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Title: American Legends: The Life of Dick Van Dyke

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Nick Hart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-20-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

If television was still coming into its own during the 1950s, it truly became a national phenomenon across America in the 1960s, and in an era where most Americans finally owned a television, one of the most popular shows on the air was The Dick Van Dyke Show. The show starred Van Dyke as a middle class writer who worked on a television show, and it also helped catapult Mary Tyler Moore (who played his wife) to superstardom and her own hit show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

To this day, it is widely considered one of the greatest television shows in history, and Dick Van Dyke remains best known for it, but the show was merely the peak of a career that had already proven quite versatile. Van Dyke had long aspired to be in show business and even a television show host long before television was popular, and he got his start as a radio DJ when he was still in his early 20s. Always a fan of comedy, Van Dyke parlayed that into a comedy gig, and he then rode the success of his comedic performances to starring roles on Broadway. Van Dyke's skills and versatility ultimately helped make him a good choice to star in a television show in 1961, thus spawning the show that took his name.

The first 40 years of Van Dyke's career would be impressive enough, but Van Dyke has also appeared in hit films, most notably Mary Poppins, over a span of about 50 years.

American Legends: The Life of Dick Van Dyke chronicles the life and career of one of America's most famous show business stars.

Members Reviews:

This 49-page Brief Outline of the Life of Dick Van Dyke is a Good, Quick Read Perfect for the Daily Commute

Unlike many Charles Rivers Editors booklets, this one has few, if any, typos. Indeed, in respect to that issue, I would say this is the best-edited of their offerings.

I very much enjoyed reading about his transformation from a Laurel & Hardy type comic to the light-hearted doctor that greatly expanded his range in entertainment. It also was nice to recall his Diagnosis Murder series with his son, daughter and grandchildren. I'd forgotten how many of his family got in on the act.

What I also liked was the discussion of his success in the Vantastix barbershop quartet.

Yet, and I realize how corny this sounds, I didn't get the sense of Dick Van Dyke's soul in this narrative, even though the writer certainly did a credible job showing that the star always has come across as the good, kind, man that he his.

Still, American Legends: The Life of Dick Van Dyke is an excellent, quick, easy read about a man several generations have been entertained by.

Three Stars

The book was berry good

American Role Models

I could tell he had just been interviewed and his quotes had been added. He had a natural life and didn't

try to fool anyone...unless it was to be funny! I think his elasticity and cheerfulness is what we remember

with the Mary Poppins movie. I think Mary Tyler More should've been given more credit for her acting like

a good wife to Rob Petrie. That takes acting!!!! Society needed the representation of a model family. It

was state of the art humor and problem-solving!! I'm glad I didn't see Dick Van Dyke as a bad guy.

Great. I have always been a Van Dyke fan ...

Great. I have always been a Van Dyke fan both Dick and brother Jerry.

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Cary Grant

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: John Eastman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

Movie stars are revered for their ability to captivate audiences, and perhaps no actor has done it as well as Cary Grant, the epitome of the suave, debonair actor who may have been rivaled only by dancer extraordinaire Fred Astaire. Grant offered a version of the male actor that stood in stark contrast with the gangster heroes and hard-boiled film noir detectives that populated the screen throughout his career. Impeccably groomed and always clad in dapper attire, Grant possessed a magnetism that was undeniably attractive, all while managing to come across as well-heeled and socially respectable. As a result, there was an archetypal quality to Cary Grant that endeared him to both male and female viewers. After all, he was able to star in major movies well into his 60s, and even after he retired, Grant never lost his charm and continued to maintain a universal appeal that has almost never been rivaled.

The progression from Grant's youth to his glamorous adult life was a complex transformation of its own, and it is a Hollywood rags-to-riches story of its own. At the same time, Grant's rise to stardom was due to an intricate web of factors, including his own natural acting ability, developments in the motion picture industry, and the fortuitous opportunity to consistently work with gifted directors who molded his image. Like nearly every big star, Grant was an exceptionally gifted actor and someone who benefited from a fortunate string of career opportunities that he took advantage of to full effect.

American Legends: The Life of Cary Grant examines the life and career of Hollywood's most iconic leading man.

Members Reviews:

Cary "the definition of class" Grant

Great read. And what DyanCannon said was the absolute gospel. CLASS,ELEGANCE,the definition of a GENTLEMAN. OF COURSE C.G. was way before my time. I was born in 1961, but thanks to my mom '33 she gave me the love for the classic' s. My first C.G. flick was North by Northwest. And I flipped. He was great. As was Eva. That's why I read this. Loved it. Sad at times, but now I think I know a little more about the legend and the man. If you dig the classics, read it.

