Adelaide Herrmann Queen of Magic

by Adelaide Herrmann, Margaret B. Steele (Editor)

Madame Adelaide Herrmann (1853-1932) was a superstar of the Golden Age of Magic and now her story is finally told, and what a story it is! Entitled "Sixty-Five Years of Magic," Madame takes us on an amazing adventure, from her beginnings as a dancer and trick bicyclist, to her marriage to Alexander Herrmann and their subsequent tours of the U.S., Mexico, South America and Europe. She peppers her memoir with hilarious anecdotes, misadventures, accidents and the continuous outrageous antics of the husband she adored. She describes their show in minute detail, including her husband's magic repertoire and their baffling illusions which drew standing-room only audiences wherever they went. In heartrending detail, she tells the story of her husband's death. She then reinvents herself into the first great female magician, and takes us through yet another thirty years of solo adventures.

337 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

Reviews

[Margaret B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I'm the editor of this book, I'm totally biased. But I'm totally blown away by Adelaide Herrmann - her amazing life and story. She was a superstar of magic's golden age, and her story was lost for seventy-eight years. It's a true magical treasure, beautifully written.

[MagicDave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told in her own memoirs, notes and correspondence, "Adelaide Herrmann Queen of Magic" is a rather long winded examination of the life and times of the first great lady magician.
Forced to continue performing after the death of her husband, Hermann The Great, Adelaide proved more than up to the task, being a resourceful woman of that era.
She was a trailblazer, being the first famous FEMALE conjuror.
The book was a bit longer than I think it should have been, but I applaud the editor's efforts to bring her story to life. About two thirds of the book is a chronicle of the career of Alexander Hermann, who was, at the time, the most famous, and most beloved magician in America. And that is fine, though I bought the book with the intent of learning more about the first female magic practitioner. And the last third of the book is mostly about her taking over after the untimely passing of her husband.
A bit long, as I said, but ultimately an interesting look into the past of the art of Magic

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out really interesting, but I confess I got bored. Wish it had been more about her, rather than about her husband. While I appreciate the desire to present her words without modern commentary or editing it may have been easier to read as a biography that drew from her memoirs rather than just her memoirs. I wanted more from the editor.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, but a little dry if you are not super interested in magic. Hard to know what is truth and what is embellished, but such is the case with any autobiography I suppose. I expected it to be more about her, but it was primarily her writing about her husband.