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

Aug 25, 2012 Carl Rollyson rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not to keep you in suspense any longer: The secret is that Harry Houdini may have been a spy, an operative for the U.S. Secret Service, and other police organizations here and abroad. Unfortunately, the evidence is circumstantial, the biographers' conclusions inconclusive.

To be sure, Houdini hung out with cops and ops. He was, after all, the handcuff king, escaping from every kind of lock and chain the fuzz fettered him with — including treacherous thumb cuffs that tore the skin on Houdini's fin...more

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Mar 12, 2012 lancelot schaubert rated it 5 of 5 stars

(originally @ http://lanceschaubert.org/2012/01/18/... )

As a kid, I ingested Houdini biographies like most kids ingest chocolate. As a kid, Houdini snatched up Robert Houdin biographies like most kids snatched up wallets. I found myself taunting my brother to handcuff, shackle and hog tie me to my own bedposts and lock the door just so I could escape through the bedroom window and go wash dishes until he found me again. Houdini contorted himself as often as the manager at The Welsh Circus allowe...more (originally @ http://lanceschaubert.org/2012/01/18/... )

As a kid, I ingested Houdini biographies like most kids ingest chocolate. As a kid, Houdini snatched up Robert Houdin biographies like most kids snatched up wallets. I found myself taunting my brother to handcuff, shackle and hog tie me to my own bedposts and lock the door just so I could escape through the bedroom window and go wash dishes until he found me again. Houdini contorted himself as often as the manager at The Welsh Circus allowed him to. I practiced card magic, he practiced card magic. In my youthful ignorance, I delved into spiritualism & communicating with the dead. When I grew up, I wanted to be just like… well… you get the picture.

“But Lance, you’re not Houdini! Get over yourself.”

No crap, Sherlock. (You might that joke in a moment). I recount my childhood superhero to show the deep, intimate connection I have with the whole of Eric Weiss’s life, from Hungarian Eric to Harry Houdini. Every bit of this book taught me about myself while it taught me about him. Beyond the straightjackets, metamorphoses and lock picks sits a melancholy choleric pensive who struggled between arrogance and honest ambition, service and secret service all his life. That’s me in a cracked nutshell.

Kalush and Sloman chisel away chunks of historical farces to hew a statue of Houdini both mysterious and masterful – one enlisted as a secret service agent and assassinated by spiritualists. They show Houdini making friends with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and then unfriending him just as fast. They show his consistent connections with the military, the secret service and the birth of aviation – Harry was, after all, the first to fly in Australia. They argue all of this in hypothetical non-stance that, rather than seeming passive, strengthens their argument. They leave the reader to decide the truth as well as to double check their COPIOUS footnotes for themselves. No wonder there’s a Secret Life of Houdini planned for the silver screen.

I think this marks the first book review on here I didn’t crack the book to write. It just came out. Yes the book’s big – as in 568 single-spaced biography pages big. Yes, sections dragged for me. Didn’t even care. Loved every second of it – even the handful of boring parts.

Five out of Five.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 that never goe...more

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May 05, 2009 Libbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

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 narrative voice and partially...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Manny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very interesting life of Ehrich Weiss AKA Harry Houdini, was a very interesting figure. This book discussed the meagre upbringing of Houdini and how he was able to turn a childhood passion of magic to a brilliant career. During his zenith, he was very wealthy man. It also delved into the dispute with the spiritualists and how eventually lead him to his downfall. This was an interesting book. I was not sure if I would like this book, but I enjoy biographies. I enjoy story of resilience where peop...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, bookcrossing-com, biography-memoirs

I enjoyed this audiobook very much. I thought the author did a very good job presenting the great magician's life story. I live near Harry Houdini's boyhood hometown of Appleton, WI and have a business in the downtown College Avenue and Third Ward district area where young Harry use to run and play. I knew some of Houdini's past but learned quite a bit more from this biography by William Kalush. Love the story of how Harry first figured out how to unlock a pair of handcuffs after a local Appleto...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Klajdi rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 the fame...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Kim Ryser rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 the fac...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Luci rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am having a hard time with this book. I guess I did like this work- I learned an awful lot about Houdini, but it was really disappointing because it didn't really get into the "covert" operations as much. I guess I was lead to believe that Houdini did a lot more than the book described in terms of the spying. The thing that really bugs me though is the fact that with all of these "new" ideas, these authors didn't even bother to cite ANYTHING. You know how if you read a good biography - at the...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Mattie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 immigrant made g...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Mark Potts added it

Shelves: magic

A really interesting biog of Houdini that is quite honest about his accomplishments, rather than glorifying him unnecessarily.