A trashy book.

The author says some really ugly (and I think disputable) things about Cary Grant.

It's really not about this magnificent man and actor. Basically he trashes him.

LOVED ALL THE PICTURES

LOVED ALL THE PICTURES...I DIDNT REALIZE IT WAS A SMALL PAPERBACK...BUT THE PICTURES OF THIS WONDERFUL MAN MADE UP FOR IT....LOVE LOVE LOVE...

Don't miss this review.

An honest review. You owe it to yourself to understand this man.

Cary Grant

A bit disappointing I thought. His life must have been more Interesting than that! Anyway there were at least some nice

pictures

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Jayne Mansfield

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Roy Wells

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-12-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

"I don't know why you people like to compare me to Marilyn or that girl, what's her name, Kim Novak. Cleavage, of course, helped me a lot to get where I am. I don't know how they got there." - Jayne Mansfield

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

Although she came of age in an era when Hollywood studios were looking for blonde bombshells like Marilyn Monroe, and she followed that path to instant stardom, Jayne Mansfield had one of the most unique Hollywood careers in the 1950s and 1960s. After getting her start on Broadway, Mansfield shot to fame in Hollywood during the late '50s with her platinum blonde hair and picturesque body, and her life became equal parts movie star and celebrity, with her appearances on film more than matched by her appearances in tabloids and Playboy.

Naturally, Mansfield was a rival of Marilyn Monroe who was used by 20th Century Fox to play the same kind of ditzy blonde roles that had made Marilyn one of the biggest stars in America, which had the effect of making her famous but not exactly critically acclaimed. It was an ironic predicament for a woman who had been a Broadway actress, and she struggled to break out of being pigeonholed as a dumb blonde, the kind of stereotype many in her position had struggled with as far back as Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard.

Members Reviews:

Marilyn Monroe's Rival

This is a well-written biography of one of Hollywood's Blonde Bombshells of the 1950's and 1960's. The prose is detailed, flows wells, and is easy to read. Numerous quotes and photos round out the story making it a more personal account than simply straightforward reporting. This is a great example of how short biographies should be written.

Big Rip OFF!!!!

A big disappointment. It is misleading calling it a book, it only has about 10 pages in it total. It is a ripoff! Very cheap!

Jayne Mansfield

A very good book about Jayne, as there has not been alot of kind views of her. Again a brief synopsis of her life and death. Thank

you for telling it like it was.

Giving an honest review

This book gives a very good discussion about the life of Jane Mansfield from her birth through her death. I really enjoyed reading it and I leaned things I hadn't known before. Excellent read and I highly recommend it.

a short life

this story was interesting but did not have enough personal information about Jayne herself, only what you would read in a fan magazine.

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Robert Mitchum

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Geremy "Wolf" DuBois

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

"I never take any notice of reviews - unless a critic has thought up some new way of describing me. That old one about my lizard eyes and anteater nose and the way I sleep my way through pictures is so hackneyed now." - Robert Mitchum

A lot of time has been spent covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute. And they can do so while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

If one assembled a list of the most iconic actors of the film noir genre, Robert Mitchum would surely rank at the top of the list. With his deadpan façade and slow, monotone verbal delivery, Mitchum encapsulated the disillusioned hero of the postwar crime genre. In many of his most famous movies from the postwar era, including Out of the Past (1947) and Angel Face (1952), Mitchum plays anti-heroes who are victims of circumstance. But even as he is placed in situations beyond his control, he maintains a cool, if dispassionate countenance. Mitchum was, in short, neither a hero nor a villain but someone who seemed to defy the often-simplistic distinctions between protagonist and antagonist, hero, and villain.

Members Reviews:

An amazing man!

As any woman can tell you, Robert Mitchum was the essence of manhood. Sexy to a fault. I don't remember all of his movies but everyone that I do brings memories of a hunk of a man. He was very private and hardly ever hit the headlines except for his acting career. And yet as sexy as he was, you have to applaud the fact that he was happily married to the same woman for 57 years. How many other marriages can you name that has lasted that long? Not many!

Even though this book does not highlight on it but Robert also had the voice that could melt an iceberg. I personally remember one that I played so often I worn it out and had to buy a new one, The Ballad of Thunder Road, he even wrote this. As far as I remember he did two albums and other than Thunder Road the others had a Calypso flavor to them.

