Gypsy, Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy, Gypsy Rose Lee
List: $41.95 | Sale: $29.37
Club: $20.97

Gypsy
A Memoir

Author: Gypsy Rose Lee

Narrator: MEOW, MEOW

Unabridged: 14 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/05/2019


Synopsis

The dazzling, no-holds-barred memoir that inspired a Broadway legend—Gypsy is a true American original, told by the woman who lived it with wit, grit, and a rhinestoned wink.

Before there was Mama Rose or Let Me Entertain You, there was Gypsy Rose Lee—a whip-smart, fearless, and gloriously complicated woman whose life on the road with her unstoppable stage mother and spotlight-stealing little sister became the stuff of showbiz legend.

Now back in the spotlight thanks to the acclaimed Broadway revival starring Audra McDonald, Gypsy is Lee’s funny, subversive, and poignant memoir of growing up in the ragtag world of 1920s vaudeville and emerging, against the odds, as a singular star of 1930s burlesque.

Told in her unmistakable voice—wry, stylish, and heartbreakingly observant—Gypsy reveals a vanished world of stage mothers, train-jumping troupes, and smoke-filled nightclubs, where gin was homemade and ambition was everything. Alongside rare photos and memorabilia from her own scrapbooks and an afterword by her son Erik Lee Preminger, this unforgettable memoir captures the real woman behind the myth: sharp, resilient, and always in command of her story.

About The Author

Gypsy Rose Lee (1911–1970) was an infamous vaudeville entertainer best known for her burlesque performances. Her memoir was adapted into the renowned musical Gypsy. She also appeared in several films and television programs including The Trouble with Angels and The Over-the-Hill Gang. In addition to her memoir, Lee wrote the novels The G-String Murders and Mother Finds a Body, as well as the play The Naked Genius.Erik Preminger is the son of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and film director Otto PremingerAn actor, writer, and producer, Preminger’s published works include Gypsy & Me: At Home and on the Road with Gypsy Rose Lee and My G-String Mother: At Home and Backstage with Gypsy Rose Lee.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Emma on November 07, 2018

I am completely blown away by Gypsy Rose Lee's writing ability... She wrote this book herself. It wasn't ghostwritten, and it's phenomenal. If she was as magical onstage as her writing was then I understand why she's famous. I was not expecting to be so blown away by this memoir. If you're intereste......more

Goodreads review by B. on January 22, 2016

The book is wonderful! And she is/was one of us - a Geek. When she was a kid she would read 'Weird Tales' magazine. She also had a wonderful way of looking at things, one in particular I adore: 'You don't need to be religious to believe in God, just observant If you have seen the movies you will love th......more

Goodreads review by Ciara on September 03, 2022

When my husband and I were watching the musical the other day, he told me the story was based on a real performer’s memoir. The movie was just so over-the-top, I was eager to find out what was real and what was given the Hollywood shine. Surprisingly, I felt there were even more insane stories that......more

Goodreads review by Jason on March 20, 2010

Gypsy is my all-time favorite musical, so I really enjoyed this book and learned more about Gypsy and her strong-willed mother. Although I am learned that the musical didn't follow her life exactly in a lot of ways, this book is far from disappointing to me. Anyone who enjoys celeb biogs will really......more

Goodreads review by C.S. on January 23, 2025

This 1957 memoir follows the early life of Ellen June Hovick aka Rose Louise Hovick, alias Gypsy Rose Lee, who became a legend in her lifetime. The author was older sister of later Hollywood actress June Havoc. The pair began in Vaudeville as toddlers, managed under the tutelage of their mother. Baby......more


Quotes

"... will delight anyone who has a love for the annals of the American stage."- Newsweek"This is show business, this America... this is Gypsy Rose Lee!"- Tennessee Williams"I found it irresistable. It's quite a performance. I bet some of it is even true, and if it wasn't, it is now."- John Steinbeck