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

Jan 27, 2010

Jeff Hayward rated it

Thorough, if a little dry at times, account of America's first 'superstar' and an international phenomenon, as well. Raised with little education, he ascended to a level of popularity that has rarely been matched. He was the King of Handcuffs, & continually upped the ante to keep his imitators at bay. He would be invaluable in providing intelligence for the fledgling Secret Service during WW1 & would later become a collector of art and books, & late in his life spent thousands of dollars of his ...more

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Jan 14, 2012

Jim rated it

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I have been vaguely interested in Houdini since I saw the Tony Curtis movie on TV about 30 years ago, but never pursued the subject until I found this book at a friend's garage sale. Unfortunately the book is alternately exhaustive on certain subjects and sketchy on others. Topics don't connect to each other and the timeline jumps backwards and forwards, seemingly at random.

Most frustrating were dramatic threads that appear, take center stage, then disappear. And too much innuendo...more

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May 05, 2009

Libbie rated it

Shelves: nonfiction

When I set out to find resources for my in-progress novel about Houdini, I was recommended this book by a professional magician who knows an awful lot about the subject, but I was given a caveat: "Don't pay too much attention to all the spy stuff."

If you don't pay too much attention to all the spy stuff--and there is a lot of spy stuff with very tenuous, almost silly evidence to back it up--this is still a difficult book to sift through. It's partially written in a narrat...more

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Dec 15, 2011

Klajdi rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 8th-grade-bookshelf

Very great and very interesting biography on Harry Houdini. He is known as "the pioneer of magic" and the person who made it the most interesting, and I could not agree more with those nicknames. One person that I really enjoyed learning about (besides Harry Houdini, of course) was Houdini's wife, Bess. The trait that I give her now was completely different from the trait I thought that I would give her. I thought that Bess would be very open about her husband and how he deals with all...more

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Sep 07, 2010

Kim Ryser rated it

Shelves: 2010booksread

This was a fantastic biography. I don't read a lot of nonfiction because normally they just don't grab me in the same way fiction does, even when I'm interested in the subject matter. But this one was a compulsive, page-turning read. I've always been interested in both stage magic and Houdini, ever since I was little. But although I knew most of the big points of Houdini's life story, I had never read a biography of him. This one is very well written and convincing in its presentation of th...more

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Feb 04, 2012

Mattie rated it

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I wanted to read this after seeing an exhibit on Harry Houdini at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, even though I'm not usually a major biography fan. I'm glad I did. Well researched and full of fascinating details that provide historical context and personal interest, The Secret Life of Houdini presents Houdini's personal and professional story as a gripping yarn, making this bio great fun to read.

There's a lot going on here to think about: Houdini's story as an immi...more

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Jan 09, 2009

Clackamas rated it

Shelves: 2009, memoirs-bio-and-autobio

I only picked this up because my son needed to do a speech on a biography or autobiography. It was a sale book at Powell's and Joe thought it looked interesting. When he was done, I read it so that I could gauge how he was doing on his speech. I probably won't read it again, but am glad that I did this once.

For entertainment, not top notch. But this book was really interesting. Houdini had a heck of a life. The authors did a TON of research to put this thing together, and it shows. ...more

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Oct 13, 2010

Dave Gaston rated it

Shelves: nonfiction, biographies, bull-ya-boy-book

I fast tracked this book to the top of my reading list as soon as I added it. And I read it with boyhood lust. Magic and super star fame, danger, the globe trotting circuit, physical and mental feats, deceit of all kinds, international spying, paranormal communication... What is not to love about this book to a boy at heart?! My passion for the subject aside, it was a rather typical biography with a fair amount of hero worship puffing up each chapter. Still, a fun read for me. It clips along jus...more

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Oct 23, 2009

Rik rated it

From a little boy on up, I've always been intrigued by the great escape artist and magician, Houdini. The authors do a good job of fully setting forth his life in words and pictures. I wanted a bit more about the times of this superb athlete and showman, but I have no real criticism with what was delivered. The concluding chapters of this long 550+ page opus detail his battles with Arthur Conan Doyle and the rest of the Spiritualists who took great pleasure in Houdini's untimely and suspiciou...more

