This biography dramatically recounts what Houdini got out of: handcuffs, milk cans, straight jackets, jail cells, frozen rivers and coffins. Ironically, Houdini later unmasks his youthful idol and name inspiration, Robert- Houdin. Hungarian Jewish immigrant Ehrich Weiss, searching for a way to financially aid his poor family, finds vaudeville and his stage name, The Great Houdini. Loyalty to fellow magicians keeps author-magician Fleischman from revealing Houdini’s methods, although his bibliography includes books that tell all. The self-taught Houdini never had a magic lesson. Fleischman analyzes Houdini’s family relationships, evaluates his career and lasting fame, and explains them to youngsters as part human flaw, part the need to escape anti-Semitism, and part the drive to trump all competitors and fakes. Fleischman organizes this rags-to-riches tale around Houdini’s shameless vanity that supported his “megaphone self-promotion” of his self-made legend: sharing that Houdini doctored facts and photographs. Escape! captures readers with its flamboyant vocabulary, humor, insider understanding, wonderful photographs with excellent captions and a clearly stated theme which shapes the details of an exciting life. Author Sid Fleischman uses the same technique to stand out in the crowded field of Houdini biographies. Harry Houdini’s showmanship made him a standout among magicians.
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