The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini

The life of Erich Weiss as told from a feminist viewpoint with a distinct emphasis on his personal life as opposed to his professional accomplishments (which is what we really care about him) - he was a man of great accomplishment in his art of magic and many of the stunts he created and achieved were truly amazing - yes, he did have an unusual attachment to his mommy - and his wife seemed to be more of an aide than a partner - but - - his personal peccadilloes aside - he was the greatest of his kind - one of the other reviewers mentions the possibility of Weiss being a homo - a proposition I had not considered - but it would neatly explain his unusual relationships with his womenfolk and his staunch resistance to sex offered to him by show more female fans - (after all, Trump has not nominated him for an office so his sexual preferences and history are unimportant to his fame and status as a magician) - ultimately, whatever the reason, "Harry Houdini" was not a good guy and was someone who actively sought to ruin the competition - nonetheless - probably the greatest escape artist of all time. show less

Interesting though long-winded at times. Quite eye-opening as to the myth and the man. His relationship with his wife and mother, his desire to connect with his mother after death in conjunction with his one-man crusade against false mediums and his open telling of the tools of his trade made his story quite interesting.

A thoughtful biography

Deathly boring and focuses on a pet theory that Weiss was impotent to the point of obsession... With the childlessness of the couple being her only evidence.

I think it was this one I read.

Biography: film, television & music/Other public performances & spectacles