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Jul 08, 2011

Jpg rated it

· review of another edition

Great book about a man you hardly knew.
Houdini was the greatest showman of all time.You get the whole timeline of his life and what was going on in the world at that time. Interesting information about magic, fortune telling and the whole era of mysticism. He was a perfectionist both in life and in profession. He was always trying to learn something new to help his magic. While reading the book, it felt like you were standing by his side throughout his life by experiencing it with him.
...more

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Dec 26, 2009

Red rated it

Shelves: nonfiction, biography, 10-books

A good book. I'd never read anything in depth about Houdini. I knew him as a magician, an escape artist. This book introduced me to Houdini the aviator (first man to fly in Australia), Houdini the spy, Houdini the public crusader.

The authors set out to prove, as the subtitle suggest, that Houdini was America's first superhero, the first superman. Houdini worked his whole life, beginning as a kid and eventually getting into vaudeville. His break came when he visited a police station i...moreA good book. I'd never read anything in depth about Houdini. I knew him as a magician, an escape artist. This book introduced me to Houdini the aviator (first man to fly in Australia), Houdini the spy, Houdini the public crusader.

The authors set out to prove, as the subtitle suggest, that Houdini was America's first superhero, the first superman. Houdini worked his whole life, beginning as a kid and eventually getting into vaudeville. His break came when he visited a police station in Chicago and asked to be allowed to escape from their highest security cell and ended up on the front page.

The government was looking for people with magician's skills before WWI, so Houdini, being the greatest magician and escape artist, got recruited. His shows allowed him an excuse to travel all over Europe and Russia; later, he traveled around America and caught bootleggers.

In the last part of his life, Houdini launched a crusade against the Spiritualist religion. Spiritualism was based around mediums who claimed to communicate with the dead, and Houdini couldn't stand the thought of innocent, bereaved people being robbed by fakers who claimed to speak to dead loved ones. Houdini devoted a third of his shows to debunking Spiritualist techniques.

Now, this is not the book to read if you want to know a little more about Houdini. This is an incredibly in-depth, detailed biography. The authors make extensive use of letters and newspaper clippings to put together Houdini's personal life. Unfortunately, much of Houdini's personal correspondence and papers were burned after his death, at his request, so while some original documents exist, many were lost. Kalush and Sloman met with a happy accident: they met the descendant of a major medium Houdini worked to depose--you might say Marjery was Houdini's nemesis--at a Houdini seance, and she agreed to give them access to her ancestor's private letters and documents (I can't remember if Marjery was the lady's great grandmother or great great). The research for the book is so extensive that foot/endnotes are not included in the book itself; the authors have listed a website devoted to the notes.

An incredibly well-researched book. Endlessly interesting. Very long (almost 600 pages). Very detailed. Very good. Even if it took me months to finish.(less)

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Dec 03, 2011

Scott Klemm rated it

The excerpt from the London Sunday Times review that appears on the dust jacket of The Secret Life of Houdini praises the authors Kalush and Sloman for raking through “every known Houdini archive to produce the most comprehensive and controversial biography ever written about the man, with its contention that he was a spy who may have been murdered by a cult.” If all the facts are fully documented, why is there any controversy?

In their Introduction the authors state, “To ma...more The excerpt from the London Sunday Times review that appears on the dust jacket of The Secret Life of Houdini praises the authors Kalush and Sloman for raking through “every known Houdini archive to produce the most comprehensive and controversial biography ever written about the man, with its contention that he was a spy who may have been murdered by a cult.” If all the facts are fully documented, why is there any controversy?

In their Introduction the authors state, “To make certain stories come alive for the reader, we’ve dramatized scenes…We’ve made nothing up; in some cases, we’ve just turned the facts into dialogue.” This is the first problem with the work. One can never quite be sure what Houdini actually said, and what he might have said. Since the book does not have notes, the reader cannot make a judgment concerning the reliability of anything written. To get the notes one must buy a two-volume set that includes another copy of their book and a bound version of the notes entitled The Secret Life of Houdini, Laid Bare.

