.B., weighing less than two pounds.

“They put me in a shoebox. Which many people did in those days, and they put me on the window sill and at night they put me in the warming oven on the stove and the doctor said 'if he's still alive in a week, you can put a diaper on him,’” says Palmer.

The miraculous beginning to his life was not the only time Palmer defied the odds. Two years ago he received a devastating stage four cancer diagnosis.

“I'm still out enjoying life and I hope to for quite a while yet,” says Palmer.

Palmer is still performing and loves to share the magic.

“Sometimes, when I do a show, they all come running to hug me and thank me for doing a show and just to see their faces makes me so happy,” says Palmer.

Over the past thirty years, Palmer has become a local celebrity and, now, he’s decided to put his magical moments and memories to paper to share with the world. His new book is called The Life and Times of Perley The Magician.

“I'm just so proud to sell this book because everyone who's bought it has told me how much they've enjoyed it. It's just a marvelous, marvelous book,” says Palmer.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Laura Brown