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Episode details

Sounds,14 Mar 2025,42 mins

Houdini: A Message from the Spirits (Part 1)

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Available for over a year

Harry Houdini is remembered today for his legendary escapes and illusions, but he also had a lifelong obsession with the paranormal. After dabbling in fake seances himself, Houdini made it his mission to uncover frauds and expose mediums. This would put him on a collision course with his spiritualist friend, Arthur Conan Doyle, and leave him fearing for his life. This is the first of a three-part series. For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.

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