Documentation alone is not sufficient, because not all sources are equally reliable. Many of the stories told by Houdini and reported in the first Houdini biography by Harold Kellock should not be taken at face value. A great story, but probably apocryphal, is Houdini’s escape from the Siberian prison transport van. Silverman in his biography wrote, “Unfortunately this legendary feat is poorly documented… Nothing remains but Houdini’s boastful, questionable retelling, and a poster he later produced in Leipzig, picturing the scene.” In their notes, Kalush and Sloman acknowledge the skepticism. “Notwithstanding other Houdini expert opinions, there is more than enough evidence to show that Houdini really did escape from the carette in Russia.” Yet they decline to provide even a little of this evidence.

Kalush and Sloman’s assertion that Houdini was a spy for British intelligence is based on the flimsiest evidence. There is no denying that Houdini had met William Melville, the founder of MI5, at Scotland Yard in 1900. However, there is no evidence that Houdini was ever recruited for espionage. If there was anything to this claim, one would think that Andrew Cook in his book, M: MI5’s First Spymaster, would have written about it himself.

It appears that possibly under the influence of Larry Sloman (who collaborated with “shock jock” Howard Stern on Private Parts) the decision was made to sensationalize parts of the book so that it would not be just another run-of-the-mill biography. A reader who merely wants to delve into the Houdini legend and mystique will find the book quite satisfactory, but the serious researcher seeking historic accuracy should look elsewhere.

Anyone interested in a more detailed critique may contact me through Goodreads.
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Jul 17, 2011

The Joy of Booking rated it

I've always loved magic shows and magicians, and of course that means Houdini. But aside from the standard information everyone seems to pick up, I didn't know anything else about him.

Boy, did this book teach me a lot! The research is detailed and in-depth. The authors are speculating a bit about the "secret life" he may have led, but the evidence they have to back it up is pretty compelling. Some of the things that they tease out about Houdini are astounding - did you have a...more

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Mar 22, 2010

Tony Hightower rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: biography

Honestly, this is the only book on Harry Houdini most people will ever need. This tome covers his ancestry and birth in Hungary as Ehrich Weiss, his family's emigration to the United States, his growing fascination and obsession with magic, his long and phenomenally successful career as the greatest theatrical performer of the first half of the 20th century, as well dropping loud hints about a potential side career doing espionage work and how it evolved into an obsession with debunking spirit m...moreHonestly, this is the only book on Harry Houdini most people will ever need. This tome covers his ancestry and birth in Hungary as Ehrich Weiss, his family's emigration to the United States, his growing fascination and obsession with magic, his long and phenomenally successful career as the greatest theatrical performer of the first half of the 20th century, as well dropping loud hints about a potential side career doing espionage work and how it evolved into an obsession with debunking spirit mediums and fortune tellers that he pursued with single-minded zeal right through to the last moments of his all-too-short life.

The research is strong, there are plenty of good illustrations and photographs scattered throughout the text, and the writing keeps things moving. It does, however, suffer from glossing over some aspects of Houdini's story. The implication that Houdini did some spy work for the United States is dropped repeatedly, with no actual follow up facts to corroborate it, except that gosh, he sure seemed to be able to get in to meet with a lot of police captains to check out their local jails. His obsession with aviation, and with being the first to fly an airplane in Australia, is just far enough outside of logic that it requires an explanation about why he sacrificed so much time, money and effort to try something so briefly, only to drop it and come home after a couple of successful flights. A hundred years ago, halfway around the world was a far longer trek than it is today. A bit more on why he did it would have been welcome.

These may sound like quibbles, but they do sometimes distract from the greater arc of the story, which is unfortunate. Harry Houdini was unquestionably a brilliant man, an intellectual genius, with founts of drive and resourcefulness beyond anything I've borne witness to in my own life, ever. And this book covers a ton of ground, detailing the tricks he used, the projects on which he focused, and the turbulent relationships he had with his wife, family, friends, and occasional indiscretions. But I didn't stay with this book to read about his potential affairs or his marital spats; I did so to find out more about about his magic and illusions, his spy work, and his research debunking the claims of the paranormal, because it is in those things -- the actual stuff of being the real superhero advertised in the title -- that this otherwise impressive biography falls short.(less)

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Mar 27, 2010

Kate rated it

Before reading this, I knew next to nothing about Harry Houdini. But after getting through this incredibly long slog of a book, I feel like he and I have come out on the other side as friends. It's like we were both in it together, and the whole time he was saying to me, "Hey, don't blame me, I didn't write this thing" and I just kept saying, "Don't worry Harry, it's not your fault." He was an incredibly interesting and all around amazing and likable guy. He definitely ha...more

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Nov 09, 2008

Jessica rated it

I think this was a lot harder to read for me than it probably was for a lot of other people. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but I think it has something to do with the lack of interest the authors showed in who Houdini was during his heyday.

