Podcasts about american rose

THE LIFE & ROSES OF ANNE BELOVICH Teddie Mower, Caretaker of Anne's Garden On today's podcast, host Teresa Byington chats with Teddie Mower, Anne Belovich's Daughter-in-Law and the Caretaker of Anne's rose garden which includes over 1,000 mostly heritage roses. Anne was a rose collector Rock Star and Teddie's main focus is to ensure that her rare and imported roses are conserved through propagation efforts for future generations to enjoy. Don't miss this opportunity to hear some of the fascinating stories about this remarkable woman who was the author of 6 books - all written when she was in her 90s. And, that's just a small part of her story! Link to Anne's blog HERE.  Link to David Perry's article in the American Rose magazine HERE. Link to the YouTube video of Erin and the Floret Team talking about filming the Finding Floret episode about Anne HERE. Link to information on how to watch Finding Floret, Season 2's episode about Anne HERE. ABOUT TEDDIE MOWER Teddie Phillipson-Mower is Anne Belovich's Daughter-in-Law and is the caretaker of Anne's rose gardens, which includes over 1,000 mostly heritage roses. She is an active member of Heritage Roses Northwest, the Seattle Rose Society, and the newly created American Rose Center Save the Ramblers committee. Anne was a rose collector Rock Star and Teddie's main focus is to ensure that her rare and imported roses are conserved through propagation efforts for future generations to enjoy. If you would like to contact Teddie, here is her email address... (LINK) ANNE'S GARDEN... Kiftsgate scrambles up the tree behind the pavilion.     The Garland... bred by William Wells, 1835, UK   Eleonore Berkeley (pink clusters, hybrid multiflora, unknown breeder, pre-1902) and Roby (darker pink with white centers and yellow stamens, hybrid multiflora, breeder - Guillot, 1912, France).   The Memorial Garden features Pleine de Grace in Birch trees. The memorial has five columns each signifying one of Anne's sled dogs.     Miss Helyett, Fauque & Fils, 1909, France, hybrid wichurana growing in an apple tree.   _________________________________________   ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave - www.RedneckRosarian.com Creator of the Rose Chat Podcast. Mr. VanCleave is a nationally known rosarian, television personality, speaker and advocate for the rose. Content Creator & On-Air Personality: Teresa Byington - www.TheGardenDiary.com Host Teresa Byington promotes roses as an integral part of the landscape, as a Consulting Rosarian, Master Gardener, writer, and speaker. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to Rose Chat Podcast Updates: http://eepurl.com/hAC6gP  

Today, Abbott Kahler (Where You End) discusses the true story that inspired her novel, how her writing process changed as she pivoted from nonfiction to fiction, outlining, the unique world of twins, working with her longtime group of readers, starting all over, and more! Abbott Kahler, formerly writing as Karen Abbott, is the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City; American Rose; Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy; and The Ghosts of Eden Park, which was an Edgar Award finalist for best fact crime and a finalist for the Ohioana Book Award. Her next nonfiction book, Then Came the Devil, is forthcoming in 2025. She is also the host of Remus: The Mad Bootleg King, a forthcoming podcast from iHeartRadio about legendary Jazz Age bootlegger George Remus. A native of Philadelphia, she lives in New York City and in Greenport, New York, where she is at work on her next novel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abbott Kahler, Author of "American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee," talks about how difficult it was after vaudeville died for Rose Louise Hovick to reinvent herself and how many today like Lady Gaga have taken a page from Gypsy Rose Lee in various ways ever since. This full interview from a 2011 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: abbottkahler.com

EPISODE 1927: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Abbot Kahler, author of WHERE YOU END, about writing unnerving literature for unnerving timesAbbott Kahler (formerly Karen Abbott) is the author of four New York Times bestselling works of narrative nonfiction. A search for an ancestor who went missing in 1905 led her to write Sin in the Second City, which tells the true story of two sisters who ran the world's most famous brothel and the nationwide battle to shut them down. Her interest in Gypsy Rose Lee, the subject of American Rose, stems from stories her grandmother shared about the ecdysiast's performances in the 1930s and 40s. Liar Temptress Soldier Spy was inspired by a six-year stint in Atlanta, where the ghosts of the Civil War still seem omnipresent. The HBO show Boardwalk Empire introduced her to bootlegger George Remus, the subject of The Ghosts of Eden Park and a character much more fascinating than Al Capone. Then Came the Devil, her next nonfiction book, is by far the most outrageous story she's ever encountered. Her debut novel, Where You End, is inspired by a true story of identical twins and amnesia, and will be out next January. USA Today once named her “a pioneer of sizzle history.” Abbott's books have featured as Indie Next picks, Amazon's best books of the year, Library Journal's best books of the year, and Smithsonian Magazine's best history books of the year. She has also been a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the Goodreads book award for history, and the Ohioana Book Awards, the second oldest state literary prize in the country. She has written for newyorker.com, New York Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, and other publications, and has appeared on the History Channel, CBS Sunday Morning, AMC's "Making of the Mob,” the Discovery Channel, and other media outlets. Her books have been optioned for television and film, and her podcast about George Remus, REMUS: THE MAD BOOTLEG KING, is forthcoming from iHeartRadio. bAbbott is a native of Philadelphia, where she spent six years as a journalist, covering crime, advocating for abused women, and hanging out with mafia bosses and baseball wives. She lives in New York City and in Greenport, New York, where she's convinced her little bungalow is haunted. She appreciates a good poker hand, an old bottle of wine, and the never-ending hunt for new stories to tell. Read the strange story behind her name change here. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or sign up for her (monthly or so) Wicked History newsletter.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.

