BIBLIOGRAPHY

GENERAL

Books and articles about women in magic generally.
These sources discuss more than one female performer.

---

 

Allen, Stan. “Women of Magic.” MAGIC. Jun 2012.

Armstrong, Vanessa. “The Eye: A Celestial Celebration.” Genii. Dec 2023. 

 

Bazou, Sebastien and Connie Boyd. “Female Magicians Through the Centuries.” Vanish. Feb 2021.

Bergeron, Bev. “Talented Ladies in the Act.” The Linking Ring. Nov 2005.

—. “The Women Behind the Magic.” The Linking Ring. Sep 2009.

Blanche, Abel. Notes et Souvenirs d’un Illusioniste: Magiciennes. Monograph. 1937.

Bluemle, Robert. “Femagicians.” The Linking Ring. Feb 1995.

Bond, Trixie. “Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic 2004.” Genii. Jul 2004.

Boyd, Connie. “A Celestial Celebration: A Tribute to Women in Magic.” Vanish. Nov 2023. 

--. “Japan’s Magical Women Magic Culture.” Vanish. Dec 2023. 

Braun, John. Of Legierdemaine and Diverse Juggling Knacks. 1999.

Brick, Samantha. “Abracadabra, alakazam ... we’re as good at magic as any man!” London Daily Mail. 8 Apr 2019.

 

Cameron, Nell. Manual for Magicians and their Assistants. 1949.

Christopher, Milbourne. “Deceptive Ladies.” Genii. Sep 1954.

Clarke, Sidney. The Annals of Conjuring. Ed. Edwin Dawes and Todd Karr. 2001.

Claxton, Michael. “The Escapists: An Introduction.” Magicol. May 2023.

—. and Gary Hunt. “Women and Escapes: From Vaudeville to Vegas.” Magicol. May 2023.

Clements, Jane et al. Backstage with Magigals. Club newsletter. 1952-1990s?

Conway, John. “Victorian Politics, Surplus Women, and Stage Magic.” The Magic Circular. Sep 2020.

Cousins, Lisa. “Women of Magic at the Magic Castle.” Genii. Aug 2012.

Cummins, Kent. “Magic Misogyny.” The Linking Ring. Dec. 2023. 

 

Daily, Belle. “The Dramatic Failure of Magic Assistants.” Second Sight. Nov 1986.

Davis, Mandy. “A Celebration of Women Members.” The Magic Circular. Sep 2002.

Dawes, Amy. “The Female of the Species: Magiciennes of the Victorian and Edwardian Eras.” Early Popular Visual Culture. 2007.

Derman, Lou. “The Lady Magician.” The Linking Ring. Jan 1971.

“Diversity in Magic” (cover image). The Magic Circular. Aug 2022.

Donaldson, Judy. “Women in Magic Conference.” The Linking Ring. Jun 1997.

Dowle, Jayne. “Magicians’ Assistants.” Telegraph Magazine. Oct 1994.

 

Eldin, Peter. “Magic Moments.” The Lady. Jan 1996.

 

Fajuri, Gabe. Child Prestidigitators. 2001.

Farquhar, Hannah. “Why Do You Do Magic?” The Linking Ring. Jan 2018.

Fischer, Lucy. “The Lady Vanishes: Women, Magic and the Movies.” Film Quarterly. Fall 1979.

Fritz, T. Francis. “Many Women are Deft in Magic.” Mahatma. Nov 1905.

 

“Girls Allowed!” Magicseen. Jul 2007.

Goodliffe. Editorial. Abracadabra. 21 Aug 1948.

Goodsell, David. “Magicians Who Happen to Be Women.” MUM. Jan 1998.

Goodsell, Jann Wherry. “Women in Magic Conference Report.” MUM. Jul 2000.

Greenspon, Jaq. “Magic Divas.” MAGIC. Mar 2006. 

Grohmann, Karl F. Frauen in der Zauberkunst (Women in the Art of Magic). 1982.

 

Haynes, Esther. “Girl, We Want to Wear G-Strings!” Jane. Dec 2002.

Hennessy, Val. “Women—Sawn and Not Heard.” YOU. Mar 1980.

Herget, James. Women in Magic: The Pioneers. 2015.   

Hibberd, David. Chronicle of Magic 1900-1999. 2003.

Houstoun, Will. “W25.” The Magic Circular. Oct 2016 and Jan 2017.

 

Jansen, Lindsey. “Women of the Wand.” Genii. Jul and Nov 1991.

Jay, Joshua. “Why is Magic Still So Male-Dominated?” How Magicians Think. 2021.

Johnston, Rory. “Sirens at Sea.” MAGIC. Mar 2014.