There was a lot of detail in this book...a LOT...but not so much about Houdini's tricks, shows and escapades. I mean, they would throw in an occasional tidbit about how he did something, such as shoving a key up his arse when doing his nude-esc...more

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Oct 28, 2008

Rory rated it

Recommends it for: Houdini fanatics

Shelves: memoirs-and-bios

You know, I'm totally the kind of person who should have LOVED this book but...it wasn't very lovable. Yes, it was very well researched--the authors even brag about some creepily detailed computer program they built from scratch to track Houdini's life "day by day, as much as possible. But the book had no soul, no effusion, and no ease.

Houdini lead a fascinating life and was a fascinating person--why is this book not fascinating? Partly because the authors are too focused on "...more

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Sep 07, 2008

Amanda rated it

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Biographys and/or Magic

Recommended to Amanda by: My Father

I enjoyed the book. It was a lengthy read for me because of the style of writting, but I enjoyed it throughly. No person is perfect and Houdini made it certain that everyone knew that of himself, while also perfecting his "magic". I don't like Biographies that come across as nothing but praise for the person, this almost hit that note... nothing and no person came close to Houdini... that is what the Authors did... although mentioning that he had many love affairs... but only mentio...moreI enjoyed the book. It was a lengthy read for me because of the style of writting, but I enjoyed it throughly. No person is perfect and Houdini made it certain that everyone knew that of himself, while also perfecting his "magic". I don't like Biographies that come across as nothing but praise for the person, this almost hit that note... nothing and no person came close to Houdini... that is what the Authors did... although mentioning that he had many love affairs... but only mentioning them. Only touching on his horrid ciniema days... forcing his beloved brother to work in one of his factories... I didn't like how Houdini was a man of 2 faces... Constantly never forgetting where he came from and never refusing to help out an outstretched hand, but in the end wound up in his own world and sifting out others who invaded. His poor Bess ended up giving all of Houdini's seperate copies of his love letters to all of his women after he died. I can't imagine being that kind of woman, thankfully I don't have to worry about it either.

I really liked how the Authors must have gone through just about every scrap of detail in announcing that Houdini worked for the Secret Service and in the end, Houdini using his knowledge to create his own to sift out the "Fake Mediums". The Bio was written with as much detail as ever, therefore taking me awhile to finish it. My final opinion about the book is good, I really liked it, and have grown a new appreciation about a person I didn't know before. He was a man passionate about everything he did, even if it failed and I respect that. I'm sure if it wasn't for the ill attempts on his life and his pride of mind over pain, I think he would have died in a more respectable way.

On a side note, the Authors do a very good job diving into the relationship of Sir Author Conan Doyle and Houdini. I have come away with less respect for Doyle and more spectulation than anything. I didn't know a man that produced such novels as he did could be so weird. But, to each their own. Kudoo's to his wife that kept him in line.(less)

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Apr 05, 2008

Miranda rated it

Shelves: bibliotheek

Zeer interessant boek. Ik kende Houdini eigenlijk alleen als boeienkoning, maar hij had nog veel meer spectaculaire stunts op zijn naam staan. In een tijd zonder tv en internet wist hij toch wereldwijd bekend te raken. Hij was er dan ook een meester in om in de publiciteit te komen, bijvoorbeeld door zich te laten uitdagen om nog extremere stunts te doen. Uiteraard lukte het Houdini altijd om die stunt goed uit te voeren, hierdoor raakten zijn fans nog enthousiaster. Zij wisten echter niet dat d...more

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Feb 10, 2008

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-reading-list, memoirs-biographies

Houdini had a fascinating life, no questions asked, but this biography brought his story to a whole new level. The authors include extensive research and citations from period newspapers, magical collections, diaries, and government records to bring the man who arguably will always be our foremost magician to a whole new level.

