Houdini: Art and Magic

Title: Houdini: Art and Magic
Author: Brooke Kamin Rapaport
ISBN: 9780300146844
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2010
Binding: Hardcover
Language: English
Edition: First Edition
Number of Pages: 280
Condition Note: Moderate edge wear. Binding good. May have marking in text. We sometimes source from libraries. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.
Publisher Description:

Born Ehrich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary, Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was a rabbi's son who became one of the 20th century's most famous performers. His gripping theatrical presentations and heart-stopping outdoor spectacles attracted unprecedented crowds, and his talent for self-promotion and provocation captured headlines on both sides of the Atlantic.

Though Houdini's work has earned him a place in the cultural pantheon, the details of his personal life and public persona are subjects of equal fascination. His success was both cause for celebration in the Jewish community and testament to his powers of self-reinvention. In Houdini: Art and Magic, essays on the artist's life and work are accompanied by interviews with novelist E. L. Doctorow, magician Teller (of Penn and Teller), and contemporary artists including Raymond Pettibon and Matthew Barney, documenting Houdini's evolution and influence from the late 19th century to the present. Beautifully illustrated with a range of visual material, including Houdini's own diaries, iconic handcuffs, and straitjacket, alongside rare period posters, prints, and photographs, this book brings Houdini--both the myth and the man--back to life.

Published in association with The Jewish Museum

Exhibition Schedule:

The Jewish Museum, New York 10/31/10-03/27/11

Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles04/27/11-08/11/11

Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco09/16/11-01/15/12

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Wisconsin02/11/12-05/13/12