In his most captivating book to date, Adam Phillips explores mankind's on-going fascination with ideas of escape. Taking as his starting point the life and works of Harry Houdini - 'the greatest magician the world has ever seen' - he considers why some people might become compulsive escape artists, whereas others appear to find freedom in self-imposed confinement.

'A rare achievement - as remarkable a piece of work as Houdini ever performed himself.' Daily Telegraph