For instance, did you know that Houdini was the twenty-fifth man to fly a plane and the first to fly in Australia? Or that he was pressured to become an advi...moreHoudini had a fascinating life, no questions asked, but this biography brought his story to a whole new level. The authors include extensive research and citations from period newspapers, magical collections, diaries, and government records to bring the man who arguably will always be our foremost magician to a whole new level.

For instance, did you know that Houdini was the twenty-fifth man to fly a plane and the first to fly in Australia? Or that he was pressured to become an advisor to the tsar? Or that he collaborated with H.P. Lovecraft?

Or that he was an American spy?

Of course his skills as an escape artist and illusionist would be useful in espionage, and the authors raise interesting questions about just how involved he was in scouting enemy armies, enforcing prohibition, and even spying on suspected foreign agents.

A lot of his inventions were obviously geared towards espionage and the soldiers that he taught and mentored during the War. That's right, Harry Houdini gave escape lessons to soldiers headed to fight in Europe.

The book also explores his long time fascination with spiritualism and the limits he went to to expose fraudulant mediums. It really was a war within the states with Houdini enlisting his own secret service and being verbally and physically attacked by those he unmasked. Questions even surround his death regarding whether or not a spiritualist plot was at work.

The book wasn't a love letter tome, however. There were passages describing how Houdini would blow up in a rage when he lost his temper. The list of women he probably had affairs with was varied and included in the book. His mistakes were recorded in black and white.

He led an extraordinary life.

To this day, magicians still conjecture about just how Houdini managed to make elephants disappear. There are guesses, there are hypotheses, there are attempts to recreate the feat. We will never know just how he did it, just as we will never know every part of his life, but this book really does prove that Harry Houdini was America's first super hero.(less)

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Jan 15, 2008

Matt rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone who loves a great story

i knew next to nothing about harry houdini (the erstwhile erich weiss) before reading this book. after reading it, i felt like i'd know houdini my entire life. such is the incredible detail the authors injected into the book. and i think i can honestly say he's the coolest dood ever.

more than anything, i came away from the reading with a profound admiration for the man behind the magic. he may very well be the most dynamic personality of the first quarter of the 19th century. while h...morei knew next to nothing about harry houdini (the erstwhile erich weiss) before reading this book. after reading it, i felt like i'd know houdini my entire life. such is the incredible detail the authors injected into the book. and i think i can honestly say he's the coolest dood ever.

more than anything, i came away from the reading with a profound admiration for the man behind the magic. he may very well be the most dynamic personality of the first quarter of the 19th century. while he's primarily known as an escape artist (and perhaps appropriately so), houdini also had a large role in ushering in the age of flight and film, among many other things. it's fascinating to read about his devotion to his craft, inventing new escapes, his absolute mastery of publicity, his keen understanding of human nature, and the fierce protectiveness of his creations (it wasn't unusual for houdini to expose and humiliate those who tried to copy his acts)-- except in the case of a south african magician who asked houdini for permission to perform the water escape. and here we see the generous side of the man. houdini glady gave the magician permission simply because the magician credited houdini with the trick and and appropriately asked for the rights. other accounts of his generosity, particularly with children and the poor, are plenty.

by far the most fascinating and informative portion of the book comes in the last 200 pages in which the authors relate houdini's 'friendship' with sir arthur conan doyle, and houdini's compulsive battle to expose fraudulent mediums, particularly the notorious bostonian medium by the name of'margery.' it's utterly compelling reading. the houdini vs. margery/condon/bird/doyle chapters are so wonderful that i spent 2.5 hours straight reading it. furthermore, houdini's 'own secret service'(a collection of fellow magicians, newspaper people, reporters, and extended family members employed for the sheer purpose of exposing fraudulent mediums) is the kind of stuff that, i'm sure, we'll see on the silver screen before too long. it's simply too good a story to NOT be immortalized on celluoid.

