Houdini: A Life Worth Reading

by Higher Read

Houdini was a man of magic and mystery. He was also a pilot, an author, an actor, and a rabid opponent of the Spiritualist movement. He was impatient of charlatans and imitators and loving to his family. He had an impressive ego. If any of these facts are new to you, then A Life Worth Reading is the perfect primer on the man who was, by the end of his life, known only as Houdini.

From his Nude Cell Escape (yes, that is exactly like it sounds) to his methodical debunking of mediums, Houdini orchestrated his talent, persona, and career with care, enthusiasm, and determination.

With an easy-to-read biography, writings from Houdini himself, and quick-fact introductions to each chapter, A Life Worth Reading will tell you what you want most to know about the King of Handcuffs, also known as Ehrich Weisz, also known as the great Houdini.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Ebooks, Historical

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 30, 2014

About the author

Take learning out of the ivory tower and into your hands. With Higher Read's(TM) original content, you have all the expertise of professionals in a convenient, accessible format. From organizing to learning about history to writing like a pro, continue your education with Higher Read's(TM) real-life guides and how-tos. Because doctors, lawyers, writers, and college professors contribute to the curriculum, you will read it and then you will know it.

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Reviews

[Debi Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Amazon, many of the reviews for the book criticized it for being too "text book like". Well, it is, but I don't think that that should be a criticism. I thought this book was very informative and very well laid out. While it doesn't go into the detail that one might expect from a conventional biography, I learned a lot from it and it is a good starting place for those interested in Houdini.

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 4 stars for teaching me a lot about Houdini in an easy to read format. He was a very interesting man and a daredevil - a lot of his magic tricks were dangerous. I had no idea that he fought against Spiritualism (i.e. the belief that you can communicate with the dead through a medium) and outed mediums who tried to make a living communicating with the dead by observing them and figuring out their tricks.

If you are looking for a quick overview of Houdini - it's an interesting read.

[Bob Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it was the way the book was laid out, but I did not enjoy it. The information provided was great, but, the book telling you what you will learn in the chapter, then the chapter and finally at the end of the book, a quiz on all of the chapters. If you were taking a course on Houdini and needed to know everything about the man, then this book would be great. I am not even sure book clubs would like it, but they might.

[RachelvlehcaR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this biography about Houdini. It's my first book I've read about him and found it interesting. Good book for young adults to read for reports and such. In this book it is broken into section with what you are learn from it and even a quiz at the end with answers. I didn't take the quiz.

[Jerry Blackerby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about Houdini. I have read many books about Houdini, but this one had many little-known-facts about him, such as how egoistical he was. Even with his faults, he was still one of the greatest ever stage magicians. The book also included questions at the end of the book on each chapter.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was free on Kindle probably because of the History Channel biopic on him. It attempted to design it as a study of his life by providing questions at the end of each chapter. Since I didn't know anything about Houdini until reading this book, I have no way of knowing how accurate it is. He was a very odd man, although not involved in spiritism as I once thought.

[Jay S · Rating 3 out of 5]

It appears as if the author did a lot of research, and provided extensive information.

However the writing was dry - providing information. As the book got further along, it was obviously material had been provided before, or could have been presented better in a different point.

Maybe you might have a different opinion, but that was mine.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book, I would recommend this book to any one who wants a good read. I look forward to reading more of this authors work.

[M Pau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this biography. It's short and down to the point facts about his life and career.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, taught me a lot I didn't know about Houdini. Geared toward a younger reader, I felt, given the summaries before each chapter and the quiz at the end.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, short, and pretty wide-ranging bio of Houdini. He was a fascinating man with lots of drive, which nicely complemented his innate skills.

[Aljan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book was interesting enough, I found it very dry. I will look for another book on Houdini that is more captivatingly written.

[Diego Jimenez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Shadira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Houdini before reading this well-written book. It's enjoyable and informative, and rarely do I read something without several (at least) editing flaws that are distracting. I was a bit disappointed that this is a textbook style format, as I wanted to feel a more personalized connection with Houdini. I'm sure it's a valuable educational tool, though. Glad I took the time to read this

[Rachel]

good