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Prometheus
Books,
2001. ISBN:
1573928968 - 264
pag. rilegato, $18,20 |
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"Final
Séance": La strana amicizia tra Houdini e Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This
is the story of the unusual friendship between two of the most intriguing
individuals of the early twentieth century — the renowned illusionist
and escape artist Harry Houdini and the celebrated mystery writer
and creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Both men
were fascinated by the occult practice of Spiritualism, Houdini as
an ardent skeptic and Conan Doyle as a true believer who was convinced
that the dead could and did communicate with the living. While there
are many biographies of both men, this is the first book to detail
the years of their friendship and their battles over the veracity
of Spiritualism.
During their five-year friendship, Houdini and Conan Doyle exchanged views about
Spiritualism; conducted investigations of notable mediums of their day, such
as Mina “Margery” Crandon; and even enjoyed vacationing together
at Atlantic City.
Based on original correspondence, photographs, and his own extensive research,
noted science writer Massimo Polidoro reconstructs the relationship between the
believer and the skeptic, which weathered mediums, séances, public debunkings,
and hurt feelings. He also discusses in detail the final séance that ended
the friendship between these two strong-willed men. After this séance,
Houdini declared that “there is nothing that Sir Arthur will believe that
surprises me,” and called his ex-friend “a bit senile... and
therefore
easily bamboozled.” Conan Doyle, in turn, accused Houdini of being biased,
a publicity-seeker, and a victim of a syndrome he called “Houdinitis,” meaning
the belief “that manual dexterity bears some relation to brain capacity.”
Fans of Conan Doyle, Houdini, magic, and the historical roots of the “New
Age” will be delighted by this amazing story.
“An exhaustive, mostly entertaining history of this improbable
friendship. Polidoro's book is shrewd and engaging."
Times Literary Supplement
“(A) fascinating clash of mammoths and a delightful excursion into a just-past
era… (Massimo Polidoro) is a disciplined scholar, and maintains a
keen balance… Polidoro has written well – a saga of two Titans
that is also a remarkable exploration of both superstition and obsession”.
Baltimore Sun
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