Las Mujeres de Houdini by Sonia Chocrón

Here's a new Spanish-language novel with a Houdini connection: Las Mujeres de Houdini (Houdini's Women) by Sonia Chocrón. Below is a plot summary (translation).

In Houdini's Women, Sonia Chocrón immerses us in the story of a Jewish-Venezuelan family, intertwined with the legacy of the famous illusionist Harry Houdini. The novel, narrated by Sara, a granddaughter of the family, reveals a web of secrets, lies, and complex family relationships that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Through Sara's eyes, we explore the lives of the women of the Brandao Maya family, who, like Houdini, seem to be masters of the art of illusion and evasion. Each of them hides secrets that have shaped their lives and those of their descendants. The novel becomes an introspective journey in which the characters try to unravel their past and build their own identity. 

You can purchase Las Mujeres de Houdini at Libros.cc.

Related:

• Major new Houdini biography released in Spanish and Portuguese
• Two new Spanish language Houdini books
• Spanish edition of The Right Way To Do Wrong

The Houdini Compendium by Alex Rusconi

Released to commemorate Houdini's 150th birthday, The Houdini Compendium by Alex Rusconi is an Italian book collecting Houdini anecdotes and episodes. Below is a translation of the book's description.

One hundred and fifty years after his birth, Harry Houdini is still the most famous and controversial magician in history. His life, like a novel, is full of anecdotes and extraordinary episodes, just as his artistic career was extraordinary.

This book collects 52 (like the years Houdini lived) curiosities about this character, his exploits, his friends and his loves, dispelling some clichés and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of this giant in the history of entertainment. Even if you know Houdini's life perfectly, in this book you will surely find at least one "gem" that you didn't know about! The challenge is launched...

Foreword by Andrew Basso.

You can purchase The Houdini Compendium at Amazon.it, Amazon.co.uk, or Amazon.com. An English translation is not currently planned.

Related:

• Andrew Basso now owns Houdini's tuxedo collar
• New Italian Houdini biography by Massimo Polidoro
• A taste of Houdini horror from Italy

Swedish Houdini book for kids

Here's one from all the way back in 1998 that I only recently discovered. Houdini och hans bästa trick (Houdini and his top trick) by Dan Höjer is a Swedish book for young readers from publisher Rabén & Sjögren. It runs 45 pages. I've not seen the book itself, but from the cover art I assume it's illustrated.

You can find Houdini och hans bästa trick on various Swedish retail websites including https://www.bokborsen.se/.

Related:

• Illustrated gems
• Playing The Grim Game in Sweden
• Guest Blog: The Stockholm Affair

Hey look! I wrote a book. In French?

While doing my normal search for Houdini news online, I came upon this French eBook called Houdini: Magic Star written by...me? And here I didn't even know I could speak French!

What this appears to be are a collection of my blog posts translated by Jean-Pierre Hornecker. This is on the level. Jean-Pierre wrote to me a few years back asking my permission to adapt some of my posts. But I had forgotten all about it. So it was a pleasant surprise to see my name on this cover.

Houdini: Magic Star is free at the magic website e-magix.

Related:

• New French series kicks off with 'Metamorphosis'
• French edition of Magical Rope Ties and Escapes
• The Chronicles of Young Houdini

Houdini meets Mata Hari

Agentes H: Enemigo en Nueva York is a Spanish language pulp style adventure by Paulo César Ramírez Villaseñor. Below is the cover and plot description (via Google translate).

Harry Houdini and Mata Hari team up to work on a special mission, set against the backdrop of 1918 New York. Under the codenames "Double Ax" and "H21", the two investigate a strange robbery of an exhibition of Egyptian archaeological pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in particular, the disappearance of a mysterious mirror. After a series of heinous murders with clear occult overtones, they discover a horrible plan that they must stop before it's too late.

A thriller that combines Alternative History, Espionage Fiction, Detectives of the Occult and a few slight drops of Lovecraftian Horror, all written in pulp code.

