He enlisted the services of a big elephant as well. He had a specially made closet that could spin really fast. Only Harry had the courage to attempt such a fete and he made it happen. Vanishing such a large creature was unprecedented at the time. The normal routine at the time was to make small animals like birds and rabbits disappear. Finally, of special interest to many readers are Houdini's accounts of great magicians of history and of Houdini's own battles with spiritualists and fraudulent mediums.This illusion was performed by Houdini in 1918.

These are illustrated with diagram sequences that cover every step in performance. There are also instructions for performing 44 stage tricks, including the coin and glass, the Indian needle trick, and other standards.

This book is Houdini's own account of these exploits, supplemented with rare photographs and posters, first-hand material from periodicals and pamphlets, and behind-the-scenes revelations of some of the master's most prized secrets: how he picked locks, how he sawed a girl in half to become twins, how he walked through a brick wall, how a girl can vanish from a sheet of plate glass without trapdoors, hoists, mirrors, or other such apparatus. He permitted himself to be thrown, manacled, into the Hudson River to be nailed into packing cases and lowered into the ocean to be suspended by the ankles, strait-jacketed, hundreds of feet above the ground - and in every case escaped easily. Many of his fabulous escapes, indeed, now sound more like legend than history, yet they really happened. 155 illustrations.īook Synopsis Harry Houdini's fame is secure as the greatest magician of modern times. He also gives instructions for eye-catching tricks, as well as other fascinating material. About the Book Houdini shares secrets of how he escaped numerous death-defying stunts and exposed a variety of fake spiritualists.

Harry houdini magic shop