Customer Reviews

Houdini!: The Career of Ehrich Weiss: American Self-Liberator, Europe's Eclipsing Sensation, World's Handcuff King & Prison Brea

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the time I could count my age on my fingers, Houdini fascinated me; I read everything regarding him that I could get my hands on. So I already knew a lot of what Silverman mentions in Houdini!!!

However, this book actually managed to surprise me. First of all, most of what I read from the ages of seven to fifteen were biographies written in the "Boy's Life" mode, heroic tales which read more like dime novels than actual biography. Not only does Silverman present an accurate, well-researched account of Houdini's life, he also accounts for many of the myths surrouding Houdini, even in some cases explaining how Houdini himself contributed to some of the confusion. Because the book is so even-handed, I walked away from the book still admiring my childhood hero.

Second, Silverman brings a magician's perspective to this biography. He describes at length the presentation and details of the effects that Houdini accomplished, such as the Metamorphoses, the Milk Can Escape, the Chinese Water Torture, and numerous jail and handcuff escapes. However, he does not "give away the store" by spilling the secrets to the man's life. Sure, some of Houdini's secrets are now known, others not, but Silverman refrains from writing a kiss-and-tell book, and I had to admire that.

Lastly, Silverman went a lot further than I've ever seen in describing both the man and his times. While I've known for years that Houdini lived in a very exciting time, Silverman portrays him as truly a man for his age. From Houdini's interactions with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Theodore Roosevelt, H.P. Lovecraft, Sarah Bernhardt, and Hollwood's silent film stars, to his involvement with aviation, spiritualism, movie making, and more, Silverman makes a case that Houdini brought together much of what first made the modern age modern.

Houdini!!! did not perpetuate the same tall tales that all the movies and Houdini himself put forwrd. Instead, this biography exposed Houdini for what he was--a physically accomplished, master showman, sometimes ego-driven, yet principled man who always struggled to accomplish more.

Given the wide array of misinformation that exists about Harry Houdini, this book outshines the rest. Quite enjoyable.

I've read every biography on Harry Houdini and this is without question the best of the lot. Certainly it is the most comprehensive and professional. Silverman has not just recycled information gleaned from old bios (as Ruth Brandon did in The Life & Many Deaths of Harry Houdini); he has done fresh research and has come up with amazing new facts and facets of Houdini's career and character that have never appeared anywhere else. I've read this book 3 times and each time I learn something new. If you're looking for a Houdini biography, this is the one to buy.

When my magic shop customers ask me to recommend an excellent book on the life of Harry Houdini, I recommend Ken Silverman's book without hesitation. This author has meticulously researched the facts, and has produced a highly entertaining and informative book. Well illustrated, this book helps the reader create a clear picture of Houdini the man as well as Houdini the performer. MagicTricks.Com gives this book its highest recommendation.

I was given this book while I was in the hospital. I was hoping to learn some trick for excaping from there, but the book was no help. Houdini turned out to be a far more interesting figure than I had originally imagined. Egotistic, but as they say, "It ain't bragging if you can do it." The book also teaches a lot about the entertainment industry of the early 20th Century. I highly recommend this one.

Houdini!!! by Keneth Silverman is an entertaining read that held my interest to the end, and this is not a reflection of the fact that he died well "before his time"! Regardless, he had several "careers" and his final one, in the role of debunking the spiritualists was every bit as fascinating as his escapes. I don't begrudge Silverman maintaining the magician's code of secrecy regarding tricks but I think he could have done more to shed light on how Houdini acquired and developed his enormous talent as an escape artist. In the book, which moves right along through a very eventful life, the amazing feats just reel off as if they just came to him without a great deal of effort. But this is quibbling, there is plenty here to hold the reader's attention and the almost laughably egotistical Houdini is a most appealing character

A detailed guided tour of "every performance" of the mystical,one and only Houdini. Also, lots of great pictures. We do not, however, receive much of an insight into the greatest magician and escape artist in our time. Perhaps proprietary considerations prevailed, but I wish I could have learned and read more about the "inside Houdini." I left a bit unfulfilled but enjoyed the journey.

The author had a conflict of interest while writing this book. On the one hand, as a former magician, he didn't want to give away any trade "secrets." But as a writer he had the responsibility not to short-change the reader by omitting important details. I found the second half of the book that covered Houdini's bitter relationship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the exposing of fraudulant mediums much more interesting than the first half where Silverman "kept the secrets." How can the reader fully appreciate Houdini's performances if the preparations that went into them are omitted? Besides, there are few magic "secrets" left to be guarded as most have already been published--see Jim Steinmeyer's "Hiding the Elephant" for a recent example. I can understand Silverman's decision to abide by "the code," but it does detract from the book's appeal, hence only three stars.

I first read about this book in the New York Times Book Review in a review by a magician, Teller. Teller praised the book highly, and I received the book for Christmas. Mr. Silverman is a magician, and does not even attempt to reveal Houdini's secrets. Teller did not let the reader know that secrets are not revealed. Now I ask you, what good is a biography without secrets being revealed? This slavish adherence to a magician's code does not wash for me. If I spend money and time on a biography, tell me the most interesting facet of his life. I don't want to know about every theater he played at; I want to know how he did what he did! That said, the book did sustain my interest for about 1/4 of the way, and that was where Silverman discusses the efforts by Houdini to expose spiritualists. His relationship with Doyle was fascinating. But once again, Silverman disappoints in not exploring the most glaring contradiction in Houdini's life: How can somebody who so vehemently disbelieves in the ability of spirits to manifest themselves on earth also so fervently believe in an afterlife? Not even discussed by Silverman--it seems not to have crossed his mind.

I bought this book for my father, who is a huge magic-buff, and recalls hearing about Houdini while growing up.

Of course, I knew then that my father never reads books, and my hopes that he would break that pattern and read this one were lost. So, I took it home and read it. Er, read most of it.

I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, but I couldn't get past the fact that the manner in which the book is written was less than enthralling. I just couldn't stay interested! I wanted to, I wanted to!!

If you're interested in learning about Houdini, I'd find something smaller to being your foray - like a three-fold brochure or something.

Houdini ROCKED! This book doesn't.