Believe it or not, this is not the first fictional pairing of Houdini and Mata Hari. The famous spy joined Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the 1978 play The Houdini Deception. The 2010 book Dear Sweet Harry offered a poetic take on the couple, as did a 2010 concert in Wellington, New Zealand (poster below). As far as I know, the real Houdini and Mata Hari never met.

You can purchase Agentes H: Enemigo en Nueva York at Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• Bilson & DeMeo's Houdini Deception
• 'Dear Sweet Harry' brings Houdini home
• The Amazing Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini: La Clef De La Magie

A French graphic novel featuring the exploits of a young Houdini has been released by JUNGLE. This appears to be based on the animated movie released on DVD in 2015. Tesla is involved and this is the first of series.

You can purchase Harry Houdini: La Clef De La Magie at Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr and Amazon.com.

Related:

• Animated 'Houdini' released on DVD
• The Chronicles of Young Houdini
• Never too young for Young Houdini

French edition of '100 Houdini Tricks You Can Do'

French publisher Fantaisium has released the 1954 book 100 Houdini Tricks You Can Do by Joseph Dunninger as 100 tours de magie d'Houdini pour tous. Translation is by François Montmirel.

Not sure why they decided to use poster art from The Master Mystery as cover art, but... C'est la vie.

This is latest in a series of reprints from Fantaisium. Last year they released translations of Houdini's A Magician Among the Spirits, The Right Way to Do Wrong, and Magical Ropes Ties and Escapes (see related link below). They've also released Houdini's Margery pamphlet as Trucs et Astuces des Médiums.

Thanks to Arthur Moses for the alert.

Related: 

• French edition of Magical Rope Ties and Escapes
• New French edition of A Magician Among the Spirits
• New French edition of The Right Way to Do Wrong

'Hurry Up, Houdini' french paperback refresh

Attention completists. A new French edition of 2013's Hurry Up, Houdini by Mary Pope Osborne has been released by Bayard jeunesse. While the French translation was first released in 2014, this refreshed paperback sports new cover art and a slightly different title. Illustrations are by Philippe Masson.

The fictional book tells the story of two kids who set out to discover the secret of Houdini greatness via some time travel magic.

La Cabane Magique, Spectacle de magie avec Houdini can be purchased on Amazon.com or Amazon.fr.

Related:

• Houdini le magicien
• Hurry Up, Houdini! in paperback

Escape Quest Houdini

Here's a new French book called Escape Quest: Houdini face au synode by Manuel Rozoy and Willy Dupont. At least I think it's a book! It appears to be some sort of role-playing adventure with Houdini. Whatever it is, I think the cover art is très magnifique.

Purchase Escape Quest: Houdini face au synode at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• Houdini by Danielle Vaillancourt
• Harry Houdini, Superheros de la Magie
• Houdini comes home in 'La Maison Mystère'

Arthur Moses reprints the first Houdini & Holmes adventure

Here's something exciting. Arthur Moses has released a new book that examines the 1908 story "Auf den Spuren Houdinis" (On The Trail Of Houdini). This marked the first fictional pairing of Houdini and Sherlock Holmes. The book includes the original German text as well as a never before published English translation. Below are details.

After a performance in Berlin, Germany, Houdini is kidnapped by his lesser rivals. Sherlock Holmes is urgently summoned to Berlin to investigate. Through his masterful deductive reasoning he tracks down the dangerous perpetrators in the nick of time. 

A recreation in its entirety of the German language pulp magazine series Aus den Geheimakten des Welt-Detektivs, featuring the 1908 issue number 101 "Auf den Spuren Houdini's" (On The Trail Of Houdini). Uniting Harry Houdini and Sherlock Holmes, formidable protagonists together, one being a fictional character and the other a living legend of history, is a masterful stroke synchronizing their uniquely charismatic identities. This text focuses on a single 1908 German language publication which brought them together, along with its never before published English translation in addition to later translated foreign language editions based upon the German work. Their two personas are as popular today as ever, with many modern pastiches, comic books and films successfully pairing Houdini and Holmes. 

