| MOBILE SITE Facebook | Twitter Home | About | FAQ | Press | Social | Site Map | Contact |
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tom Interval writes free e-book on 19th-century magician and mimic Harry Houdin SAN DIEGO–Oct. 1, 2012–San Diego magician Tom Interval, owner of Interval Magic, wrote and published a free biographical e-book about Harry Houdin, a virtually unknown magician and musical mimic of the 19th century. Born decades before world-renowned escape artist Harry Houdini, Houdin billed himself as “The Great Polynational Mimic,” touring Australia and New Zealand between 1860 and 1863 with a one-man act featuring magic and impersonations of 11 international characters singing and dancing to their favorite traditional tunes. Interval's e-book, titled Harry Houdin: “The Great Polynational Mimic,” is probably the first formal research work focusing on the entertainer. In it, the author describes Houdin's performances, ponders the origin of his name, speculates about some hardships that might have led to his early retirement and pieces together a chronology of the tour based on archived newspaper clippings of the time. “Harry Houdin was clearly a talented, versatile performer whose magic and colorful ‘polynational entertainment’ genuinely pleased the majority of his audiences,” wrote Interval. “While he didn't make a name for himself outside of Australia and New Zealand, his work, like that of so many unknown or forgotten variety artists, planted smiles on the faces of people eager to escape the bland reality of day-to-day life in a time before the benumbing luxuries of television, film and social media.” Interval, who has a BA in professional writing, has published articles in international magic journals and local newspapers and magazines in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Harry Houdin, his first e-book, is available for download on the following Smashwords web page in several formats for viewing in e-readers and online: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/240984. # # # About Interval Magic |
