If you just want to know when you can buy the book, I would recommend signing up to receive notifications on my new retail site, Wild About Harry PRESS.
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Thursday, February 19, 2026
The Ultimate Houdini Chronology book update
What's going on with the first volume of my Ultimate Houdini Chronology book? The book is still on track for release this year, but I continue to make discoveries, and it continues to grow. To read about those discoveries and the people helping me make them, check out the latest book update below. I've been taking my patrons along on this journey from the very start.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Guest Blog: The Magic of Houdini's Library
Today sees the release of Houdini's Library by Barb Rosenstock. I am beyond honored to see that Barb dedicated this beautiful book to me. She has now graciously written a guest post sharing her experiences researching and writing this terrific book. Take it away, Barb!
You can purchase Houdini's Library: How Books Created the World's Greatest Magician at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Bookshop.org, or directly from publisher Penguin Random House.
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The Magic of Houdini’s Library
by Barb Rosenstock
There’s a new children’s book about Harry Houdini out this week. I wrote it. It wasn’t easy.In a way, the project started the year I turned eight. First, a magician friend of my father’s called me onstage where I placed my small hand into a guillotine, watched it get ‘chopped off’, and amazingly replaced. The next thing I knew, I was studying Marshall Brodeen commercials and developing a crush on Tony Curtis as Houdini.
At some point I received a magic kit but never astonished anyone, not even my parents. My coins dropped, my pompom balls stayed put, and my cards flopped. “Ta da! The Ace of Spades!” “Sorry, it’s the King of Hearts.” Magic had looked so easy! Like many childhood obsessions, this one ended with the tricks in the trash and a vague sense that there was something about ‘magic’ that I didn’t understand.
So, except for wearing a magician costume to a college Halloween party, seeing big name magicians in Vegas, and a few local shows with my own kids, magic was not part of my life. In 2012, I found myself on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Library of Congress. Shifting careers from the corporate world to writing children’s nonfiction, I was researching a book on Thomas Jefferson. I jotted a quick note about a sign in one of the library’s myriad hallways, “Harry Houdini Collection.” I imagined it to be a few dusty boxes of magic paraphernalia. Instead, a quick Wikipedia search told me that the LoC Houdini shelves contained almost 4,000 volumes. And that wasn’t even Harry’s entire collection! That’s weird, I thought, Why would a magician need so many books?
So, off and on I thought about Harry; but spent the next dozen years publishing children’s books on other topics. In 2021, I mentioned Houdini to my editor and was floored by her enthusiastic response. I started learning—reading all the major Houdini biographies, talking to folks at the Library of Congress. But after months of false starts, I almost gave up. I couldn’t figure out what needed to be said about Houdini that hadn’t been said to kids before. Until…
I found Wild About Harry. John’s detailed posts about Houdini and your involved comments deepened my thinking about the man’s personality and influence. Because of posts and people found on the site, I wound up touring 278—Harry and Bess’ NYC home, visiting Gabe Fajuri at Potter & Potter, researching in Appleton and Austin, plus benefitting from the wisdom of the many Houdini collectors in this community. It was Harry’s relevance to your lives that led me to discover his relevance for today’s kids.
My newest picture book, Houdini’s Library, is the story of an immigrant boy who starts with almost nothing and become a superhero for the ages with the help of books. It’s a multi-layered story about magic—the magic of books, the magic of community, and of course, the magic of secrets, illusion, and escape.
Through the last four years of researching, drafting, and revising Houdini’s Library, I finally figured out what I hadn’t understood about magic as a child. Just like writing children’s books, magic can look simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Effortlessness (in writing or magic) is the result of focus and discipline. Houdini read and practiced, read and invented, read and met with experts, read and worked out, read and wrote, and practiced some more. I bet he felt like giving up sometimes (you know I did!), but Harry’s persistent commitment to excellence in his craft is a wonderful model for children. And Houdini truly loved his books, “The public knows me as a magician…it does not realize that I am a student.” The story of the boy who became the world’s best-known magician also turns out to be a tale of how to become a lifelong learner. No wonder so many (including Dua Lipa and Eminem) are wild about Harry!
I hope you will be as wild about Houdini’s Library as I have been about learning from each of you. I hope you pour over the detailed cut-paper dioramas of Harry’s life (truly magical!) created by illustrator Mar Delmar. I hope you will notice that the book is dedicated to our hardworking historian John Cox. And most importantly, I hope you will share the secret story of Houdini’s Library with a child in your life.
This time, I’ve worked hard enough to promise a bit of magic.
