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The Right Way To Do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals Paperback – December 3, 2012

by Harry Houdini (Author)

11 customer reviews

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The object of this book is twofold: First, to safeguard the public against the practises of the criminal classes by exposing their various tricks and explaining the adroit methods by which they seek to defraud. "Knowledge is power" is an old saying. I might paraphrase it in this case by saying knowledge is safety. I wish to put the public on its guard, so that honest folks may be able to detect and protect themselves from the dishonest, who labor under the false impression that it is easier to live dishonestly than to thrive by honest means.

In the second place, I trust this book will afford entertaining, as well as instructive reading, and that the facts and experiences, the exposes and explanations here set forth may serve to interest you, as well as put you in a position where you will be less liable to fall a victim.

The material contained in this book has been collected by me personally during many years of my active professional life. It has been my good fortune to meet personally and converse with the chiefs of police and the most famous detectives in all the great cities of the world. To these gentlemen I am indebted for many amusing and instructive incidents hitherto unknown to the world.

The work of collecting and arranging this material and writing the different chapters has occupied many a leisure hour. My only wish is that "The Right Way to Do Wrong" may amuse and entertain my readers and place the unwary on their guard. If my humble efforts in collecting and writing these facts shall accomplish this purpose, I shall be amply repaid, and feel that my labor has not been in vain.

I hope it will warn you away from crime and all evildoing. It may tell the "Right Way to Do Wrong," but, all I have to say is "Don't."

- Harry Houdini

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Product details

Paperback: 88 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481157647
ISBN-13: 978-1481157643
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 11 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,233,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #920 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > True Crime > Hoaxes & Deceptions

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ADMurr

he certainly had good sources, and it's written in a breezy style

February 2, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

To make extra cash, Houdini sold copies of this slim tome in the lobbies of the theaters he played. It's unclear how much he knew about crime, but since would cozy up to police chiefs in Europe and America to boost publicity by arranging a jail break for publicity purposes, he certainly had good sources, and it's written in a breezy style.

One person found this helpful

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July 14, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Sort of a strange book, but have to keep in mind when this was written. Houdini wasnt a sage writer, but it is interesting to see how things were back then, and unfortunately things havent changed too much

Comment

August 10, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I read about this book while reading Derren Brown's very entertaining book titled Tricks of the Mind. I thought it sounded interesting and would provide a glimpse into the mind of Houdini.

I was sorely disappointed. The book is a replicated copy of the original 1906 book which contains all of the printing press mistakes and crude drawings. This I didn't mind.

What was disturbing is the complete lack of any depth to the subject matter. Each chapter was very sketchy and also childish in it's brevity of both substance and knowledge. Indeed, from watching TV and general reading, I propose that most modern people could have penned a book superior to this novelty tome.

Houdini's tales of beggars, pickpockets, spiritualist and burglars are neither instructive nor very amusing. In fact, I found the totality of the work to be rather bland and unevenly written. The editorial review stated that he was a "entertaining writer". He was obviously great with magic and escapes but he should have left the writing to the experts.

This is not a book I would recommend for fans of true crime or even Houdini fans. Still yet, I am still pondering whether to buy Houdini: A Magician Among the Spirits (I never seem to learn).

I hope you find this review helpful.

Michael L. Gooch

15 people found this helpful

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John Crewdson

Harry Houdini is a great draw, but It's really just marketing hype.

January 16, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I thought it would be a kick to read this old book from the great Harry Houdini. It was probably pretty interesting when first written, but gives quite vague and relatively uninteresting information now.

One person found this helpful

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November 27, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Ho hum

Comment

March 7, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I can't wait to travel back in time to a hundred years ago and embark on a crime spree. This book is full of ye olde scams. Fun!

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Jack Dessel

The Right Way To Write Wrong.

January 31, 2012

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Well Written, informative and very interesting. Book is put together well, and pictures are great. Thanks! That should be all the information you need to buy a book but amazon insists that I type a longer review even though I could have not reviewed the item at all.

2 people found this helpful

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Very dated, but has some contemporary relevance

August 29, 2010

Format: Hardcover

Houdini's book was written in an age of higher standards for criminals. The people who would got to the effort of committing crimes of the sophistication described in the first half of this book, have pretty much shifted their efforts to the crimed in the second half.

The first half of the book is dedicated to quaint but relatively sophisticated theft. Second story men, pickpockets, safe crackers, and other thefts that are more than just opportunity or brute force are covered. The second half is scams, con games, proto-phishing schemes, and other crimes requiring a greater degree of thought. The second half is the part with some contemporary relevance. The sleight of hand behind the housing market collapse of 2008 would have made complete sense to the con artists Houdini described.

Overall, a fun book and an interesting glimpse at the crime threats in America before WWII.

E. M. Van Court

6 people found this helpful

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Most recent customer reviews

Amazon Customer

It was peripherally useful to read Houdini's peculiar language and have a vague ...

I was interested in reading Houdini's writing on criminality in terms of his long relationship with police and jails.Read more

Published on July 17, 2014

Guang Wu

Why we cannot learn lessons?

This small book, although it contains many cases in Houdini's time, is less attractive to modern readers.Read more

Published on December 7, 2009

A customer

Provides real insight on Houdini's perspective and talent.

Although not a literary work of art, this book is a must read for anyone who is interested in Houdini and his life.

Published on October 19, 1998

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The Right Way To Do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals Paperback – December 3, 2012

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