What more can you say about the man, he was a wonderful actor. Private, yet bigger than life. After reading this I've decided to watch some of his bigger movies. I know that I loved him in the ones that I remember but this book points out some insight that make me want to look at them again. I know I really enjoyed reading this and I'm sure you will too.

A great short bio of Robert Mitchum

This is an excellent short bio of Mitchum. I have a longer bio, but this was a fine introduction to Mitchum's life and career.

Four Stars

Quick read, iinformative

The illustrious career of Robert Mitchum

Robert Mitchum has been one of my favorite actors since I was a teenager. I saw him in Thunder Road. I Was disappointed that Jane Russell didn't play his girlfriend. He had a long career

the life of Robert Mitchum

It did a great job moving through his career in motion pictures but I would like to have read more of his personnel life.

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Charles Lindbergh

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Tom Lennon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-05-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

In many ways Charles Lindbergh represented the best and worst of America during the first half of the 20th century. Lindbergh became famous for being an aviation pioneer whose solo flight across the Atlantic captured the imagination of an entire world, yet he was an isolationist who wanted to keep American freedoms safe for Americans and no one else. Lindbergh was the quintessential family man, yet he fathered illegitimate children and suffered an unspeakable tragedy that became known as the crime of the century. Lindbergh embodied some of his era's greatest virtues and harbored some of its worst prejudices.

Lindbergh was a 25-year-old US Air Mail pilot who was probably best known for two crashes before shooting to fame with his nonstop flight across the Atlantic from New York City to Paris on May 20-21, 1927. Lindbergh was Time magazine's first Man of the Year in 1927, and he used his newfound fame to promote the development of commercial flight and become a spokesman and symbol for advances in aviation.

Tragically, Lindbergh was the subject of front-page headlines in 1932 when his infant son, Charles, Jr., was kidnapped and murdered in the "crime of the century". After going into voluntary exile in Europe, Lindbergh found himself embroiled in scandals as he toured German (and Luftwaffe) aviation systems and took isolationist stances, at times making comments that were tinged with anti-Semitism and in favor of eugenics.

After Pearl Harbor, Lindbergh was rejected from serving in the armed forces, likely because President Roosevelt thought he was a Nazi sympathizer. But Lindbergh worked his way through administrative and technical positions to give himself the opportunity to fly about 50 combat missions in the Pacific, impressing his colleagues with his flying abilities and technical know-how.

After World War II, as Lindbergh began to fade from the spotlight, he took up a number of causes, writing books and supporting environmental initiatives. The controversies began to fade as well, and when he died in 1974, he was remembered fondly for the Spirit of St. Louis and sympathetically for the crime of the century.

American Legends: The Life of Charles Lindbergh chronicles the amazing life and career of Lindbergh, his greatest highs and most notorious lows, and everything in between.

Members Reviews:

What? You expected perfection?

Would you listen to American Legends: The Life of Charles Lindbergh again? Why?

Sure, it's relatively short-- not a huge commitment, and it is a decent story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of American Legends: The Life of Charles Lindbergh?

During the first trans-Atlantic flight, his attempt to speak (yell) to fishermen in their boats and ask 'which way is Ireland?'

Which scene was your favorite?

Des Moines, IA (1941). Publicly reasserting the wisdom of isolationism. I believe he was a thoughtful patriot. He could not be stampeded into it.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Passive Aggressive In Flight

Any additional comments?

Beware the mudslingers.

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Jean Arthur

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Diane Lehman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-05-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

At the peak of the Golden Era of Hollywood, one of the film industry's most popular genres was the screwball comedy, making stars out of young actresses like Jean Harlow and helping pave the way for future ones like Marilyn Monroe. But at the height of the era of the screwball comedy, the actress most associated with them was Jean Arthur, whose ability to portray everyday women made her incredibly popular in the 1930s and 1940s. As one critic put it, "No one was more closely identified with the screwball comedy than Jean Arthur. So much was she part of it, so much was her star personality defined by it, that the screwball style itself seems almost unimaginable without her."

Her seemingly effortless abilities helped get her cast in some of legendary director Frank Capra's most famous films, including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Capra's films were some of the most critically acclaimed and popular of Depression-era America thanks to viewers being able to relate to the characters, and Arthur was integral in this, as film critic Charles Chaplin once explained, "To at least one teenager in a small town (though I'm sure we were a multitude), Jean Arthur suggested strongly that the ideal woman could be - ought to be - judged by her spirit as well as her beauty...The notion of the woman as a friend and confidante, as well as someone you courted and were nuts about, someone whose true beauty was internal rather than external, became a full-blown possibility as we watched Jean Arthur."