Other reprints of this title in other foreign languages are represented by reproducing their covers; France, Belgium, Denmark, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. Sherlock Holmes was the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

But it gets even better! Arthur has also released two other separate volumes containing the rare Portuguese versions of this story from 1911 and circa 1920.

Says Arthur, "All 3 will have a great interest for both Houdini and Sherlock Holmes collectors." He has launched a website devoted to the books. All can be purchased from Amazon:

Harry Houdini & Sherlock Holmes Together Again In 1908: Auf Den Spuren Houdinis (On The Trail Of Houdini) 

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Harry Houdini & Sherlock Holmes "Extraordinary Adventures of a Secret Police - The Missing Athlete" (Portuguese Edition 1911) 

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Harry Houdini & Sherlock Holmes "Extraordinary Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Missing Athlete (Portuguese Edition 1920) 

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

The books can also be found on Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.jp, and Amazon.ca.

Related:

• Sherlock Holmes
• Arthur Moses updates his Houdini Periodical Bibliography
• 'Houdini Speaks Out' in new 2014 edition

New Italian edition of Gibson's Houdini on Magic

A new edition of the Walter B. Gibson classic Houdini on Magic has been released in Italy. The cover features Houdini's Prison Cell and Barrel Mystery poster art (which was also just used on the large print edition of the Joe Posnanski book).

This isn't the first release of Houdini Il Mago in Italy. The book was previously released by Editoriale Corno in 1977 (below).

Houdini Il Mago can be purchased at LibroCo.it.

Thanks to Arthur Moses for the alert!

Related:

• The perennial Houdini on Magic
• New Italian Houdini biography by Massimo Polidoro
• A taste of Houdini horror from Italy

French edition of Magical Rope Ties and Escapes

French publisher Fantaisium has released Houdini's 1920 book Magical Ropes Ties and Escapes as Manuel des noeuds magiques (Manual of Magic Knots). Translation is by François Montmirel.

This might actually be the first foreign language printing of this book ever (but Arthur Moses can correct me if I'm wrong about that).

Fantaisium appears committed to reprinting Houdini's works. This year they've released A Magician Among the Spirits as Un Magicien chez les Médiums and The Right Way to Do Wrong as Manuel du malfaiteur: Révélations sur les criminels qui gagnent.

You can purchase Un Manuel des noeuds magiques at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr.

Related:

• A book that's bound to please
• New French edition of A Magician Among the Spirits
• New French edition of The Right Way to Do Wrong

Hungarian Kalush

The 2006 biography The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman has been released in Houdini's native Hungary as Houdini titkos élete (translation: Houdini's Secret Life). Below is the cover art.

You can buy Houdini titkos élete at lira.hu.

Related:

• China discovers Houdini's Secret Life
• Unmasking The Secret Life of Houdini
• Bill Kalush has been to the mountaintop

New French edition of A Magician Among the Spirits

A new French edition of Houdini's A Magician Among the Spirits has been released by Fantaisium as Un Magicien chez les Médiums. The translation is by François Montmirel.

Earlier this year Fantaisium relaesed Houdini's The Right Way to Do Wrong as Manuel du malfaiteur: Révélations sur les criminels qui gagnent.

You can purchase Un Magicien chez les Médiums at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr.

Related:

• Houdini the writer
• Houdini now spirit busting in Bulgaria
• Cambridge Press releases A Magician Among the Spirits

New French edition of The Right Way to Do Wrong

A new French edition of Houdini's The Right Way to Do Wrong has been released by Fantaisium as Manuel du malfaiteur: Révélations sur les criminels qui gagnent. The translation is by François Montmirel.

The cover uses an image similar to what was seen on the new 2012 edition that included additional material from Houdini's other works and an introduction by Teller. So I'm not sure if this is that edition or the 1906 original. Maybe Arthur Moses will tell us because I think I hear him clicking Buy Now!

You can purchase Manuel du malfaiteur at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr.

