par William Kalush The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman is perhaps the most controversial book ever written about Harry Houdini. Experts are still debating the claims put forth in this groundbreaking biography. Did Houdini really work for the Secret Service? Did he sometimes rely on confederates to accomplish his escapes? Were ardent spiritualists in some way involved in his untimely death? The authors have now compiled all of their notes and sources into a beautiful companion volume. The Secret Life of Houdini Laid Bare provides a fascinating peek into the voluminous files that were collected from all parts of the world. Plus, all of the material that was edited out of the original biography appears in Houdini Laid Bare for the first time. Scattered throughout the book are more than seventy rare photographs relating to the career of the Great Houdini. Fans of magic history will find that reading both books together will bring each one to life. Sold only as a set, these books are packaged in a beautiful slipcase. To commemorate the publication of this important book, artist Chrysse Haynes painted two original oil paintings; one shows Houdini escaping from a strait jacket and the other of him about to be lowered into the Water Torture Cell. Both can be seen in the thumbnail images at the right. These images, signed by each of the authors, have been tipped into a first edition of The Secret Life of Houdini and The Secret Life of Houdini Laid Bare. Each book is numbered and only 1,000 sets have been produced.