Much of Houdini's legend (as far as casual observers are concerned) lumps him in with Howard Thurston, Harry Kellar, William Robinson, David Devant, The Maskelyne(s) and the other great illusionists of the time. Houdini was, in fact, quite a poor magician, having short stubby fingers and a short, squat body. He was not elegant, refined or, debonair in any way. He was, how...more

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Jan 09, 2009 Clackamas rated it 3 of 5 stars

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. I learned a...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Elyse Rudin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have never been so happy to finish a book. This was my Chinese water torture. I loved the exhibit at the Skirball and bought this book. After reading the entire 560 pages I know about as much as I did when I started. The pictures were cool (and counted as a page). I bet you're wondering why didn't I put it down. I kept thinking it had to get better after receiving rave reviews everywhere. If it had been 300 pages it would have made for a better read but everything I hoped to learn by the end o...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Sherrill rated it 1 of 5 stars

What a waste of time spent reading about this little con man and his very shallow life. i thought the whole book was just too much information. I thought it would never end. One story after another of him trying to gain lavish fame and have one fling after another with other women. Yes his escapes were sensational and very well done but of course fakery, very convincing fakery, but none the less that is the basis of his entire life. In the end he was killed because he was trying to be a spiritua...more

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May 03, 2013 Melissa Embry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

Writing team William Kalush and Larry Sloman detail master magician Harry Houdini's successive reinventions of himself -- from immigrant son of Hungarian rabbi to side show entertainer, escape artist and bunkum debunker. Was he really a secret agent for the Treasury Department and both U.S. and British intelligence also? The hints are intriguing, and Kalush and Sloman reveal just enough about Houdini's tactics to whet the reader's appetite. Sometimes the wealth of material becomes overwhelming,...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Dave Gaston rated it 3 of 5 stars

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 3 of 5 stars

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 suspicious d...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Jpg rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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.

I read it...more

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Dec 26, 2009 Red rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 in Chicago an...more 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 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 2 of 5 stars

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 c...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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Apr 27, 2013 Orsolya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, library, my-people-hungarians

Being Hungarian, there are a few things we take credit for: goulash, the Rubik’s Cube, and Houdini (born In Hungary to Austro-Hungarian parents). William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s “The Secret Life of Houdini” came to my attention after visiting a local museum exhibit on fellow-Hungarian Houdini and magic.

Although looking forward to “The Secret Life of Houdini”; I almost forfeited (before even truly beginning) when the authors announced that they have “dramatized scenes, “shifted what people sai...more Being Hungarian, there are a few things we take credit for: goulash, the Rubik’s Cube, and Houdini (born In Hungary to Austro-Hungarian parents). William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s “The Secret Life of Houdini” came to my attention after visiting a local museum exhibit on fellow-Hungarian Houdini and magic.

Although looking forward to “The Secret Life of Houdini”; I almost forfeited (before even truly beginning) when the authors announced that they have “dramatized scenes, “shifted what people said in time”, and “turned facts into dialogue”. This declaration defeats the purpose of a historical biography and turns the piece into historical fiction. Elaborating on that, “The Secret Life of Houdini” suffers from an identity crisis, lacking a solid structure. Combining a historical biography with dialogue, narratives, and storytelling; the book is filled with choppiness, loss of chronology, repetition, and confusion. Not to mention, tedium. “The Secret Life of Houdini” is simply difficult to follow as it has many voices/styles amongst the pages and feels like reading author notes versus a seamless stream.

Furthermore, “The Secret Life of Houdini” is more of a re-telling of career highlights. Although these descriptions are vibrant and illustrative; they are all told the same way which gets tiresome and results in a lack of information regarding Houdini’s personal life or thoughts. One does get to know Houdini more intimately than perhaps the average reader but it is on a deductive level and not authenticated.

“The Secret Life of Houdini” also strives to prove Kalush and Sloman’s hypothesis that Houdini was a spy. This aim is very thin, flimsy, and a rather poor conspiracy theory. The accusations are made but the evidence is hardly discussed and is far-fetched, making it unbelievable.

On the other hand, the authors successfully clarify that Houdini was not claiming to be involved in spiritualism and “magic” but instead, he was proving the capabilities of a human body plus used strong public relations to do so. Whatever one may think of Houdini, the authors demonstrate that he was intelligent, an entertainer, and a business man.

Although the second half of “The Secret Life of Houdini” features some very interesting moments (such as Houdini’s psychological reactions to his mother’s death); it is overall extremely slow and is over-saturated with minor details causing an extreme disconnect from Houdini. This lag makes the book difficult to read and almost “pointless” at times.

A large chunk of the latter portion of “The Secret Life Houdini” surrounds Houdini’s avid mission to debunk spiritualism. At this point, the book gains momentum and gathers excitement but then drags out again and even ventures on tangents, producing thoughts of, “When will this end?!”

The ending was stronger than expected, exploring the controversy surrounding Houdini’s death and the lives of key figures/relationships after he passed. Sadly though, no suggested reading or author notes were available (although they are accessible through download). However, “The Secret Life of Houdini” does contain many photos, illustrations, and drawings which add some strength to the text.

Overall, “The Secret Life of Houdini” is a good resource for gaining knowledge concerning Houdini’s professional life but not a strong insight into his thoughts, psyche, or personal relationships. Plus, the writing style makes it even less powerful. It is suggested for those wanting to read all they can regarding Houdini but not necessary for those seeking the best biographical piece.
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Jul 17, 2011 The Joy of Booking rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 any idea that he was...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Tony Hightower rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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...more 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 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 3 of 5 stars

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 had his crazy moments, but...more

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Nov 09, 2008 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

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-escape-from-han...more

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Oct 28, 2008 Rory rated it 3 of 5 stars 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 "proving" their fli...more

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Sep 07, 2008 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars 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 mentioning them. On...more 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 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 3 of 5 stars

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 5 of 5 stars · 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 advisor to the tsa...more 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 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 5 of 5 stars · 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 he's primaril...more 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 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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