Join Dr. Eric Colleary, the Harry Ransom Center’s Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts, for a special reading and discussion of his book Houdini's Library (2026) on Thursday, September 17 at 6 p.m. A landmark volume in the history of magic, this is the first book on Houdini’s legendary personal collection, published on the centennial of his death. This program is held in conjunction with the Ransom Center's newest exhibition, Houdini’s Library, on view through January 24, 2027.Dr. Eric Colleary, the Harry Ransom Center’s Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts, is a historian, and writer who has spent more than two decades bringing the stories of theatre, performance, and popular culture to life. As Curator of Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin, he has organized award-winning exhibitions that uncover how performance shapes and is shaped by history, and his work has been featured in major national outlets.
Houdini’s LibraryAugust 29, 2026 – January 24, 2027Discover the hidden treasures of Houdini’s Library, an exhibition that delves into the life and extraordinary collection of Harry Houdini, one of history’s most famous illusionists. On stage, Houdini crafted his performances with a deep sense of history and the magicians who came before him. Off stage, he spent years building a collection of books, manuscripts, and ephemera documenting the long global history of magic and theatre. From a first edition of Reginald Scot’s 1584 classic The Discoverie of Witchcraft to the handwritten travel diary of legendary actor David Garrick, delve into how Houdini’s collection reflected his quest to preserve history—a tradition continued by the Ransom Center since it acquired his collection in 1958. Commemorating the centenary of Houdini’s death in 1926, Houdini’s Library invites visitors to explore the intersections of magic, history, and collecting.
This exhibition is organized by Dr. Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts.
Just in time for Houdini's centennial on Halloween, you can now enjoy some of those scarce Houdini books you've always wanted to read, or acquire a snazzy matched complete set of hardbound editions of Houdini's works. Check out our new Houdini Department at The Magician's Bookstore.
We've reprinted just about everything Houdini wrote: over 20 vintage books, booklets, pitch books, and other rarities. We even reproduced his Congressional testimony and his brother Hardeen's souvenir book. The prices are as affordable as we could manage. We've also discounted some in bundles so you can save. Most of the books were newly scanned from my original first editions, and all the pages have been meticulously cleaned of dust specks and printed on high-quality satin-finish paper for the best reading experience.
We've done our best to make them look good, and we hope you enjoy them. They're pretty fascinating and are some of the core research materials of our art.
A landmark volume in the history of magic―the first-ever book on Houdini’s legendary personal collection, published on the centennial of his deathHarry Houdini (1874–1926) was not only a great magician but a great collector. Every corner of his townhouse at 278 West 113th Street in New York was filled with books, pamphlets, prints, clippings, playbills, and photographs documenting the history of magic and theatrical performance. “It would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection of evidence now in my hands,” Houdini wrote in 1908. “These programs, advertisements, newspaper notices, and crude cuts trace the history of magic as no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians, rising in this century of research and progress to claim the credit due them.”
This handsome oversize volume is published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, where much of Houdini’s library is preserved. It traces the growth of the legendary illusionist’s collections throughout his career and illustrates hundreds of his treasures―many for the first time. They range from a priceless copy of Reginald Scot’s 1584 volume Discovery of Witchcraft, the first book to reveal the secrets of sleight-of-hand; the irreplaceable collection of playbills and programs that Houdini obtained from the British conjuror Henry Evans Evanion; the travel diary of David Garrick, the eighteenth-century actor who defined modern theatre; and much more. Houdini’s Library will be a source of fascination for anyone interested in the history of magic and performance.
An Unprecedented Offer from Mike Caveney's Magic Words. Free postage to anywhere in the world.
For a very limited time, we will pay the postage on this book no matter where you live. Postage to foreign countries can reach 70 or 80 dollars per copy but we've got you covered. No more excuses to not own this gorgeous book.See why David Copperfield called it "A Masterpiece." A. Taylor wrote, "Hearing Houdini's voice through his own words is spellbinding, and the production quality is next level. Stunning." J. Notaro wrote, "The book is a thing of beauty and a must have by all. The unbelievable array of rare photographs alone is worth the investment." Click here to read more about this landmark book. Then select domestic shipping and place your order.
For the first time in history, A Strenuous Career: The Personal Challenge and Advertisement Scrapbook of Harry Houdini places in your hands a breathtaking, full-color facsimile of one of the most significant artifacts from the life of the world’s greatest escape artist. This is the amongst the largest and most important scrapbooks personally complied by Harry Houdini! Every page is reproduced directly from Houdini’s own working scrapbook—exactly as he assembled it—preserving the energy, ambition, and relentless drive that defined the man.Meticulously reproduced from the original scrapbook—courtesy of Dr. Bruce J. Averbook’s extraordinary historic archive in The Averbook Magic Art Museum and Library—this volume features over 160 premium, large-format color pages, presented in a luxurious 9" x 12" hardbound edition with an elegant slipcase. Every detail has been preserved to immerse you fully in Houdini’s world.
This is not simply a book—it is a rare artifact, a conversation piece, a centerpiece for any serious collector of magic or history enthusiast.
Exposing Houdini contains a cache of previously unknown Houdini glass plate images. Now, one hundred years after his death, you can see these unique, iconic, and unpublished images, which are complimented with contemporaneous articles of the events and rarely seen artwork of the Handcuff King. This is a limited offer. Don't miss your chance to see Houdini as you've never seen him before. Order your Exposing Houdini today.Save some shelf space for this oversized, 10" x 10" coffee table book. It is a hard case book with printed end sheets. The interior consists of 164 pages of 100 lb premium paper that reveal the rarest of the rare Houdini images. Many of which have never been in print.
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