Houdini : art and magic / Brooke Kamin Rapaport ; with contributions by Alan Brinkley ... [et al.]

New York New Haven : Jewish Museum, under the auspices of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America ; Yale University Press, 2010. First Edition. Hardback. An exceptional copy; fine in the publisher's decorated cloth. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.; 8vo 8"" - 9"" tall; 261 pages; Physical description; xvii, 261 p. : ill. (some col.), facsims., ports. ; 25 cm. Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at the Jewish Museum in New York and three other institutions between Oct. 31, 2010 and May 13, 2012. Includes bibliographical references and index. Contents; Houdini's transformation in visual culture / Brooke Kamin Rapaport -- The immigrant world of Harry Houdini / Alan Brinkley -- Houdini's the rabbi's son / Kenneth Silverman -- Bess : the magician's assistant, the magician's wife / Hasia R. Diner -- Drawings by Raymond Pettibon -- Considering Houdini : interviews / E.L. Doctorow ... [et al.] -- The many lives of Harry and Bess Houdini : a chronology / Gabriel de Guzman -- Houdini's magic apparatus : needle threading, handcuffs, metamorphosis trunk, milk can, water torture cell, straitjacket. Summary; Illustrates Harry Houdini's life and career, covering his daring escapes, cinematic escapades, Broadway career, secretive personal life, and influence on Andy Warhol, Matthew Barney, and Edward Hopper.Born Ehrich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary, Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was a rabbi's son who became one of the 20th century's most famous performers. His gripping theatrical presentations and heart-stopping outdoor spectacles attracted unprecedented crowds, and his talent for self-promotion and provocation captured headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. Though Houdini's work has earned him a place in the cultural pantheon, the details of his personal life and public persona are subjects of equal fascination. His success was both cause for celebration in the Jewish community and testament to his powers of self-reinvention. In Houdini: Art and Magic, essays on the artist's life and work are accompanied by interviews with novelist E. L. Doctorow, magician Teller (of Penn and Teller), and contemporary artists including Raymond Pettibon and Matthew Barney, documenting Houdini's evolution and influence from the late 19th century to the present. Beautifully illustrated with a range of visual material, including Houdini's own diaries, iconic handcuffs, and straitjacket, alongside rare period posters, prints, and photographs, this book brings Houdini-both the myth and the man-back to life. Biography; Brooke Kamin Rapaport is a curator and writer. Alan Brinkley is the Allan Nevins Professor of History at Columbia University. Gabriel de Guzman is Neubauer Family Foundation Curatorial Assistant at The Jewish Museum. Hasia R. Diner is Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History at New York University. Kenneth Silverman is professor emeritus at New York University. Subjects; Houdini, Harry 1874-1926 - Influence. Identity (Psychology) in art - Exhibitions. Art and popular culture - United States - History - 20th century - Exhibitions. Art and popular culture - United States - History - 21st century - Exhibitions. Escape artists - United States - Biography - Exhibitions. Jews - United States - Biography - Exhibitions.