Fleischman, Sid. Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini. New York: Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. 210 p. $18.99.

ISBN 0-06-085094-9 (trade); ISBN 0-06-085095-7 (library).

Sid Fleischman brings an admirable combination of skills and life experience to the writing of this biography about Harry Houdini, born Ehrich Weiss, the poor rabbi’s son who grew up to become a world-famous magician and escape artist. Fleischman is a Newbery award-winning author of numerous books and was a professional magician in his youth.

Fleischman’s style is both breezy and informative. He strikes the right chord that will resound with readers of all ages. Here’s an example: “The Milwaukee years were misfortune wrapped in hard times inside a calamity.” Who can resist such word wizardry?

Fleischman doesn’t hesitate to lambaste his bombastic, egocentric subject. He tells us that Houdini’s books were sometimes ghost-written, sometimes petty and sanctimonious, but still filled with dazzling bits of lore about the magician’s craft. The author’s sense of humor and lively writing move Houdini’s story along to its ultimate, unhappy ending.

Houdini’s Jewish identity is a constant backdrop to this biography. How poor Ehrich managed to escape all manner of tortuous devices but could not escape his Jewish identity is a complex tale indeed. His love and devotion to his mother was almost more than his wife could bear; he tried to honor his father when he gave up his trade of phony spiritualism after a few months. After his death, Houdini was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Queen’s, New York. He had come a long way from the poor Jewish boy growing up in the Midwest and scrabbling for a few dollars as a necktie cutter in New York.

The covers of this book display two posters proclaiming the wonders of Houdini’s craft. Generous margins, good quality paper, and legible font make this book attractive to readers, young and old alike. Numerous black and white photos, some never before seen, enhance the text. An annotated bibliography and detailed index are helpful additions.

Unfortunately, a few errors not caught by the copyeditor mar this outstanding book. Still, this book is recommended for school and synagogue libraries.

Ages 9 and up.

© Anne Dublin.

Originally published in AJL Newsletter, Feb/March 2007.

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