For many performers, stage life and real life are separate identities. For master illusionist Harry Houdini, the two were inextricably linked. In this widely acclaimed biography, Ruth Brandon shows how Houdini's obsession with his own mortality drove him to create death-defying stunts that not only captivated the public but also subdued his own raging psychological demons. As Brandon relates Houdini's methods of escape, she asks: What was he trying to escape from? Her exploration of the psychic landscape of one of the most enduringly famous performers of the twentieth century makes for...
For many performers, stage life and real life are separate identities. For master illusionist Harry Houdini, the two were inextricably linked. In this...
In 1841, years before Nigella, Delia or Jamie, "The Globe" wrote "the man of his age is neither Sir Robert Peel, nor Lord John Russell, or even Ibrahim Pasha, but Alexis Soyer". The French chef who commanded a star salary working at the Reform Club was the
In 1841, years before Nigella, Delia or Jamie, "The Globe" wrote "the man of his age is neither Sir Robert Peel, nor Lord John Russell, or even Ibrahi...
