Gypsy [Rose Lee] wasn't a linear person, and she didn't live life in a linear fashion. She was relentlessly self-inventing, and moved… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
A half-century before Madonna, Gypsy [Rose Lee] understood how to make performance out of desire, how to exploit the very human and… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
One of the biggest questions to me was whether or not Gypsy the person was capable of loving anyone or anything beyond… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
Gypsy [Rose Lee ] was a masterful storyteller, and her memoir and by extension, the musical weren't only Gypsy's monument; they were… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I think Gypsy [Rose Lee] would be appalled at today's rawer, more blatant displays of the female form. She was, in her… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I don't consider 'American Rose' to be a biography so much as a microcosm of 20th-century America, told through Gypsy's tumultuous life… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
She [Gypsy Rose Lee] was a sophisticated self-satirist with a contagious delight in the comedy of sex. She was coy; she was… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
In Gypsy [Rose Lee] the musical, her mother, 'Mama Rose', is portrayed as a slightly eccentric, pushy, ambitious stage mother, but that… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
Gypsy [Rose Lee], who was called Louise as a kid, gave her first performances here with her sister [June Hovac], playing for… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
When Gypsy was older, after she became Gypsy Rose Lee, I think she was both proud and slightly ashamed of her Seattle… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I thought both she [Gypsy Rose Lee] and her story would be ill-served by a conventional, birth-to-death narrative, and so I structured… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I spent three years researching American Rose, research that included connecting with Gypsy's sister, the late actress June Havoc (I was the… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
If Lady Gaga and Dorothy Parker had a secret love child, it would've been Gypsy Rose Lee. Gypsy arrived for opening nights… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
Her sister [June Havoc] said the musical portrayed who Gypsy [Rose Lee] wanted to be before the burlesque thing happened she wanted… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
She once said, 'I'm really a little prudish, which people may think incongruous'. I take a prudish point of view on certain… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I felt differently about her [Gypsy Rose Lee] during every phase of the research and writing process. Often, I felt incredibly sorry… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
The cousin said that Gypsy [Rose Lee] took a full fifteen minutes to peel off a single glove, and that she was… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I greatly admired Gypsy [Rose Lee] for being able to rise above her circumstances; I was terrified of her; I thought she… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
I came upon a telegram from Eleanor Roosevelt herself to Gypsy Rose Lee that read, 'May your bare ass always be shining'.… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
The real Rose Hovick was seriously mentally disturbed; June Havoc called her a beautiful little ornament that was damaged. — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
Burlesque thrived during the Great Depression, and by extension, so, too, did Gypsy [Rose Lee]. Men could no longer afford to pay… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
Gypsy [Rose Lee] is as unique as she is timeless. Her story is classic Americana, and the strangest rags-to-riches saga you'll ever… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
It was a great challenge to reconstruct Gypsy Rose Lee life, and my interviews with her sister [June Havoc] proved invaluable. It's… — Karen Abbott Copy Share Image
“A Republican is a man who wants you to go t'church every Sunday. A Democrat says if a man wants to have a glass… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
I think Gypsy [Rose Lee] would be appalled at today's rawer, more blatant displays of the female form. She was, in her own way,… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
I spent three years researching American Rose, research that included connecting with Gypsy's sister, the late actress June Havoc (I was the last person… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
Gypsy [Rose Lee ] was a masterful storyteller, and her memoir and by extension, the musical weren't only Gypsy's monument; they were also her… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
Vaudeville was characterized by sunny optimism, acts that were uplifting, cheerful, and clean. It provided a fanciful, magical escape, but after Black Friday, the… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
An amusing city, Chicago, any way you look at it. I'm afraid we are in for the time of our lives. — Karen Abbott Copy Share
The cousin said that Gypsy [Rose Lee] took a full fifteen minutes to peel off a single glove, and that she was so damn… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
“He was just a taker. She was a taker in her way too. They were taking each other, and they loved each other for… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
In the beginning of the war, Southern women wanted their men to leave - in droves, and as quickly as possible. They were the… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
I thought both she [Gypsy Rose Lee] and her story would be ill-served by a conventional, birth-to-death narrative, and so I structured the book… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
“And truth is malleable, something to be bent or stretched or made to disappear, but direct lies always find the path back to the… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
