The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero

Name: The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
Price: 1.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.2 (602 reviews)
Author: William Kalush

by William Kalush

Biography Memoir

4.2 (602)

4.2 stars from 602 reviews. Top 94% of Biography Memoir books we track.

608 pages~10.1 hr readPublished by AtriaPublished 2006-01-01

$1.99Deal88% off peak

Last checked: Jun 16, 2026

Price history: $14.99 – $16.99

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Price range: $14.99 – $16.99

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Perfect for you if...

You're fascinated by magic history and want to know what the escape artist was actually doing when he wasn't performing.
You enjoy biographies that reveal the messy, complicated truth behind famous legends.
You're drawn to stories about how one person changed public entertainment and shaped early twentieth-century culture.

Maybe not for you if...

You want a straightforward chronological life story without the deeper historical context and archival research.
You prefer lighter reads about famous performers rather than 600-page deep dives into magic history and spiritualism wars.
You're looking for a book that treats Houdini purely as an entertainer rather than exploring his espionage and debunking crusades.

About this book

The Secret Life of Houdini traces Harry Houdini's journey from poverty to international fame as a handcuff king, escape artist, illusionist, and master magician. The biography examines his work as an alleged spy and his role as a lifelong skeptic who opposed Spiritualism. Written by magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman, this biography draws from millions of pages of research to reveal the man behind the legend. The authors describe the passions that drove Houdini to perform increasingly dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and efforts to subvert his legacy. The book details how Houdini's legacy was later threatened by a group of Spiritualists led by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Through exploration of magic history and professional magic practices, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, offering an intimate portrayal of both Houdini the man and Houdini the legend.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$14.99 – $16.99

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 88% off peak. Price has dropped 1 time over the last 6 years.

Sales Rank

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Currently around #209K in the Kindle store — a niche title.

Rating & Reviews

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Currently 4.2★ from 602 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.2 over the tracking period.

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This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $16.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.