Barb Rosenstock is the award-winning author of nonfiction and historical fiction books for young readers. Her book, THE NOISY PAINT BOX, was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 2015. In addition to HOUDINI’S LIBRARY, other recent titles include SEA WITHOUT A SHORE, THE GREAT LAKES, and THE MYSTERY OF THE MONARCHS. Her first nonfiction book for young adults, AMERICAN SPIRITS: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad that Haunted a Nation, has been named a 2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year. A native Chicagoan, Barb loves to share ideas about reading and writing with young people in schools across the country. Instagram: @brosenstock; Facebook: Barb.Rosenstock. Learn more at www.barbrosenstock.com.
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Monday, February 16, 2026
"An Open Letter to Harry Houdini"
Repost from May 13, 2022, with an update.
Here's a curiosity from the September 11, 1925 Pittsburg Post. I'd love to know whether this "Open Letter" was the Aldine Theater manager's idea alone, or if he and Houdini cooked it up together as a nice bit of cross-promotion. Houdini was performing his "3 Shows in One" at the Alvin Theater in Pittsburgh this week.
Did Houdini take Mr. Sidney up on his offer? Afraid I don't know the answer, but I'm sure the medium-debunking theme of the movie would have met with his approval.
Despite being a work by Dracula and Freaks director Tod Browning, today, Wikipedia calls The Mystic "a little-known film with a cast of now-forgotten names."
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| The Pittsburgh Press, Sept. 11, 1925 |
UPDATE: The Mystic has now been released on Blu-ray as part of a special 3-film set of Tod Browning films that includes Freaks (1932) and The Unknown (1927). Below is a review from one of my favorite YouTubers. He does long and very technical reviews. The Mystic is the first of the three films he reviews. Learning more about the plot, this certainly does seem to be a film that would have interested Houdini, and one he would have supported.
You can buy Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers on Blu-ray and DVD at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Postcard fever
Every month on my Patreon, I share a different vintage postcard from my growing collection. I also share the Houdini history connected to each card. This month's card is one I just received and is a little different. It features a theater that played an important role in Houdini's early career.
You can see this and all the cards I've shared by becoming a member. Hope to see you inside.
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Thursday, February 12, 2026
Mystery and Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a surge of magicians began to refine their art, finding larger audiences and building communities of practice. This period has come to be known as the Golden Age of Magic. The history of magic and magicians has long been documented through text and image as a form of theater by the Billy Rose Theatre Division at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Now, the exhibition Mystery and Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City will display our rich and historic archival materials related to the art of magic and the fascinating lives of magicians performing in New York City during the Golden Age.Magic performance in this period was deeply intertwined with the traditions of spiritualism, vaudeville, circus, and mainstream theater, and innovations in publishing, science, and technology were also a major influence. The exhibition explores how magic knowledge was passed down through communities and lineages of magicians within an evolving cultural and social context.
The exhibition showcases rare items from the collection of Dr. Saram Ellison, co-founder of the Society of American Magicians, as well as important books and artifacts that evoke an early 20th-century magic shop. Through a curated display of photographs, programs, correspondence, artifacts, and original posters the exhibition will also trace the lives and careers of such major magicians as Harry Kellar, Alexander and Adelaide Herrmann, Harry Houdini, Howard Thurston, Dell O’Dell and many others, exploring the wondrous world of the Golden Age of Magic.
This exhibition is organized by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and curated by Annemarie van Roessel, Assistant Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division.
Our good friend Charles Greene III attended the opening yesterday and sent this image from the official program. Look what appears in their list of recommended reading. Honored.
For more information, visit the Mystery and Wonder page at the New York Public Library website.
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Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Bess appears in 'Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared'
On this 83rd anniversary of the death of Bess Houdini, here's a unique book that brings her to life. Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared by Anna Hays tells the story of seven female magicians, including our Bess.
Discover the amazing illustrated stories of seven women magicians who pulled off spectacular and death-defying illusions and acts, achieved global fame, and then simply...disappeared.During the Golden Age of Magic from 1860 to 1930, seven women magicians in America defied Victorian conventions and created a unique place in history for themselves and future performers to come. There was Anna, the mindreader; Adelaide, who could float in midair; Talma, who could magically shower the stage with gold coins...and many more!
During a time when women were typically confined to the home, these trailblazers crossed oceans on steamships and traveled the globe bringing their imaginative brand of magic to audiences around the world. They followed their hearts and pursued their dreams of performing magic in the spotlight when women had neither a vote nor a voice in America.
They made history. Yet once their career ended, so did their legacy.
For decades their stories were hidden, or overshadowed by male counterparts, but now they've come to life in this vibrant and captivating book.
You can buy Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
Thanks to our magical friend Janet Davis for the alert.
Want more? You can listen to Marie Hinson's wild and very personal recollection of her sister's death as a member of my Patreon by clicking below.
Monday, February 9, 2026
David Copperfield's Shark Tank shoot
History By Mail recently returned to the television show Shark Tank, and part of that episode featured a tour of David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. Below is a terrific behind-the-scenes clip from the History By Mail Instagram.