“Mother was,' June thought, 'a beautiful little ornament that was damaged.' Her broken edges cut her daughters in ways both emotional and physical, and… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
Gypsy [Rose Lee] is as unique as she is timeless. Her story is classic Americana, and the strangest rags-to-riches saga you'll ever read; I… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
Female spies typically represented one of two extremes: the seductress who employed her wiles to manipulate men, and the cross-dresser who blended in by… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
“A Republican is a man who wants you to go t’church every Sunday,” Bathhouse John pointed out. “A Democrat says if a man wants… — Karen Abbott Copy Share
![“Gypsy [Rose Lee] wasn't a linear person, and she didn't live life in a linear fashion. She was relentlessly self-inventing, and moved backward as often as she moved forward.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/2a8/karen-abbott-13658_fashion_gypsy-rose-lee-wasn-t-a-linear-person-an_2555037.png)
![“A half-century before Madonna, Gypsy [Rose Lee] understood how to make performance out of desire, how to exploit the very human and eternal instinct to always want most what we'll never have.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/a50/karen-abbott-13658_century_a-half-century-before-madonna-gypsy-rose_2856261.png)
![“Gypsy [Rose Lee ] was a masterful storyteller, and her memoir and by extension, the musical weren't only Gypsy's monument; they were also her chance for monumental revisionism.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/fe2/karen-abbott-13658_chance_gypsy-rose-lee-was-a-masterful-storytell_259518.png)
![“I think Gypsy [Rose Lee] would be appalled at today's rawer, more blatant displays of the female form. She was, in her own way, a prude.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/35c/karen-abbott-13658_appalled_i-think-gypsy-rose-lee-would-be-appalled_10445.png)
![“She [Gypsy Rose Lee] was a sophisticated self-satirist with a contagious delight in the comedy of sex. She was coy; she was sly; she always had a witty quip; she had an intensely dramatic presence.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/b3e/karen-abbott-13658_comedy_she-gypsy-rose-lee-was-a-sophisticated-s_1447479.png)
![“In Gypsy [Rose Lee] the musical, her mother, 'Mama Rose', is portrayed as a slightly eccentric, pushy, ambitious stage mother, but that version doesn't come close to the truth.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/5fc/karen-abbott-13658_ambitious_in-gypsy-rose-lee-the-musical-her-mother_2587864.png)
![“Gypsy [Rose Lee], who was called Louise as a kid, gave her first performances here with her sister [June Hovac], playing for the local Masonic lodge halls. It was a tight-knit community, and the support and success the act enjoyed here enabled them to hit the road and make it in big-time vaudeville.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/c33/karen-abbott-13658_bigs_gypsy-rose-lee-who-was-called-louise-as_2173429.png)
![“I thought both she [Gypsy Rose Lee] and her story would be ill-served by a conventional, birth-to-death narrative, and so I structured the book like one of her stripteases: revealing a peek of shoulder, then a glimpse of knee, pulling back a bit before you go a bit further, until all is revealed…” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/ba0/karen-abbott-13658_birth_i-thought-both-she-gypsy-rose-lee-and-he_637177.png)
![“Her sister [June Havoc] said the musical portrayed who Gypsy [Rose Lee] wanted to be before the burlesque thing happened she wanted to be this beautiful, romantic person with dreams. So Gypsy told the story of her life as she wished she'd lived it: embellishing, softening the edges, eliminating…” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/f9d/karen-abbott-13658_beautiful_her-sister-june-havoc-said-the-musical-p_3013386.png)
![“I felt differently about her [Gypsy Rose Lee] during every phase of the research and writing process. Often, I felt incredibly sorry for her; she had an extremely difficult childhood and a complicated 'to say the least' relationship with her family, her mother especially.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/1e5/karen-abbott-13658_childhood_i-felt-differently-about-her-gypsy-rose_2339266.png)
![“The cousin said that Gypsy [Rose Lee] took a full fifteen minutes to peel off a single glove, and that she was so damn good at it he gladly would've given her fifteen more. So this story got me thinking, who was Gypsy Rose Lee? Who could possibly take the simple act of peeling off a glove and make…” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/424/karen-abbott-13658_articles_the-cousin-said-that-gypsy-rose-lee-took_512540.png)
![“I greatly admired Gypsy [Rose Lee] for being able to rise above her circumstances; I was terrified of her; I thought she was generous; I thought she was brilliant; I thought she was cruel.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/421/karen-abbott-13658_able_i-greatly-admired-gypsy-rose-lee-for-bei_2782139.png)
![“Burlesque thrived during the Great Depression, and by extension, so, too, did Gypsy [Rose Lee]. Men could no longer afford to pay $5.50 to see a show on Broadway, but they could scrape together $1.00 for a matinee at a burlesque house.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/8c7/karen-abbott-13658_broadway_burlesque-thrived-during-the-great-depre_2257195.png)
![“Gypsy [Rose Lee] is as unique as she is timeless. Her story is classic Americana, and the strangest rags-to-riches saga you'll ever read; I like to call it Horatio Alger meets Tim Burton.” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/829/karen-abbott-13658_americana_gypsy-rose-lee-is-as-unique-as-she-is-ti_902352.png)
![“It was a great challenge to reconstruct Gypsy Rose Lee life, and my interviews with her sister [June Havoc] proved invaluable. It's not often that writers have access to living primary source material; this was the only person who experienced life on the vaudeville circuit with Gypsy during the…” quote by Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/6d4/karen-abbott-13658_1930s_it-was-a-great-challenge-to-reconstruct_3186142.jpg)
