Gypsy: Memoirs of America's Most Celebrated Stripper
by Gypsy Rose Lee
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Book Summary Information
Author: Gypsy Rose LeeAfterword: Erik Preminger
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-07-15
ISBN: 1883319951
Number of pages: 408
Publisher: Frog Books
Book Reviews of Gypsy: Memoirs of America's Most Celebrated Stripper
Book Review: Wow
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're a fan of the musical Gypsy, like me, you'll read this book. I've read from various websites, that the book is not entirely factual and that you need to read Gypsy's sister June's book, early Havoc, to get a clearer picture of what life on the road was like. But, entirely accurate or not, it's highly fascinating and an excellent look at the theatre of the time.
The book bears small resemblances to the show: There really was a monkey named Gigalo, Louise was given farm animals as pets for her birthday, there is a man that Rose links up with for several years who manages the troup, they did eat Chinese food constantly, make coats out of blankets, and a cow really talked to Rose in a dream.
There are major differences between the show and the book: The switch from Vaudeville to Burlesque was less dramatic in the book than the show -almost natural. "Herbie", Rose's companion and manager, left long before the act went Burlesque. And one very 'big' difference: you'll notice in the show that Grandpa calls Louise "Plug" but we dont' really know why. The little girl playing Louise was too adorable for words and grew up to be the stunning Natalie Wood. But, Gypsy got the name plug because she was a large child. And she grew up large. It wasn't until a couple years in Burlesque that she became more svelte. This is also a major point in the books, detailing the diets she was on and how it destroyed her self-esteem as a child.
Gypsy, the movie, is a fun-filled version of life on the road for a vaudeville troupe. Yes, there are hard times, but nothing so bad. Gypsy the memoir describes eviction, near starvation, nights of sleeping in the cars, almost frozen, con artists - real life struggle.
It's a quick read that is terribly fascinating. I highly recommend it.
Summary of Gypsy: Memoirs of America's Most Celebrated Stripper
Gypsy Rose Lee?s memoir became a New York Times bestseller in 1957, inspiring the 1959 hit musical, two movies, and three revivals. Now a fourth, directed by Arthur Laurents and starring Patti LuPone, is lighting up New York, winning top Broadway theatre awards, including three 2008 Tony Awards, as well as raves from critics and audiences:?No matter how long you live, you?ll never see a more exciting production.? ?Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal
?Watch out, New York! This GYPSY is a wallop-packing show of raw power.? ?Ben Brantley, The New York Times
?Not your ordinary theater experience. This is the best production of the best damn musical ever.? ?Liz Smith, Syndicated Columnist
The memoir, which Gypsy began as a series of pieces for The New Yorker, contains photographs and newspaper clippings from her personal scrapbooks and an afterword by her son, Erik Lee Preminger. At turns touching and hilarious, Gypsy describes her childhood trouping across 1920s America through her rise to stardom as The Queen of Burlesque in 1930s New York?where gin came in bathtubs, gangsters were celebrities, and Walter Winchell was king.
Gypsy?s story features outrageous characters?among them Broadway?s funny girl, Fanny Brice, who schooled Gypsy in how to be a star; gangster Waxy Gordon, who fixed her teeth; and her indomitable mother, Rose, who lived by her own version of the Golden Rule: ?Do unto others ? before they do you.?
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