I remember that at the Harry Ransome museum in Austin there was a magic section with prints featuring the history of magic and some of the great historical magicians. I can't remember if there was one of Houdini, but surely there was. He is the most famous magician of all time.
The interesting thing is that some critics say he was not a great magician. Some even say he was not a magician. He was an escape artist, world famous in his time. There is a difference say some magic purists.
Harry Houdini has a cult-like following today. Many magicians have tried to be like Harry. Many followers research his life and Houdini paraphernalia. Many of his cult-like people simply can't get enough of Harry Houdini.
He was born Ehrich Weiss. He claimed he was born in Wisconsin on April 6. Actually he was born on March 24 in Budapest. He renamed himself after the magician Robert-Houdin. Later in life he attacked Houdin unmercifully. Houdini attached everyone he did not like unmercifully.
His early life is seemingly full of facts, mysteries, and fog. The author does not try very hard to separate fact from fiction, which would be hard in this life of this man.
Harry Houdini lied obsessively, though he did not like think of it as lying. Truth and fiction swirled in his mind indistinguishably.
The author has a nice chapter on T. Nelson Downs, the man who is reputed to be the greatest coin magician of all times. He did the greatest coin trick nicknamed "The Miser's Dream" in which he plucked silver dollars out of the air with an empty hand. It helped that according to this book, he could palm 40 silver dollars and make his hand look empty!
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