Arthur was an Oscar nominated actress and one of the richest women in the country in the mid-1940s, but she nevertheless retired after her contract with Columbia ended in 1944. While that seems like an odd decision, Arthur was notorious for wanting to avoid the spotlight and Hollywood's celebrity culture, which led to her being branded a recluse.

Members Reviews:

Okay

Hadn't anticipated how short it would be. Mostly quotes from other sources with a bit of commentary in between. Found at least one quote and commentary cut and pasted into another "American Legends" bio.

Jean at her finest!

This is one actress that I did not know much about. Many, many things in her life was so surprising. I have see quite a few of her movies and always thought she was one of the best but I really did not know that she was more known for her comedy roles that the drama ones. She must have been a very lonely woman at the end. She said that she had never had a girlfriend or confidant. That's a shame! She definitely was a legend though, great at her career and loved by all that saw her. I truly enjoyed learning all about her and looking forward to my next legend.

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Title: British Legends: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Chaplin

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Rich Germaine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-05-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

Only a select few actors become international stars in their time, but none had as unique a career as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin was the first true film star, and he managed to do so even when films were still silent. He has been honored with too many awards to count, and the fact that his name remains instantly recognizable nearly a century after his first film is a testament to his influence.

Even today, Chaplin's films are arguably more recognizable than those of perhaps any other actor or director; everyone is familiar with the famous "Tramp" costume and persona, and even the casual film enthusiast has likely seen films such as City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936). Chaplin is known for the singular blend of pathos and humor evinced by his films, and it is not uncommon for audiences to laugh and cry at alternate points of a Chaplin film, a trait that continues to endear audiences even to this day. For this reason, in his review of Stephen Weissman's biography of Chaplin, Martin Sieff noted, "It is doubtful any individual has every given more entertainment, pleasure, and relief to so many human beings when they needed it most."

As Sieff's comment suggests, Chaplin's career coincided with the two World Wars and the Great Depression, but while Chaplin the actor was popular, Chaplin the person became controversial in the final decades of his life. In fact, there is a wide discrepancy between the almost uniformly enthusiastic praise of Chaplin today and the subversive identity he cultivated toward the latter part of his career.

Members Reviews:

Short and informative

I was pleased with this book. It is concise and to the point. I knew nothing about Charlie Chaplin's life, so this was a great introduction. I think that the author did a good job describing the major events in his life, from early childhood up until the end of his life, and explaining what influenced him over the years. I would definitely recommend it as a "first read". I might add that I got this kindle book for free!! What a deal!

The Lifeand Legacy of Charlie chaplin

I only chose 3, as I was a little disappointed as it only gave a brief summery of the life of Charlie Chaplin.

Good Start

This book is a good place to start for those unfamiliar with Charlie Chaplin's life and works. That being said, there are certainly better biographies out there.

Boring

Not worth my time, I forced myself to read about 25% of this and it was badly written and just plain boring.

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Johnny Depp

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Morley Shulman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-15

Publisher: Beacon Audiobooks

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

Throughout the history of Hollywood, perhaps no actor has a reputation as unique as Johnny Depp. Depp began his career in a very traditional manner by being a teen heartthrob on shows like 21 Jump Street, but as he once admitted, "As a teenager I was so insecure. I was the type of guy that never fitted in because he never dared to choose. I was convinced I had absolutely no talent at all. For nothing. And that thought took away all my ambition too."

However, that ambition clearly resurfaced over the last 25 years, because Depp has since taken on some of the most unique and eccentric roles in the industry, explaining, "I like the challenge of trying different things and wondering whether it's going to work or whether I'm going to fall flat on my face." In addition to being renowned for portrayals of people like John Dillinger and Hunter S. Thompson, Depp has played some of the most memorable fictional characters of the last 30 years, including Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Willy Wonka, making his larger-than-life roles pop culture fixtures and helping the movies bank billions of dollars. Of course his success hasn't been limited to the box office, as he has also won countless awards and been nominated three times for the Oscar for Best Actor. It's no wonder Depp was recently named the highest paid actor in the world.

Although Depp has played some of Hollywood's most famous characters, he has also cultivated one of the town's most alluring and mysterious reputations. Depp has matured from being a teen idol to People's Sexiest Man of the Year on multiple occasions, but even as he has gained millions of fans across the globe, he has maintained enough distance from the spotlight to leave people wondering what he's truly like, and some of the glimpses suggest he can be just as eccentric as his characters. Perhaps not surprisingly, he has approached it with some of his trademark humor, quipping, "I pretty much try to stay in a constant state of confusion just because of the expression it leaves on my face."

