A Magician Among the Spirits

By: Harry Houdini

Narrated by: Russell Stamets

I have spent a goodly part of my life in study and research. During the last 30 years, I have read every single piece of literature on the subject of spiritualism that I could. I have accumulated one of the largest libraries in the world on psychic phenomena, spiritualism, magic, witchcraft, demonology, evil spirits, etc - some of the material going back as far as 1489. And I doubt if any one in the world has so complete a library on modern spiritualism, but nothing I ever read concerning the so-called spiritualistic phenomena has impressed me as being genuine.

It is true that some of the things I read seemed mystifying, but I question if they would be were they to be reproduced under different circumstances, under test conditions, and before expert mystifiers and open-minded committees. Mine has not been an investigation of a few days or weeks or months, but one that has extended over 30 years and in that time, I have not found one incident that savored of the genuine.

If there had been any real unalloyed demonstration to work on - one that did not reek of fraud, one that could not be reproduced by earthly powers - then there would be something for a foundation, but up to the present time, everything that I have investigated has been the result of deluded brains or those which were too actively and intensely willing to believe. Houdini.

Public Domain (P)2020 Russell Stamets

Great read, awful reader

I’m so glad this book is available as an audiobook. It’s a fascinating historical document by a magnetic cultural icon. I wish they had hired a proper voice actor to narrate.

Fascinating book, awful narration

I am very interested in this book but I had to return it after 30 minutes of listening because I couldn’t handle the narrator. It sounds like it’s read by AI and was so distracting I was having trouble understanding what was being said. Looks like I’ll have to read it myself.

Completely Dispreses the Mysticysm Industry

I enjoyed the stories. Houdini was on a quest to discover if there was any truth to the industry of mystics. He took it personal, was in earnest, and open minded in his seeking. He was uniquely qualified for this quest as a magician.

He details many of his findings here.

As far as the narrator.. reading the other reviews I was expecting far worse.

I didn't really have any issue with the narration. it all flowed just fine for me.

Houdini eviscerateds the spiritualists

This is a superior and epic life project of research. And his writing is sharp and funny.

I read this book in the 70s

one of my regrets was letting this book go by i 1970. I was excited to find it again. I do miss the illustrations .