logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
1h 49m

Mini: Houdini Beneath the Pyramids (Love...

DOMINIC PERRY
About this episode

A tale of terror and tombs. In 1924, Weird Tales magazine published "Imprisoned with the Pharaohs" (aka "Under the Pyramids"). A short story in which Harry Houdini, world-famous escape-artist, illusionist, and advocate of rationalism, came face-to-face with horrors beyond his comprehension. The tale is work of horror, ghost-written by H.P. Lovecraft. It is a fun story, worthy of the genre.

Logo image: The statue of Khafra / Khephren in Cairo's old museum (Photo Dominic Perry).

Timecodes:

  1. Story Part One: 00:01:40.
  2. Story Part Two: 00:38:39.
  3. Commentary: 01:18:50.



Select Bibliography:

  • H.P. Lovecraft, “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs,” Weird Tales magazine at WikiSource.
  • R. Emrys and A. M. Pillsworth, ‘Harry Houdini Versus Cosmic Horror: “Under the Pyramids”’, TOR.com, <https://www.tor.com/2015/02/24/harry-houdini-versus-cosmic-horror-under-the-pyramids/> accessed 12.27.2023.
  • D. Harms, Cthulu Mythos Encyclopedia: A Guide to the Horrors Created and Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft (3rd edn, Chelsea, 2012).
  • S. T. Joshi and D. E. Schultz, An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia (2001).
  • H. P. (Howard P. Lovecraft, The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft (2014).
  • D. Norris, ‘Lovecraft and Egypt: A Closer Examination’, Lovecraft Annual (2016), 3–45.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Today
218: Daily Life in Ramessid Egypt
Part 1? Starting around 1300 BCE, the (surviving) corpus of written documents from Egypt begins to increase dramatically. It's not clear why, but papyrus and ostraca are far more abundant for this era than anything before. Thanks to these records, we get many glimpses of daily li ... Show More
29m 45s
Oct 3
217: The Art of Kadesh (Livestream)
Our final part of the Kadesh story is Ramesses' art. Wall carvings, on major temples, present the pharaohs' summary of Kadesh and the conflict. They include many fun details, including enemy combatants, and comparing some scenes with artefacts allows us to imagine aspects of the ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 26
Ancient Historical Fiction with Dr. Colleen Darnell
My guest today is Dr. Colleen Darnell, who will speak to us about New Kingdom literature (featuring rulers like Ramesses, Thutmose III, Seqenenra, and more). It’s a fun discussion, ranging from the calamitous death of Seqenenra Tao, to the triumphs of Thutmose III and Ramesses II ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
The Cats of Ulthar by H. P. Lovecraft
Every October, we creep into the scary season on Litreading, digging deep into the trove of classic horror tales from around the world. Some of the most frightening stories of all time were penned more than 100 years ago by authors like Mary Shelly and Edgar Allen Poe. One of the ... Show More
11m 3s
Apr 2024
At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft ~ Full Audiobook
At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft audiobook. Immerse yourself in the chilling depths of H.P. Lovecraft's 'At the Mountains of Madness,' a masterfully crafted tale that beckons you to explore the hauntingly beautiful yet terrifying landscapes of Antarctica, where the ... Show More
4h 26m
Jun 2014
The Science of H.P. Lovecraft
Legendary weird fiction author H.P. Lovecraft revolutionized our understanding of supernatural horror in the early 20th century, but he was also a science writer and lived in a time of tremendous scientific advancement and global war. Join Robert and Julie as they chat with S.T. ... Show More
1h 1m
Jun 2024
Allan Kardec : le père du spiritisme
NOUVEAU - Abonnez-vous à Minuit+ pour profiter de Paranormal - Histoires Vraies et de milliers d’histoires vraies sans publicité, d’épisodes en avant-première et en intégralité. Vous aurez accès sans publicité à des dizaines de programmes passionnants comme Espions - Histoires Vr ... Show More
15m 2s
Jun 2020
Cthulhu
An ancient alien goliath slumbers at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, awaiting the day when he will rise again to destroy humanity. From the mind of weird fiction author H.P. Lovecraft comes Cthulhu, a cosmic entity of almost unimaginable scale and power. Learn more about your ad ... Show More
52m 56s
Dec 2021
Harry Houdini: Escape artist and showman
Harry Houdini’s story is the classic American tale of an immigrant who from impoverished beginnings made it big in the United States. Perhaps it is this early hand to mouth existence in a large family which explains his extraordinary drive to succeed. Captivated by magic shows, h ... Show More
39m 23s
Mar 2017
Live From Salt Lake Comic Con FanX: H.P. Lovecraft
Writer H.P. Lovecraft created worlds and stories that continue to be influential more than 80 years after his death. His life story is at turns odd, sad, problematic and utterly fascinating. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.co ... Show More
50m 9s
Jan 2024
CLASSIC: The Secrets of the Hidden Chinese Pyramid
Pyramids aren't just for Egypt! Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange story of a hidden pyramid in China, an ancient lost civilization that, recently uncovered, holds disturbing secrets in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.co ... Show More
37m 25s