Houdini is probably one of the best known magicians of all time - if not much about his life, then his prowess as an escape artist. This was a great peek inside Houdini's life on the stage and some of his greatest acts, including a break-down of how the tricks were done. If you've ever enjoyed shows like Breaking the Magician's Code then you're going to thoroughly enjoy that aspect of this book. If you're interested in learning more about Houdini's life, then there's plenty to keep you engaged within these pages as well. I enjoyed both aspects, and loved learning more about one of the greatest magicians who ever lived from a book that is both well-written and accessible, even for those not initiated into the secrets of magic. ( )

I received a review copy of this to-be-republished copy of the 1961 original from BookSirens. I wasn't sure if I had read this maybe 47-49 years ago as I had read everything Houdini in my small town and small school libraries. A lot seemed familiar, but I don't know. Regardless, it is an excellent source for Houdini's magic, describing the different tricks, escape, and illusions, the reviews and media promos of the day, and most importantly, the detailed descriptions of each "secret"and how he performed them. I doesn't come with a "don't try this at home" warning, but it probably should, as even with the answers, most of these took the skills of Houdini or similarly trained experts to pull them off. If you are a fan of Erich Weiss and haven't seen this yet, I recommend it. ( )

Describes how Houdini's spectacular tricks were done. ( )