Ha Ha Houdini

Ha! Ha! Houdini!

The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini

Joe Posnanski enters the colorful world of Harry Houdini and his legions of devoted fans to explore the illusionist’s impact on global culture—and why his legacy endures to this day. Nearly a century after Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926, he feels as modern and alive as ever. The name Houdini still leaps to mind whenever we witness a daring escape. The baby who frees herself from her crib? Houdini. The dog who vanishes and reappears in the neighbor’s garden? Houdini. Every generation produces new disciples of the magician, from household names in magic like David Copperfield and David Blaine to countless other followers whose lives have been transformed by the power of Houdini. In rural Pennsylvania, a thirteen-year-old girl finds the courage to leave a violent home after learning that Houdini ran away to join the circus; she eventually becomes the first female magician to saw a man in half on television. In Australia, an eight-year-old boy with a learning impediment feels worthless until he sees an old poster of Houdini advertising “Nothing on earth can hold Houdini prisoner,” and begins his path to becoming that nation’s most popular magician. In California, an actor and Vietnam War veteran finds purpose in his life by uncovering the secrets of his hero. But the unique phenomenon of Houdini was always more than his death-defying stunts or his ability to escape handcuffs and straitjackets. It is also about the power of imagination and self-invention. His incredible transformation from Ehrich Weiss, humble Hungarian immigrant and rabbi’s son, into the self-named Harry Houdini has won him a slice of immortality. No one has withstood the test of time quite like Houdini. Fueled by Posnanski’s personal obsession with the magician—and magic itself—The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini is a poignant odyssey of discovery, blending biography, memoir, and first-person reporting to trace Houdini’s metamorphosis into an iconic figure who has inspired millions.

The Perfect Test

Some ten years from today, American schools have tried every possible education fad. Common national standards, year-round schools, takeover of school boards, and even the super-qualified teacher program have failed to improve low U.S. achievement on international assessments. That all changes when Grant and Jennifer Wilson, both Stanford Ph.D. graduates, create what they believe are the perfect tests. The Venus Assessment System, the first national tests in U.S. history, flip American education on its ear, making U.S. students number one in the world in math and science. But then Jennifer Wilson discovers a secret list of names, students who are exceptions to the high-stakes consequences of the test. So secret that some people are willing to kill for it. With a tremendous blending of suspense tied to realistic future events, The Perfect Test will appeal to readers of all types, from educators and parents to simply anyone who loves a great, page-turner. As writer Paul Baker from the University of Wisconsin says, “Like The Name of the Rose and The Da Vinci Code, this story grabs the reader and won’t let go.” “At a moment of national testing madness, the [Perfect Test] story-line was both fun and gripping. And like all good mystery/science fiction, educational too. I won’t give away the ending.” Deborah Meier, New York University: teacher, writer, and public activist. Author of In Schools We Trust and Many Children Left Behind “Ron Dietel’s The Perfect Test reads like a Stephen King novel. A perfect blend of mystery, action and constant surprises, nicely intertwined in a future world of national high-stakes tests. You won’t be able to stop reading it.” Jim Kohlmoos, President, Knowledge Alliance: Research to Action in Education “Ready for a break, for a romp? Pick up Ronald Dietel’s biting spoof, The Perfect Test. It’s a dystopian vision of a world gone crazy, a science fiction portrait of the future that often comes wickedly close to where we are now. John Merrow, President, Learning Matters