(My favorite was the "Sea Monster" that Houdini sewed himself inside. I checked out this book in the audio version, but quickly picked up the paper version as I wanted to see the pictures that went along with the story. Even in death Houdini was able to make a statement, which is surely what he would have wanted. As was suspected, those words never came. After his death Bess tried on several occasions to contact Harry, always remembering the special words they had planned to say from the other side. As was his MO, Harry was too proud to admit defeat, and sought treatment for the blows too late to be saved. Sadly, those blows would eventually cause Houdini's death. Not wanting to show weakness, Houdini took the blows and even went on to perform a show that night. One of the boys delivered several particularly hard punches straight to Houdini's stomach. Houdini, self-promoting again of course, invited a few local boys to test his strength. Little did he know that passing would come sooner than anyone thought.
The great houdini code#
He and Bess made a plan, a special code that would be said when one of them passed to the other side. Even going into death, Houdini found ways to prove the so called mediums wrong.
He showed audience after audience the ways that were being used to deceive them, which of course angered many in the field. He focused on exposing the trickery of psychics and healers that were popular at the time. Eventually, Houdini turned his attention away from his own magic, and on to the outright tricks of others. The Houdini's kept a grueling pace, traveling from city to city, reinventing the show to keep the interest of the people.
Ever the self promoter, Houdini used his European fame to promote his traveling US show. Eventually, at the urging of Bess, the Houdini's returned to the United States. Harry traveled through Europe perfecting his routine of escapes and tricks, making more money than he thought possible. Houdini slowly but surely moved up the bill, and soon found himself as the main draw. Harry and Bess (his wife) headed to Europe, and with the help of a savvy manager, secured a great paying position in London. While the time may have seemed right for Houdini to become as famous as he thought himself to be, it seems that America was not ready for him after all. He promoted himself with daring jail breaks across the United States, but knew that there was more he could do. Harry took on the name of his idol, and began perfecting his craft, with dangerous escapes getting top billing in his show. Fleischman follows Erich as he completes a number of odd jobs to scrape by, running away from home, and eventually beginning to study magic, particularly the magic of the famous French illusionist Robert Houdin. Erich, as Houdini was named, eventually emigrated to Appleton, Wisconsin, and would come to claim it as his birthplace- his first illusion. Despite his claims otherwise, Houdini was born in Hungary during the late 1800's.
In Escape, Sid Fleischman, a magician and long time Houdini fan, presents the life story of the famous magician.
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