This year marks the start of what I hope will be a new chapter for me. I've reconfigured my life and work so that I can give a new level of commitment to writing what I envision as two books about Houdini, one for release in 2024 to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth and the second in 2026 to make the 100th anniversary of his death. But there is still research and writing to be done and hopefully my new situation will allow me to travel and focus on achieving my goals. So, yes, it's time I got serious about Houdini!
I don't really know how or if this will effect this blog. Certainly I will not let any Houdini news, events, or new publications slip past. But how much time I will give to writing and researching original posts on Houdini history I cannot say. My new priority needs to be the books and that is what I should sit down to each day. But part of the fun of this blog is sharing my research discoveries along the way, so I suspect not much will change. But if I go several days or a weeks without serving up some fresh Houdini history, know that is is a good sign. It means I'm the kitchen cooking up a Houdini feast!
So that's the road ahead as I see it on this January 1, 2022.
Happy New Year!
Wait a minute. Two books? One is the Chronology, but what is the other one? Will it be about Houdini in Hollywood? Are you going to post another deep dive in a year? What's that rabbit hole discovery? Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI do have my deep dive into 1922 drafted but still need to polish. The rabbit hole is ready. Not sure which will come first.
DeleteThank you!!!
DeleteCONGRATULATIONS! Making your writing goals public definitely holds you accountable. We are with you every step of the way
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, I'm putting myself on the spot! :)
DeleteCongratulations on taking this leap, John! I am so super excited for you! And beyond excited to read your books. I know that you are going to carry HH’s (his)story with such care and passion.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all your support Colleen.
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ReplyDeleteGood luck John. This sentence: But there is still research and writing to be done and hopefully my new situation will allow me to travel and focus on achieving my goals- -
I hope means traveling to Europe and researching archives of materials about such a huge portion of Houdini‘s performing career about which little is known.
May you “unmask Houdini’s other half” and show it to be as illustrative and crowd-pleasing as his American performances were. Can’t wait.
It does not include Europe as I wouldn't know where to even look. Are there any substantial Houdini archives there? As I've discussed, Germany and the Netherlands are the big blind spots. I generally know where he was at all times, but I'm sure there are many untold stories and that makes me crazy. But two things really stand in my way. I don't know the languages, and it seems to me that papers didn't really record the antics of entertainers like they did in the U.S. So I fear many of these stories are lost. But I'm always in the lookout and I have found a few things.
DeleteSome years ago, I went to England to do detailed research for a play I was writing (which was based on the true story of a sea tragedy) but the type of research was different as it involved a court case in London, so I went to the Public Records Offices there (which was thrilling and bountiful for my purposes). But wherever your research leads you, you have a knack for uncovering great stuff and finding fresh perspectives on Houdini's activities. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to your Houdini feast!
DeleteOr just do 15 books with the first 14 ending in a cliff hanger. All the final details to be neatly laid out in the final book. Of course, I'm not serious. But I couldn't resist
ReplyDeleteGood luck John. It only took me 20 years to research one of Houdini's tricks.
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