yes, it's a long book (550+ pages), but it reads very easily. never once did i find myself looking down at the pages wondering how much i'd read that night. simply put, it's a great and wonderful story. you'll come away wondering how such a man came to be: brilliant, dogged, generous, charitable, mystifying, determined, but ultimately human (the authors don't avoid his shortcomings and character flaws). it's one of those rare books that draws the reader in and makes him or her lose sense of time and place, much like the magician himself. and that's about the best compliment i can give it.(less)

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Nov 05, 2011

Bob rated it

I've been a fan of magic and Houdini since I was a kid. When I was about in the sixth grade, our school librarian took the only Houdini Biography off the shelf because I kept signing it out and she wanted others to have a chance to read it. Needless to say, when I first saw this book, I could't wait to buy and read it too.
It's really a Houdini biography for adults. By that, I mean, that it details his likes, business dealings, desires and obsessions to be the greatest. It's too and that he...more

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Aug 08, 2010

VanHalen rated it

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Recommends it for: people interested in magic, historical buffs

Recommended to VanHalen by: Penn Jillette

I suspect that I am an easy mark when it comes to books.

There are many reasons why I liked this book, the least of which is the largest word in the title: Houdini<b/>.

I have not read any prior biographies of the man, but he has been an interest for years and I have been to the Houdini Historical Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.

This book details some of the off inconsistencies which surrounded Ehrich Weiss aka Harry Houdini before, during and after his asce...more

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Oct 23, 2010

Dennis rated it

A thoroughly fascinating book. Harry Houdini was a truly amazing personality, best known as a renowned magician and illusionist and maybe less known as a crusader to debunk fake mediums during the early 1900s era of Spiritualism. Never one to retreat from a challenge, he often placed his life at great risk to perform ever more complicated escape acts. He was an important historical celebrity and this book does a very good job of supporting that premise.

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Jun 10, 2009

Jason Kurtz rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, history

The sub-title of this book is "The making of America's First Superhero". I found that to be perfect for the life of such an enthusiastic and driven American. Houdini lived in a time period that I now virtually nothing about, and reading this book made me feel like I was really learning some history while I was enjoying the story of this complex man, Houdini.

An interesting book, and plenty of springboards for further thought and reading.

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Sep 19, 2011

Colleen Hasan rated it

Fascinating; but i felt like something was missing at the end. I don't think the authors really made the connection from their original point -- it's practically 100 years later, and the majority of people in this country still talk about Houdini, and he's often first to our minds when you say "magician." They certainly showed what he did during his life - but didn't tie back to the why we remember as well.

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Jan 19, 2012

Minh Minimum rated it

Superhero, that may be stretching the truth a bit, but it seems like Houdini liked to stretch the truth a bit. I enjoyed the book. Lots of detail about a man that I really knew so little about. Well researched and presented in an obviously loving manner. The chapters on medium debunking got me more interested and helped pick my next read. I now know more about Houdini than I really need to, but I'm waiting for those questions to come up next time I'm on Jeopardy. I'll take Houdini for $500 Alex.

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Feb 24, 2009

Bill Walker rated it

Houdini was an interesting character. It's like he conjured his life and career out of nothing (conjure = hard work, persistence and self-promotion). Side-stories about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and spiritualism surprised me. Who knew that the creator of Sherlock Holmes, the ultimate empiricist/logician, also purported to believe in ghosts? I guess we remember what we want to.

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Jun 01, 2008

Greg Pettit rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: stopped-reading, non-fiction

I just couldn't get through it. Although I am very interested in Houdini, the style of this book made it difficult to get into. I found myself struggling to get through chapters, and not looking forward to picking it up each time. That's not the kind of book I want to read, especially about a character as interesting as Houdini.

Another problem for me came in the unorthodox style of the narrative. Overall, it was chronological as you would expect, but within sections it would jump aro...more

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Dec 31, 2010

Jim Bouchard rated it

This book was a complete surprise! I picked it up to learn more about one of my Mom's heroes, and found a tremendous portrait of a master marketer and the man who defined modern American celebrity.

Kalush writes in a novel like narrative and offers an incredible look at America in the early days of modern society as well as de-bunking the myths behind the legend of Houdini.

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