Otherways- Fiction Fanatics

Most of the novels of any genre that I fall completely in love with have the power to surprise me, not an easy task given how much I read. In honor of Harry Houdini's birthday today, I thought we could take a quick look at a man that was simply chock full of surprises, even literary ones. Born in Hungary on March 24, 1874 as Erik Weisz, Houdini's name would come into household use for his seemingly impossible escape acts. Magic, stage prescence, and fantastic stunts are what he is best remembered for, but definitely not all the man achieved.

From vaudeville to his tour of Europe, Houdini got himself out of handcuffs, escaped from strait jackets, and was even buried alive, thrilling audiences everywhere. Making his living from illusion, Houdini quite naturally became an expert on divining the tricks others used to fool the gullible, and made himself a serious thorn in the side of the fake spiritualists that were so popular in his day. Entertaining crowds with illusion and amazing escapes was one thing, bilking the bereaved quite another.

This crusade of his made him an expert on spiritualism, and gave him quite a background in the occult. I was familiar with this, but what I did not realize was that the king of escape artists was also a published fantasy author. In 1924 he turned this knowledge into a story, The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt. Although this story only appeared in serialized form, in two "episodes", it still surprised me that he wrote it at all. In the same year he published an essay, The Hoax of the Spirit Lover.

Harry was a man of action, whether piloting planes, making movies, or escaping from a straight jacket underwater. He was very public, dramatic, and on the edge. Writing is essentially a solitary activity, introspective, and quiet, so it was not at all what I expected from him, but like I said, all the best works have that power: they withhold a few secrets to the very end, keeping you guessing exactly what will come next.

He may not have reshaped the American literary landscape with his writing, but even more than 140 years after his death, everyone knows Harry Houdini. You'll find nearly as many references to him as you do to Merlin in fantasy novels, which is a tribute I think he would have enjoyed.

Happy birthday, Harry.

Cheers,

Michelle