Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero

In this comprehensive and thoroughly researched biography of Harry Houdini we are introduced to one of the most complex and sensational entertainers of the early part of the 20th century. Born Erik Weisz to a poor Jewish family in 1887 Budapest, they migrated to Minneapolis in the 1890's where his father eked out a living as a Rabbi and Talmud teacher. From a young age Erik discovered a fascination for locks and other contraptions and the skill to escape from them which lead him along his career path from itinerant escapologist; magician; aviator film maker and finally campaigner against "fraudulent mediums" and spiritualists. Each of his career changes would warrant a book in themselves and this is a tome of a book packed with details of his various ingenious escapes ; his dangerous exploits both on and off the stage; his work as an aviator and a spy for British and American intelligence whilst touring Germany and Russia; and his sometimes fractious relationships with other magicians and performers. Often turning friends into enemies and then vice versa. He even attacked Robert-Houdin, whose name he had taken in a book on him for faking many of his tricks whilst maintaining his continued admiration for him.Houdini was a showman, a raconteur and someone known to bear a grudge and used his influence within magician's circles to lambast others who he felt were either frauds or plagiarisers of his inventions within his profession. However he was clearly out of his depth when he took on the likes of Conan Doyle, previously a friend through their shared interest in seances and medium ship when Houdini exposed Lady Doyle, a famous psychic and medium as a fraud starting off a feud that was to last for years and steering Houdini into the direction where he saw it as a religious duty to expose fraud in that rather frightening and sinister world. And no one were more sinister than the Crandons, Dr and Mina aka Margery,a celebrity medium known expelling ectoplasm from her vulva of all places, who galvanised the entire Spiritualist community against Houdini's denunciations.It seems that none of Houdini's exploits were as dangerous as taking on this world which the authors characterise as corrupt, exploitative, and sexually perverse, with the Crandon couple as a veritable evil pair. Conan Doyle is depicted as a sad credulous dupe who seemed to have lost hie powers of deduction to what Houdini described as "religious mania". It seemed that the Crandon's and their followers would stoop to nothing in attacking Houdini including racial abuse via the spirit world and predictions of his death.For me this was the most fascinating part of book. For others it could be the detailed descriptions of his escapes from prisons around Europe, after he would challenge prison authorities to imprison him in the impregnable cells. Or his work as an illusionist.My two criticisms of the book are that it was somewhat over descriptive and fairly spare on details about his long marriage with Bess Houdini, which was not always so happy but far from loveless; his numerous affairs including with the widow of his friend the author Jack London, Charmaine London, and the sometimes difficult relationships with his siblings and their families. Secondly the conclusion of the book is slightly disappointing. It hints strongly at Houdini being murdered by the Spiritualists even suggesting a level of complicity from Conan Doyle and his wife( Houdini famously described him as more Dr Watson the Sherlock Holmes).Unfortunately there is only circumstantial evidence for this and no one is precisely sure what eventually did kill Houdini at the age of 52. However as an entertaining and in depth account of his strange life I doubt that this volume could be bettered.

from childhood to show business from age of 9, leaving home at 12 years of age to seek his fortune. BESS. the circus life.METAMORPHOSIS. straight jacket escapes.THE KING OF HANDCUFFS. bridge jumps. CHINESE WATER TORTURE.walking through walls.DISAPPEARING ELEPHANT. the mirror handcuff challenge.SIBERIAN TRANSPORT CELL ESCAPE. milk can escape.hindoo needle trick. SCOTLAND YARD. secret service. WORK AS A SPY. dealing with imitators. TRIAL IN GERMANY.attempted murder.motion pictures.sir arthur conan doyle. SPIRITUALISM. first AERIAL flight in AUSTRALIA and more.........its all here in william kalush and larry sloman's AMAZINGLY researched book on HOUDINi.NOTE : with tv series on dracula ,hannibal lecter and norman bates surely theres a tv series in THE SECRET LIFE OF HOUDINI.

I was leant this book by a friend who assured me I would love it, despite not before having professed any real interest in Houdini. I wasn't disappointed and have since bought it for others as presents. It's a long book, but never feels like a chore. It's great combination of 'how' the magic works and stories about his life.

Good delivery, book as described, would recommend seller.

It's a thick book and goes into a lot of detail but if you're genuinely interested in Houdini it's a good read

This is not a quick read, but worth the effort. Some of what the authors write seems speculative, but a lot seems grounded in fact. The book is particularly good towards the end, when it gets on to Houdinin's battle with the fake mediums. This is covered in some depth, and is very interesting.His relationship with Conan Doyle is well covered too. A good book for anyone wishing to know more than a basic biography.

As expected

Interesting read discovering his magic tricks and life story and investigations into mediums and seances. It also covered his disagreements with Conan Doyle.