Jones, Jan et al. The Magician’s Assistant. 1982.

 

Ivey, Arthur. “The Lady Associates.” The Magic Circular. Jan 1954. 

 

Karr, Todd. “Magic in Their Blood.” Genii. Feb 1986.

Kaufman, Michael. “As Magicians Meet, Presto a Woman.” New York Times. Dec 1994.

Keable, Ian. “Box Jumpers . . . A Male Perspective.” The Magic Circular. Aug 2004.

Kitchen, Patricia. “They’re Working Their Magic: Female Magicians Trying to Make
Glass Ceiling Disappear.” Newsday. 5 Jul 2002.

Kornhauser, Mark. “The Sex Issue.” MAGIC. Apr 2013.

 

Ling, Felice. “Women Street Performers.” Genii. Apr 2014.

Lodge, Malinda. “Magic and Gender.” MUM. Nov 2019.

 

Marshall, Frances. Those Beautiful Dames. 1984. 

“Maskelyne and Feminine.” Punch. 17 Mar 1877.

McCarthy, Lauren. “Being a Woman in Magic may be the Hardest Trick of all.” The New York Times. Dec. 2023.

Moskowitz, Joel. “Sorceresses, Witches and Wonder Women.” The Linking Ring. Mar
1983.

 

Nardi, Peter. “The Social World of Magicians: Gender and Conjuring.” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. 1988.

Navarro, Gema. Historias de Magas Antiguas y Modernas. 2007.

Nelson, Mark. “Opening up ... Women in Boxes.” MAGIC. Jun 2008.

 

Olewitz, Chloe. “Science of Women in Magic.” Genii. May 2020.

—. “The WMA Aims for Diversity in Magic.” Genii. Jun 2019.

Ouellet, Gary. “Women in Magic: The Elusive Enchantress.” Genii. Dec 1995.

 

Pegler, Westbrook. “Why No Lady Magicians?” Reprinted in Jinx. May 1936.

Pelaez, Cesaro. “The Pythias.” MAGIC. Jul 2001.

Pendragon, Jonathan. “Married to Magic.” Genii. Feb 2019.

—. “The Dynamic Duos.” Genii. Jun 2019.

Price, David. Magic: A Pictorial History of Conjurers in the Theater. 1985.

 

Rauscher, William. The Mind Readers: Masters of Deception. 2002.

Reynolds, Charles and Regina. 100 Years of Magic Posters. 1976.

Rich, Lance. Neon Dreams, The Story of Las Vegas Magic. 2023.

 

Sanchez, Angela. “Conjuring the Modern Woman: Women and Their Representation in the Golden Age of Magic.” MA Thesis. 2013.

Scott, Stuart. “Cartoon Corner: The Great Chauvinisto.” The Magic Circular. Sep 2023. 

Severn, Bill. “Women in Magic.” Bill Severn’s Guide to Magic as a Hobby. 1979.

“Society Sorceresses.” Reprinted in Magic. Jan 1903.

Steele, Margaret. “Women in Magic—Claiming Power.” The Linking Ring. Nov 2000.

Stevens, Amy. “Women in Magic.” Seminar Sentinel. Mar 1989.

Summer, Nicole. “Use Your Illusion.” Bust. Jun/Jul 2008.

Suzan, Beverly. Completely Magi-call. Revised 2009.

 

Various. “L’Age d’Or des Femmes Illusionnistes.” Revue de la Prestidigitation. Jan/Feb 2021.

Vernon, Dai. “The Vernon Touch.” Genii. Aug 1989.

 

Wagg, Dorothy. “Why Are There Not More Women Magicians?” Genii. Oct 1982.

—. “Why Are There Not More Women Magicians?” (Part 2). Genii. Apr 1983.

Waldron, Dan. “Cheesy or Cheesecake?” Magicol. May 2004.  

Warlock, Peter. “Ladies of the Magic Circle.” Magicol. Feb 1987.

Waters, T. A. The Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians. 1988.

Whaley, Bart. Who’s Who in Magic. 1991.

White, Larry. “Women in Magic—Part 1.” Tannen’s Magic Manuscript. Sep 1990.

—. “Women in Magic—Part 2.” Tannen’s Magic Manuscript. Nov 1990.

Whyte, Sharon. “The Fine Art of Illusion.” Magic Circular. Oct 2011.

Wiley, Barry. “Magnetic Girls.” Yankee Magic Collector 6. 1994.

Witt, Wittus. Zauberkunst in Frauenhanden (Magic in Women’s Hands). 2024. 

Womack, Catherine. “How LA’s Female Magicians are Making the Glass Ceiling Disappear.” LA Weekly. Sep 2016.