While the name Fred Astaire is certainly a notable one to fans of classic cinema, typically, the thought of him may also conjure up images of his frequent on-screen dance partner, Ginger Rogers. Of course, long before the Astaire-Rogers partnership, Astaire and his sister, Adele, were the toast of Broadway.
The Astaire siblings began dancing from an early age. Initially, it was Adele who began dance lessons first, though her brother slowly also expressed an interest in dancing. The two grew up dancing together and soon supported their family through the success of their sibling act. As the years went on, Adele eventually chose to marry and ultimately leave the act, with Astaire now in the position of working solo. After a successful on-screen appearance with Rogers, Astaire (at first, reluctantly) found himself in yet another dance partnership–and the rest is history.
Eliza Knight’s Starring Adele Astaire offers in intriguing and so often overshadowed look into the life of Adele Astaire through this historical fiction novel. Knight develops an enthusiastic and vibrant personality for Adele as well as a sense of determination and strength in her depiction of Fred. Knight succeeds in bringing London’s West End to life through the perspectives of Adele and a character named Violet (inspired by music hall singer Daisy Violet Rose Wood). Their friendship provides structure to the story.
The book is sure to be enjoyed by those curious to learn more about Adele Astaire, as well as fans of classic film, vaudeville, and musicals.
Starring Adele Astaire is available for purchase via HarperCollins.
Hometowns to Hollywood 