Read #6 Life Escape - On David Vonkinos' "Battle of Houdini"
Welcome to "Read While I'm Not", a podcast focused on short stories, updated monthly. Before each episode of the show, the three anchors will read the same short story and chat with you about the experience and feelings of reading in the show.
On the sixth episode, we chatted about David Vonkinos' "The Battle of Houdini." This short story tells the story of the great magician Houdini who accepted the challenge of Vuitton, the founder of luggage manufacturer LV, but chose not to challenge in the end.
The Battle of Houdini was inspired by a story that actually happened in history. According to LV's official website , in 1886, Mr. Louis Vuitton's son George publicly challenged Houdini in the newspapers, asking him to escape from Louis Vuitton's box and lock box system. The cover picture of this episode is the gauntlet that Vuitton gave to Houdini back then.
In the fictional story of this novel, Houdini initially accepted the challenge of Weedon, but at the last moment he escaped without saying goodbye, and disappeared from the magic world since then. Why did Houdini flee from his own life when he became famous? What does he want to pursue, and where is he going in the end? It is recommended that you read the novel first, then listen to the show, and explore Houdini's inner world with us...
Click here to listen to the discussion of Episode 6
executive summary
- 01:28 Novel creation background: brand promotion of LV suitcases?
- 03:50 The emptiness and 'fatal charm' of the magician Houdini.
- 06:15 Early in the morning to send away the object of hunting the night before? The story begins in a state of urgency to get out of...
- 08:33 Why did Houdini want to go back to his childhood hometown that Houdini desperately tried to get rid of?
- 12:13 Why does Houdini care so much about redheads?
- 16:16 If Houdini didn't want to fight, why didn't he say no in the first place? What does Houdini's way of interacting with people, dealing with challenges, and performing magic have in common?
- 18:56 Second conversation, why did Weedon become stage fright?
- 21:44 Vuitton seems to have a different feeling for the suitcases he produces; how is this different from Houdini's love for magic?
- 25:57 Houdini and Vuitton dialogue game. Is Houdini trying to test the technical secrets, or is he trying to open up Vuitton's heart?
- 31:37 At what point did Houdini decide to miss the challenge stage? What did he see in Whedon?
- 35:28 What is Houdini looking for in the void at the end? Does the beginning full of hints of escape make the ending seem less unexpected?
- 41:00 Is the ending of the novel real? A recurring author voice, a true story skeleton, and a magic-show-like narrative.
- 46:19 The hometown puppy represents a part of Houdini's self? Everyone may have left a part of themselves in the changing environment...
- 48:34 Compared to the exciting and luscious beginning, the ending seems to be shrouded in mist. Is there also something pure in Houdini's desire?
References
- "The Battle of Houdini" is selected from the collection of novels "The Suitcase" . This collection of novels includes short stories created by 11 writers invited by LV based on briefings, anecdotes and other materials related to LV suitcases.
- David Vonkinos also wrote a novel , Subtle . The novel has been adapted to the big screen, starring Audrey Tautou. This month, Shanghai Translation Publishing House also newly published Feng Jinnuosi's "Rejection Library" and "Memories" .
- Music: George Gershwin, An American in Paris
next notice
Next time we will read Chekhov's "The Kiss" together. Welcome to click on the link to read this novel in advance and preview it~
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