American Legends: The Life of Johnny Depp examines the life and career of one of America's most famous living actors.

Members Reviews:

Worst book

I did not enjoy this audio book at all.

Thoroughly disappointed. Not only is it badly written, the narration is also monotonous and childish. There is a lot more to Johnny Depp than ratings and money. This book reminds me of an episode of Entertainment Tonight.

Such success Johnny Depp

A fantastic life so far... only wish I was more an active part of seriously

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Helen Keller

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Shana M. Buck

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr

Language: English

Release date: 04-23-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

"Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, - if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing." - Helen Keller

A lot of time has been spent covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute. And they can do so while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

To say Helen Keller is one of the most unique figures in American history would be an understatement. As a young child, Helen lost both her vision and hearing, leaving her deaf and blind: an almost hopelessly debilitating condition that left her literally trapped, unable to communicate with anyone. As she would later write, "My life was without past or future; death, the pessimist would say, 'a consummation devoutly to be wished'". Nobody would have blamed her for being hopelessly frustrated and imprisoned by her disabilities; in fact, that was to be expected. When her famous teacher, Anne Sullivan, brought Helen a doll and tried to teach her a few words by spelling them into her hand, the child became so frustrated that she broke the doll.

Members Reviews:

a novel about Helen Keller

This book was a really great story as it was about Helen Keller, who was a historical person who was blind as a child and it showed what life is like for a person who is blind and how she dealt with everyday life as a blind person. I thought the author did an excellent job with the story as it was well written and had a great deal of information for the reader as well.

Great Story

This is a great book about the life of Helen Keller. I learned a lot about her from reading this book, would recommend to anyone who likes memoirs and history.

A Good Review of Helen Keller's Life

It's been so long since I read anything about Helen Keller, so I figured I'd check this quick bio out. I was surprised at how much of her story I didn't know, including her political activism. This book also has a lot of her quotes from her books and speeches, which is a nice personal touch. This is definitely worth getting if you're like me and know Helen Keller only as the woman who somehow overcame being both deaf and blind.

Editors on vacation

The fine Harvard and MIT alumni who are said to be the "Charles River Editors" must have been on vacation when this little title was released. Didn't even spell the name of the book's primary subject correctly on the cover!

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Title: American Legends: The Life of Harry Houdini

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Allison McKay

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-22-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Celebrities

Publisher's Summary:

"I knew, as everyone knows, that the easiest way to attract a crowd is to let it be known that at a given time and a given place someone is going to attempt something that in the event of failure will mean sudden death. That's what attracts us to the man who paints the flagstaff on the tall building, or to the 'human fly' who scales the walls of the same building." (Harry Houdini)

A lot of time has been spent covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute. And they can do so while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

There is no shortage of professional magicians and stunt men in the 21st century, but all of them owe something to the most famous stunt man of them all: Harry Houdini. A century after he began to thrill audiences with his patented escape acts, Houdini's name remains synonymous with seemingly miraculous escapes and getaways. His name is instantly recognizable even among those who have never seen pictures of his stunts.

Houdini wasn't the first of his kind. But after he got his start as "Harry Handcuff Houdini" during a traveling European tour he added the kind of showmanship and flair that have become standard fare among performers of his kind. His initial repertoire of escaping handcuffs eventually gave way to far grander feats, involving skyscrapers, straitjackets, and being buried alive.

Members Reviews:

Four Stars

Book contains interesting facts and several pictures. However, it's a very thin book.

Not a bad little book

For a quick read on magician and contortionist Harry Houdini, this book is a good place to start. I learned some things about him I did not know (how, in his later life, he worked hard to expose the mystical charlatans who preyed on people, his silent movie career, and that he was an author, himself).

All in all, a solid, informative book. I did notice some typos towards the end, with the final chapter (Houdini in Pop Culture) and in the endnotes. Otherwise, it was well-researched li'l book.

Interesting Biography

This was a perfect way to read a quick and interesting biography. It was detailed enough to not be too simplistic or childish but short enough to read easily feel like you got a better understanding of Houdini and his life. I will look for more of these editions as I usually can't get into very long biographies even though I may be interested in the people.

Short and sweet

I have always wanted to learn more about Houdini and this title have me a general quick look into his very interesting life. If you are looking for more than just the highlights this isn't the book for you. I enjoyed it.

Very Interesting !

I found it Very interesting and hated when it ended ...Packed with interesting things I had never heard before, kept my attention all through the book...