New Adelaide Herrmann book debuts at Lincoln Center on Nov. 2

Author and magic historian Margaret B. Steele will launch a new book on Adelaide Herrmann at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City on Nov. 2. The event aims to restore attention to the early female illusionist who became one of vaudeville’s biggest stars after her husband’s death.

Why it matters: - Adelaide Herrmann was one of the most famous women in magic, yet her story has stayed in the shadow of better-known figures like Houdini. - The book launch revives a long-lost memoir and reframes Herrmann as a major Golden Age performer with her own independent legacy. - The event also spotlights women’s history in entertainment and the preservation of rare theatrical archives.

What happened: - Author, magician and magic historian Margaret B. Steele is launching "Queen of Magic: The Wondrous, Unstoppable Adelaide Herrmann" at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. - The launch event, "Memoirs of a Magic Queen: Restoring Adelaide Herrmann’s Lost Legacy," is set for Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at 6 p.m. ET. - The event will take place in Bruno Walter Auditorium at 111 Amsterdam Avenue in New York City. - Admission is free in person and available via livestream, but advance registration is required.

The details: - The evening will include an illustrated presentation of period photographs and rare posters. - The New York Public Library will display Adelaide Herrmann memorabilia from the Billy Rose Theatre Collection. - Couture designer Jane Wilson-Marquis will present a costume display. - Margaret B. Steele will also perform magic during the program. - Adelaide Herrmann (1853–1932) performed worldwide for nearly 60 years. - Herrmann caught speeding bullets with her bare hands and performed as a human cannonball. - Herrmann performed with her husband, Alexander, in large-scale Golden Age of Magic illusions. - After Alexander’s death, Adelaide Herrmann became the act’s sole headliner at age 43. - She then built an independent career over the next three decades and became known as vaudeville’s Queen of Magic. - Steele built the book around Herrmann’s resurfaced memoir. - The book combines Adelaide Herrmann’s own words with historical essays, rare interviews and more than 100 period photographs and posters. - The book is being released alongside Steele’s companion volume, "The Great Boomsky: The Many Lives of Magic’s First Black Superstar," which has won awards. - Both books are available from retailers worldwide and directly from Floating Lady Publishing. - Wholesale orders are available through Ingram Content Group. - More information is available on Floating Lady Publishing’s social page.

Between the lines: - The memoir’s recovery gives Steele a primary-source anchor for a more complete biography of Herrmann. - The Lincoln Center setting signals an institutional effort to place Herrmann back into the historical record of American performance. - Pairing the launch with archival materials and live performance turns the event into both a book release and a public argument for Herrmann’s importance.

What's next: - The book launch will introduce Herrmann’s story to a wider public on Nov. 2. - The wider retail and wholesale availability suggests the publisher is positioning the book for broad distribution beyond the event. - The NYPL program could help drive renewed interest in Herrmann’s legacy and related archival material.