Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
24 used & new from £2.64

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Secret Life of Houdini
 
 

The Secret Life of Houdini (Hardcover)

by William Kalush (Author), Larry Ratso Sloman (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
RRP: £18.99
Price: £16.14 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.85 (15%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Saturday, July 11? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
9 new from £4.55 15 used from £2.64
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback (Reprint) 25 used & new from £3.18
Audio CD (Abridged,Audiobook) £16.99 £14.43 16 used & new from £7.99
Unknown Binding (Abridged) Order it used

Frequently Bought Together

The Secret Life of Houdini + Harry Houdini (DK Biography) + The Secrets of Houdini
Price For All Three: £30.79

Show availability and shipping details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Harry Houdini (DK Biography)

Harry Houdini (DK Biography)

by Vicki Cobb
£3.66
On Magic

On Magic

by Harry Houdini
The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini

The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini

by Ruth Brandon
The Royal Road to Card Magic

The Royal Road to Card Magic

by Michael Bailey
4.9 out of 5 stars (24)  £6.49
The Secrets of Houdini

The Secrets of Houdini

by J.C. Cannell
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £10.99
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Hardcover: 608 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd; 1st Atria Books Hardcover Ed edition (20 Nov 2006)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0743272072
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743272070
  • Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 16.5 x 4.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 329,444 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #39 in  Books > Biography > Theatre & Performance Art > Magicians

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Official Secret Website
   thesecret.tv    Purchase the DVD, Soundtrack & Book from the creators of The Secret 
The Secret: DVD, book, CD
   www.themagikthread.co.uk    The Secret DVD now £8.99 Plus 1000's Self Help Books 
Learn to use The Secret
   www.TheMastersOfTheSecret.com    to create anything you want in life from the stars of The Secret. Free! 
  
 

Product Description

Review
"Kalush and Sloman appear to have raked through every known Houdini archive to produce the most comprehensive and controversial biography ever written about the man, with its contention that he was a spy who may have been murdered by a cult."-- Tony Barrell, "London Sunday Times"

Product Description
Using exclusive access to newly uncovered archives, Kalush and Sloman reveal the clandestine agreements in which the British and Americans recruited Houdini to be an active secret agent. In exchange for his cooperation, the governments of these two countries facilitated his rise to the top of the world stage. The authors give thrilling accounts of his assignments, such as his participation in early aerial surveillance and his use of his own magic magazine to communicate espionage-related information. After the war, Houdini embarked upon what became his most dangerous mission when he took on the Spiritualist movement. Convinced that Spiritualist mediums were frauds, he became obsessed with exposing them. But the Spiritualists were a powerful adversary. An organized network of fanatics, led by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, worked relentlessly to orchestrate a campaign that would silence Houdini forever. Grounded in solid research, but as exciting and dramatic as a good thriller, THE SECRET LIFE OF HOUDINI traces the magician's long and circuitous route from struggling vaudevillian to worldwide legend.

See all Product Description

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
houdini
magic
biography
secret service
mediums
aviation history
william kalush
spirituralists
spies
science
harry houdini

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Spy controversy a distraction from this EXCELLENT biography, 27 Nov 2006
By John Cox (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
The "Houdini was a spy" aspect of this book - so hyped in the media and debated by magic historians - is a distraction from what should be seen, first and foremost, as a major new Houdini biography loaded with fascinating new facts about the great magician's life and career.

But what of this "spy" thing? Okay. Very quickly - in 1902/3 Houdini sent "reports" from Germany and Russia back to Superintendent Melville of Scotland Yard (who was then head of what could be considered British Intelligence). Does this mean Houdini was a spy, or just a letter writer who felt compelled to report what he was seeing to his friend in London? Authors Bill Kalush and Larry Sloman do make some interesting connections back to America and the shenanigans with Houdini's passport application...but it's all very speculative. For me, this "spy revelation" is just one of many, many new nuggets of information to be found within these fascinating 560 pages...and it's not even the most interesting nugget at that.

I was much more taken with the revelation of Bess Houdini's suicide attempt; a potential third Houdini mistress (Milla Barry); the attack on Houdini's brother in his Harlem home; the Russian Royal family's Rasputian-like fascination with the magician; Montraville M. Wood's involvement in the development of the Milk Can and USD; Lord Northcliff's role in Houdini's aviation career; Houdini's private secret service formed to expose spiritualists (Houdini actually bought a barbershop and trained an agent as a barber so they could communicate incognito); and the very troubling revelation that Margery and Dr. Crandon may have had a hand in the disappearance of several young English boys (freaky stuff this).

I was also thrilled to see Kalush and Sloman incorporate breakthrough information containing in such recent studies as The Man Who Killed Houdini by Don Bell (which rewrites magic history by revealing Houdini suffered not one but TWO stomach punch attacks in his final weeks). And, last but not least, the wealth of never before seen photos contained here are wonderful!

I was surprised to see the inclusion of some stories I've always considered to be apocryphal -- the tale in which Harry, as a boy, frees a convict from a pair of handcuffs is one. But the authors promise that a complete set of source reference notes are forthcoming in a separate volume. (Already some are available online at the Conjuring Arts Research Center website.)*

The last major Houdini biography was Ken Silverman's 1996 Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss (now out of print). I still consider the Silverman book the most authoritative Houdini biography, as well as the one that seems to best nail his complex character. But Secret Life uncovers many new facts not found in Silverman, and for the layperson it may be the more entertaining and provocative read.

It's been 10 years since Silverman and it was time someone tackled the subject of Houdini again. My congratulations to William Kalush and Larry Sloman for doing so...and succeeding so spectacularly!

*UPDATE: Having now read the source notes, please see the Comment section below for a review update.
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4.0 out of 5 stars An insight into the life of a great man, 17 Jul 2008
By Shortie Chapman (Kent, England) - See all my reviews
I've been a fan of Harry Houdini for a few years now, but I must admit this is the first book about him I've ever read. Therefore, this may or may not affect how you see my review. I hope it doesn't, because I thought this book was wonderful. The research was thorough, the photographs of Harry and his family were fascinating and it was a joy to read about his childhood and his supposed secret life as a spy.

I felt this book tried to break through the stereotypes of Harry Houdini which still exist in our society today. I do not believe that anyone will ever know everything about this great man, but this book is certainly a brave step.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of interesting stuff here, 28 Sep 2007
By Jezza (London) - See all my reviews
I'm not a big fan of biographies, and I'm not particularly interested in magic, so it was a surprise how much I enjoyed this. The 'Houdini was a spy' revelations dragged a bit, and so did the details of his early showbiz career, but his conflict with the spiritualists and fake mediums is really fascinating. Isn't it funny how magicians consistently seem to be the most implacable enemies of new age nonsense?
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


The Glorious Deception: The...

The Glorious Deception...

Killed in 1918 while performing his renowned illusion, Defying the... Read more
£9.99 £7.49

Find similar items

 

Make A Wish

Get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List Make sure you always get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List.

More info on Wish Lists

 

We've Got Converse

Converse
Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

Shop Converse

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates