My magic book collection is ludickrously male-centric. I've read books on 'Natural Magic' by women (Starhawk) as well as magical fiction (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ursula Leguin), but what I'm specifically looking for are some good books on the Art of Professional Magic written by women, and also books written about female magical entertainers. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Todd Shapiro

The one that pops into my mind is a book by Frances Ireland (Marshall)..."You Don't Have to be Crazy but It Helps." I used to have an autographed copy of this in my collection, but I donated it to the small museum in the local magic shop.

Margarette

I like the title of that one, Margarette. Do you remember anything about the contents?
Todd

Dell o'Dell's "Magical Moments" is a good one, if you can find it. (late 1930's?)
Frances Ireland also wrote a book called: "With Frances in Magicland".(1940's?)
Barbara Weisberg wrote a book: "Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism" (2000)
Frances Willard has books and DVD's out with the team "Falkenstein and Willard's live club". These DVD's and books are readily available. The rest you will have to search to find.
Good Luck!
Autumn

Great list, Autumn! I'll start looking into those.
Todd

Todd, Check out http://www.abesbooks.com to find those rare ones.
Autumn

Abesbooks is my favourite for finding obscure books. Thanks again, Autumn.
Todd

Autumn, "Abe" has nothing to do with the website you mentioned.

Correct address is abebooks.com.

Oops...Mea culpa! You are correct, Clay! Lots of folks must spell it incorrectly because my misspelled link will redirect you there. For rare magic books click the corrected link: http://www.abebooks.com !

Celeste Evans announced at SAM convention that she is about to release a book , she says it deals more with great boo boos on stage than anything else, believe her working title was something like "Biggest Embarrassments" or some such. It is a collection of magic tales, many from her own career and other women magicians (and a few guys I'm sure) of great flubs and recoveries. If it is written the way Celeste talks it will be one baudy book, if they clean it up (and I'm sure the editors will), it will still be a very interesting one from a lady who was doing the big time as a stand alone act when there just really weren't any big time female magicians.

SECRETS, MORE SECRETS, WIPE OUT and THE KEY by the wonderful TERRI ROGERS!!!!!!!!

Not really a book by a woman but 'doc' shiels has a book called the 'cantrip codex' and in it is an interview with his daughter and a witch from scotland... I found it a very interesting read and I'm sure you all will too...

I predict that sometime in the not-too-distant future someone will publish an anthology book about female magicians. It is well past due.

I predict you are right. Read the latest MUM. There is an article by Julie Sobanski about Dell O Dell. In there she mentions a forthcoming book about female magicians that she is writing.

I heard through an email from Lupe Nielsen that Juan Tamariz' wife Ms. Gema Navarro is doing a book on female magicians. I believe the book is being done in Spanish, although I hope there will be an English translation. There is also, of course, the book that Julie Sobanski is doing that is compiling the history of women in magic. That makes two. Then I also heard that Belinda Sinclair is working on a project on the history of female magicians. It said on her site ...."She is currently working on Magiciennes: The History of Women in Magic from Antiquity to the 21st Century. This multifaceted project will include a six book series, an in-depth documentary, film and television productions as well as a large-scale theatrical presentation featuring the world’s top female magicians. " http://www.belindasinclair.com/


Then there is the project Luna is working on, a documentary about box jumpers about the Women behind the Magicians. Very Cool. They are taking it to Sundance Film Festival and then they will sell it to a network like HBO and eventually it is suppose to come out on DVD." You can see the trailer for the Luna documentary on box jumpers here http://www.womeninboxes.com/trailer.htm All very cool stuff. Oh and of course there is the book by Frances Marshall "Those Beautiful Dames".
Peace Beth

Julie Sobanski has been working on such a project for many years. A slow go, but sure to be a masterpiece when released.

About *** time!

Best,

Tim

I can add a few titles by women. Joan Brandon, who had a successful night club act in the 30s and 40s before she went into hypnotism, published "The Science of Self-Hypnosis" (1959) and "Successful Hypnotism" (1956). Jan Jones edited "The Magician's Assistant" (1982), a collection of essays from noted assistants. Gerry Larsen wrote a comic novel "Diary of a Magician's Wife" (1941). Shari Lewis, in addition to being a famous vent, was the daughter of a magician and wrote "Magic for Non Magicians" (1975). In addition to the Frances Marshall books listed above, she also edited "Those Beautiful Dames" (1984) on women in magic, as well as the "Kid Stuff" series and other magic books. Elizabeth Warlock recently published "100 By Warlock" (2005), a collection of effects by her father Peter. Dell O'Dell's four pitchbooks (some compiled by Minneapolis printer Harry Bjorklund) were "Magical Moments" (1939), "Everybody's Fun" (1943), "A Book of Entertainment" (1944), and "Both Sides of the Footlights" (1946). The earliest pitchbook for a female magician I'm aware of is "Miss Kingsland's Parlour Magic" circa 1870s.

Great list, Mclaxton! Thanks!

Also by Frances Ireland Marshall - The Success Book , I< II III IV...
The Kids magic series...

I came across a rare promotional piece done by Dell O'Dell...