Friday, February 6, 2026
Did John Bengtson make one last Houdini discovery?
Fast-forward to seven months ago, when John posted the video below about the locations for Harold Lloyd's The Kid Brother. John's video is well worth watching in full.
As you can see, much of it was shot on the Lasky Ranch in Burbank. While I knew the site of what is today Forest Lawn Cemetery was used to shoot the battle scenes for Birth of a Nation and was the original site of Universal, I never knew it was associated with Famous Players-Lasky. Of course, Famous Players-Lasky made Terror Island. So as soon as I saw this video, I wondered if the Terror Island town could have been shot at the Lasky Ranch?
Something that argues for this. There are several shots in which the street is visible through the window of Harry Harper's room. This suggests the room was an open set, which would best be built on a backlot.
I planned to email John to ask what he thought about this idea. But I delayed, and now that isn't possible. But what is possible is that the late great John Bengtson finally found the elusive Terror Island town.
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Thursday, February 5, 2026
POLL: Slipcase or savings?
I'm considering offering my upcoming chronology book in both slipcased and non-slipcased editions. If I do this, which one would you buy? I'm opening this Patreon poll to the public to get the best sample. Just click the image below. Thank you!
I will be selling this book through my new online store and publishing house, Wild About Harry PRESS, where I'm currently offering signed and discounted editions of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. If you haven't had a browse, please check it out!
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Ruth Kavanaugh on "To Tell The Truth" in 1972
Here's a fun find. On December 26, 1972, Houdini's niece Ruth Kavanaugh (daughter of Bess's sister Marie) appeared on the show To Tell The Truth. For those unfamiliar with the show, the premise was that three people would all claim to be the same person, and a panel of celebrities would attempt to guess which was the real person. On this episode (#0892), the celebrity panel was: Bill Cullen, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean, and Kitty Carlisle.
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| The High Point Enterprise, Dec 26, 1972. |
I asked our friend John Hinson about this, and he does remember watching it. But this was before home video, so he doesn't have a copy. And before someone asks, no, she did not bring the Mirror Handcuffs (Ruth owned them at this time). Does anyone else remember seeing this?
I would sure love to see this episode. There is a YouTube channel devoted to uploading complete seasons of To Tell the Truth, but it has yet to reach the 1970s.
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Sunday, February 1, 2026
John Bengtson has passed away
I'm very sad to learn that the great John Bengtson has passed away. John was a giant among film historians and THE man when it came to finding silent movie locations. He was an incredible researcher and sleuth, and a true inspiration. He shared his discoveries in several books and on his YouTube channel, Silent Locations. He was also a very nice guy who was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge. In 2015, he hunted down several locations from Houdini's The Grim Game. I'll share links below. As a specialized historian, he seems irreplaceable. His work lives on through his books and videos, but he will be missed.
Happy travels, my friend.
I encourage you to visit John's Silent Locations YouTube Channel, website, and pick up his books: Silent Traces, Silent Echoes, and Silent Visions.
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| Hollywood Heritage |
Below are some of John's Houdini-related discoveries that I have shared here over the years:
Friday, January 30, 2026
Searching for Houdini at "The Old Vic"
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| The Old Vic near its end. Strourbridge.com |
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| Stourbridge News, April 5, 1958. |
Unfortunately, I have no record of Houdini at the Victoria in Lye or anywhere in Stourbridge. I am a bit skeptical. This was a very small theater, not affiliated with any of the music hall circuits Houdini played. And as far as I can find, it opened in January 1914. This doesn't leave much time for Houdini to have been there. I have two open weeks for him in 1914: January 5-11 and March 9-15. After that, he was back in the U.S. for the duration of the war.
One possibility is that Houdini could have made a personal appearance at the theater when it was showing The Master Mystery during his 1920 return tour of the UK. But now I'm reaching.
If any research bloodhounds are able to find Houdini in Lye, please give me a bark!
Want more? On my Patreon, I recently shared a list of dates for which I don't have a record of where Houdini was performing (if at all). You can did into that by clicking below.
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Thursday, January 29, 2026
LINK: Houdini and the Weed Chain Tire Company
Here's a terrific post on The Autopian about the Weed Chain Tire Company and their famous challenge to Houdini in 1908. Click the headline or the image below to read "Harry Houdini Once Escaped From Eight Tire Chains, Two Steel Car Wheels, And A Crapload Of Padlocks."
I'm impressed they were aware of the Weed Chain rematch. Not many people know that Houdini did this challenge twice.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
A special reward for my 100 patrons
It has finally happened! I've hit 100 paid members on my Patreon. As promised, I'm offering members a very special reward. It drops today at 1:26 PM.
Thank you all for your support. And if you're not a member, this is a fine time to join!
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