NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAmerica was flying high in the Roaring Twenties. Then, almost overnight, the Great Depression brought it crashing down. When the dust settled, people were primed for a star who could distract them from reality. Enter Gypsy Rose Lee, a strutting, bawdy, erudite stripper who possessed a gift for delivering exactly what America needed. With her superb narrative skills and … superb narrative skills and eye for detail, Karen Abbott brings to life an era of ambition, glamour, struggle, and survival. Using exclusive interviews and never-before-published material, she vividly delves into Gypsy’s world, including her intense triangle relationship with her sister, actress June Havoc, and their formidable mother, Rose, a petite but ferocious woman who literally killed to get her daughters on the stage. Weaving in the compelling saga of the Minskys—four scrappy brothers from New York City who would pave the way for Gypsy Rose Lee’s brand of burlesque and transform the entertainment landscape—Karen Abbott creates a rich account of a legend whose sensational tale of tragedy and triumph embodies the American Dream.
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An amazing look (in great detail) at the real world of burlesque and the many people involved who were both good, bad, conniving, talented, and creative. I grew up in NYC and saw some of these people in person so it brought back may memories for me.
This book is so much more than just the life and times of Gypsy Rose Lee. It’s the history of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque. It’s the story of the Minsky brothers and their burlesque houses. How they created a legacy and fought the law. It’s an amazing history lesson from the Depression era that you won’t learn in school.
I am amazed that …
The truth (if there can be such a thing) about Gypsy Rose Lee. And her mother. DCFS would have had a field day with Mama Rose, and its nothing short of a miracle that Louise and June a) made it through childhood, and b) didn’t die early, drugged out deaths or lead lives of crime (well, none that could be proven, anyway). Much, much grittier …
Great look back at an american icon
Gypsy Rose Lee passed away in 1970 when I was 20 years old. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have been familiar enough with her to be interested in reading this book. I had always heard that she was a famous stripper but this book was so enlightening about how she entered the world of vaudeville and burlesque and used it as advantageously as she …
Gypsy Rose had a sad life and tried to set herself above
Provided insight into her mother, sister & herself. A lot of info on the Minsky family & their theatres. Did not care for the chapters jumping around the decades, made the book disjointed for me personally!
I really thought it was boring.
A really well done Biography of Gypsy Rose Lee, who apparently never existed as we knew her. A LOT of research went into this book, and the photos help to sharpen the picture of those days when vaudeville turned to burlesque.
Blame it on living under a rock, but although I’ve long heard of the musical Gypsy, I was clueless about its content. Gypsy, in case anyone else lives under the same rock, is the story of Gypsy Rose Lee, a mediocre vaudeville performer in childhood who became America’s most famous burlesque dancer during the heyday of that, um, art. American Rose …
I enjoyed the book but the chapters did bounce back and forth in time.
Didn’t finish it, I got bored.
Well written story about a sad life.
Gypsy Rose Lee had a completely dysfunctional childhood, and that warped her ability to thrive happily through the remainder of her life. Her mother was absolutely sick.. I’m surprised Gypsy and her sister were able to cope as much as they could. They were all a product of their times tho – they did what they had to do in order to make it to the …
Don’t waste your time…awful book.
Abandoned book Midway. Did not consider it a
Particularly good book
The content of this book is very interesting, but the way it is put together makes it a very difficult read. I remember Gypsy Rose Lee from television appearances and, of course, the movie, “Gypsy.” I grew up in Seattle. I thought this would be a really fun book, but it was so hard to get through. It jumps around from Louise (Gypsy as a child) …
I enjoyed reading about the life of Gypsy Rose Lee. It was interesting to learn about the entertainment industry and how burlesque played a role in what people like even today.
I remember Gypsy Rose Lee on tv when I was young. Her life was interesting and sad. The book could have been organized better.
Fascinating personal history work. Very interesting and kept my attention. Seeing behind the scenes is always difficult to write and harder to believe, but this work pulled both off very well. Definitely recommend.