Brandon draws the reader inexorably into the magical, slightly crazed world of the Great Houdini, born Erich Weiss in Budapest, or was it Appleton, Wisconsin? Photos not seen by PW. He died in 1926 at the age of 52-from appropriately mysterious causes. Obsessively devoted to his mother and to his wife, Bess, Houdini numbered among his friends both Edmund Wilson and Conan Doyle. The dramatic escapes of this meticulous craftsman were in essence faked but nonetheless often highly dangerous. She considers what psychological needs drove a man to jump handcuffed into an icy river to prove he could free himself, or to hang upside down in a straitjacket from the top of a skyscraper for the same reason and she portrays ``this conspicuously brave man'' as also a ``conspicuously frightened man.'' Houdini's every performance carried the threat of death and, more important, the threat of failure. In this widely acclaimed biography, Ruth Brandon shows how Houdinis obsession with his. Houdini was born sometime in 1874 (virtually nothing about him was easy for his biographer to establish). For master illusionist Harry Houdini, the two were inextricably linked. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.Brandon, who has written on Sarah Bernhardt (Being Divine) and the Singer sewing machine family, approaches this master of illusion with skepticism and sympathy.
Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days. This book title, The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini, ISBN: 9780812970425, by Ruth Brandon, published by Random House Publishing Group (October 21, 2003) is available in paperback. This definitive biography allows readers to peer into Houdini’s psyche and understand him more deeply than ever before.
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Brandon reveals much that is new: how Houdini invented a phantom son why he wrote long daily letters to his wife, Bess, who lived one floor below him his combative relations with mediums and spiritualists, including Arthur Conan Doyle and the first full description of his fabled death. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini (Kodansha Globe) at. In this widely acclaimed biography, Ruth Brandon shows how Houdini’s obsession with his own mortality drove him to create death-defying stunts that not only captivated the public but also subdued his own raging psychological demons.Īs Brandon relates Houdini’s methods of escape, she asks: What was he trying to escape from? Her exploration of the psychic landscape of one of the most enduringly famous performers of the twentieth century makes for utterly fascinating reading. For master illusionist Harry Houdini, the two were inextricably linked. For many performers, stage life and real life are separate identities.
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