An ideal book to read on a wet weekend is Rain God The Highs and Lows of Clement Wragge , meteorologist with a mission. Launched in Townsville recently , it was written by former Townsville Bulletin reporter Ian Jame Frazer who produced numerous interesting features for the paper .
During his extensive research he came across mention of Wragge ( 1852-1922), who had spent time in Townsville , and followed him up over the years , resulting in this superb biography of an extraordinary character , once described as Australia's most famous man ( also prominent in New Zealand ), who pioneered weather forecasting and the naming of cyclones and storms after people .
A complex , exuberant person who wore a turban and quoted the Creator, Wragge was into spiritualism , knew author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle , creator of Sherlock Holmes , and Lady Doyle .
After reading this excellent book, published by Silverbird Publishing , the writer of this post watched a television documentary about the famous magician Harry Houdini who came to Australia during his travels and performed death defying acts of escape .
It covered the fact that Houdini had waged a campaign against spiritualists , including Lady Doyle , claiming they were fraudsters . During the First World War many people tried to contact their loved ones who had been killed , Houdini claimed people who were paid money to contact the dead were criminals .
