Gypsy Rose Lee, how many of do not know this name, even those of us who were not born during her reign as the "Queen of Burlesque". American Rose is her story and a lot more.

Most of us have seen the play or movie, "Gypsy". A wonderful musical and story, but hardly the true story of Mama Rose and her daughters. One must read this book to understand the dynamics of not only the characters but of a time that was ruled by gangsters and crooked politicians, and the rise of Vaudeville and Burlesque.

Rose Havoc had two daughters, Louise and June, June had a talent for show business and Louise did not. Rose did everything humanly possible to push her children to be performers. Having little money, she cajoled theatre owners to let them perform, and her group of performers often had little if anything to eat. The act finally paid off when they became headliners for the Vaudeville circuit. Unfortunately, after several successful years the act was going stale and Vaudeville was on its demise. June, the star of the show, ran away to be married leaving the untalented Louise to do her part.

Rose and Louise find themselves out of money and the only prospect was a Burlesque house. The headliner for that evening could not perform and Louise, out of options, became "Gypsy Rose Lee".

The story of Gypsy has many ups and downs during her career, both on the business side and the family side. She was always embattled with either her mother or June, and at her death probably never reconciled with either one of them.

Although this is a wonderful biography of Gypsy Rose Lee, it is also a wonderful portrayal of the times.

The Burlesque houses were largely controlled by the Minsky Brothers who made them an American Institution, but also had to fight censors from opening night until they closed.

It was a time that went from the Roaring Twenties to the depths of the Great Depression. Vaudeville was to the Roaring Twenties as Burlesque was to the Great Depression, and the Queen was "Gypsy Rose Lee".