Related:

• Houdini the writer
• New edition of The Right Way To Do Wrong (2012)
• Dover will release The Right Way to Do Wrong in 2019

Proof of Houdini's daring dive in San Diego surfaces

Last week I received my copy of Houdini, Mago dell'impossibile by Massimo Polidoro. This certainly appears to be a serious Houdini biography, and I hope one day it will be published in English. But even in Italian I was able to learn something new.

Among the book's several unpublished photos are two on page 107 from the collection of Ken Trombly that made me whoop. The reason being these show a stunt that was thought to have never happened!

In 2011, San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Richard W. Crawford published The Way We Were in San Diego. In his book Richard shared hitherto unknown details about Houdini's only performance in the city in 1907. He also found a newspaper advert saying that Houdini would dive handcuffed from Spreckle's wharf into San Diego Bay. But he could find no evidence that the stunt ever happened and concluded that it had not "for reasons unknown."

But now these photos show that it did happen, and they even provide us with a date, October 7, the same day Houdini opened at San Diego's The Grand Theater on Fifth Street. So we have some revised Houdini history here. Love it when that happens!

You can purchase Houdini, Mago dell'impossibile at Amazon.it and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• New Italian Houdini biography by Massimo Polidoro
• New book finds Houdini in San Diego
• Houdini's Bridge Jumps

New Italian Houdini biography by Massimo Polidoro

Codice in Italy has released Houdini, Mago dell'impossibile by Massimo Polidoro. This is an updated version of the biography originally published in 2001. This new edition runs 468 pages with dozens of photos and a 16-page insert of color photos as well.

Says Massimo, "I have tried to strictly adhere to Ken Silverman's scientific historian's approach… even though, here and there, I have also told some of the best "almost true" stories, but always clarifying that they were unproven or downright fabrications. I am very satisfied with the final result and I hope that Houdini buffs will like it and, above all, that it will help reach a new generation of readers that may have never heard of Houdini."

The book is in Italian, but Massimo says he and his publisher are considering some options for translations.

Purchase Houdini, Mago dell'impossibile at Amazon.it and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• New Italian Margery book by Massimo Polidoro 
• MAGIA 18 celebrates Houdini's 90th
• Major new Houdini biography released in Spanish and Portuguese

Harry Houdini, Mis pequeños héroes 40

Harry Houdini, Mis pequeños héroes 40 is a Spanish language biography for young readers released back in April. It runs 32 pages and can be purchased at Amazon.es and Salvat.

Below are more original Houdini books published only in Spanish.

Related:

• Major new Houdini biography released in Spanish and Portuguese
• Two new Spanish language Houdini books
• Houdini and Conan Doyle rumble internationally

Harry Houdini, Superheros de la Magie

A new book, Harry Houdini, Superheros de la Magie by Philippe Beau & Axelle Corty, has been released in France. The book runs 48 pages and is aimed at young readers. It can be purchased at Amazon.fr and Amazon.co.uk.

Below are more original French language Houdini books for young people.

UPDATE: I now have the book in hand. It's a nice little book. Well illustrated throughout. Includes a short filmography. Also lists the Houdini museums in Scranton and Budapest in the back.

Related:

• Houdini by Danielle Vaillancourt
• Connais-tu Harry Houdini?
• La Fuite de Houdini

New Italian Margery book by Massimo Polidoro

Massimo Polidoro has a released a new book in Italian devoted to Houdini and Margery called Il mago e la strega: Indagine sulla più celebrate medium di tutti i tempi (The Magician and the Witch - An investigation on the most celebrated medium of all time).

The book includes Houdini's Margery pamphlet translated into Italian for the first time, an introduction by Massimo, my own "Margery File" posts from 2013, including my interview with Margery's great granddaughter, Anna Thurlow, and a second interview with Anna by Massimo.

A Kindle version of the book is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. You can buy a printed edition from CICAP.

Related:

• The Margery Files
• Interview with Anna Thurlow
• MAGIA 18 celebrates Houdini's 90th