Houdini: The Life and Times of the World's Greatest Magician (Oxford People)

Based on contemporary reports and diaries and supported with historic photographs and period posters, Houdini is an intriguing biography of the world’s greatest magician and escape artist. Ninety years after his death, this brings both the man and his magic back to life again for one last performance. In the early 1900s, Houdini’s handcuff show was a huge sensation which toured the best venues in the USA and Europe, and when audiences demanded more, so he introduced straight-jackets, water-filled tanks, and nailed shut packing crates. His outdoor spectaculars became increasingly elaborate. In the early winter of 1906, he leaped manacled from the MacArthur Bridge in Detroit, MI, freeing himself from two pairs of handcuffs beneath the icy waters. Houdini's mega-star status allowed him to fly airplanes, star in his own movies, write and publish his own books, and even become president of the Society of American Magicians. This biography is an authoritative view from accomplished biographer Charlotte Montague, and belongs on the shelf of any lover of magic, escape artistry, and enigmatic figures.