JAPANESE BEETLES Dr. Raymond Cloyd, Kansas State University   On this episode, Dr. Raymond Cloyd, of Kansas State University brings us up to date on the latest on Japanese Beetles and what to do and not to do about them. Grab your pencil and paper, it's time for class.   Dr. Cloyd is co-author of the Compendium of Rose Diseases and Pests,  2nd ed. His book is the gold standard concerning the identification of pests and diseases affecting roses. He has authored numerous articles that have appeared in the Nashville Rose Leaf and the American Rose (the official magazine of the ARS).     ROSE CHAT TEAM:   Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave - www.RedneckRosarian.com Creator of the Rose Chat Podcast. Mr. VanCleave is a nationally known rosarian, television personality, speaker and advocate for the rose.   Content Creator & On-Air Personality: Teresa Byington - www.TheGardenDiary.com Co-Host Teresa Byington promotes roses as an integral part of the landscape, as a Consulting Rosarian, Master Gardener, writer, and speaker.   SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to Rose Chat Podcast Updates: http://bit.ly/subscribeROSE   VISIT OUR SPONSOR: Haven Brand Soil Conditionershttp://www.ManureTea.com/shop

Justin and Steph Ziebell are married life partners and a wedding videography duo based in Connecticut and serving couples worldwide. They joined Regina and Cate to talk about their inspiration, what makes their wedding films unique, and who they love working with. They love creating one-of-a-kind unique wedding films that evoke nostalgia and feel more like home movies than blockbuster movies, and they use a combination of digital and Super 8 film to achieve that affect. We talked at length about why they adopted this style when the current trends are more dramatic and cinematic. They explained that their inspirations come from film and its beautiful imperfections, and these qualities help them tell more authentic stories about and for their couples.It was fun getting to know these two and learn about their unique offering and shooting style, as they bring totally different strengths and creative passions to their business and are doing something that stands out in the industry.Where to find them: www.americanroseweddings.com Email: americanrosemedia@gmail.comSocial media: @americanroseweddings on Youtube, Facebook and Instagram --Find the hosts on social:Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcastRegina: @weddingsbyreginamarieCate: @catebarryphotographywww.WeDoWeddingPodcast.comwww.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.comwww.CateBarryPhotography.comIntro/Outro MusicInstant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettsonCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instantMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9jeVOR8––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Presenting: a return – devoid of need to reenact via one-man traveling show and possessed of requisite contributions from parrots and dogchildren – to socialization with New York Times best-selling author (as Karen Abbott) of SIN IN THE SECOND CITY, AMERICAN ROSE, LIAR TEMPTRESS SOLDIER SPY, and THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARK, Abbott Kahler.In which: we discuss her first (professional) foray into fiction with WHERE YOU END, working titles, the process of forming a blueprint via 200+-page outlines (for the upcoming THEN CAME THE DEVIL) to harness the proliferation of weird across the page, living vicariously through characters you'd better find fascinating for four+ years, milk, cookies, ferociousness, convention-defying, and knowing upon whose blood you're stepping. ABBOTT'S BIO: Abbott Kahler is, as Karen Abbott, the New York Time-bestselling author of SIN IN THE SECOND CITY, AMERICAN ROSE, LIAR TEMPTRESS SOLDIER SPY, and THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARK. She has written for The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, and other publications, and has appeared on the History Channel, CBS Sunday Morning, AMC's "Making of the Mob," the Travel Channel's "Monumental Mysteries," and the Discovery Channel. Both her next work of narrative non-fiction, THEN CAME THE DEVIL, and her debut novel, WHERE YOU END, will be her first books published as Abbott Kahler.CHapters00:00 - Introduction01:40 - "When I was a kid... I would write fanciful stories about murderous witches and various nefarious characters... "04:41 - "Am I going to be paralyzed by all this freedom or am I going to be liberated by all this freedom? I think it was a little bit of both."10:10 - "It's very telling when people have a bit of mystery around them"12:27 - "I was actually the last journalist to speak with June before she passed away... I'm speaking of her in the present tense because I feel like she's still here."15:27 - "This is the first time I'm doing something this extensive... when the weirdness comes up, I really want the weirdness to hit... 17:42 - "I did outline the novel because I don't know any better... (but) I like the idea of starting with a character and seeing where she might take me." 19:57 - "I contemplate keeping (Karen Abbott) for nonfiction... I can't have my nonfiction on two different shelves... the changing of the name was a personal choice that would eventually spill over into my professional life..."22:50 - "What you choose, how you choose to tell these stories... I think that nonfiction can say just about an author as fiction does."24:50 - "All the characters I've written about... are women whose lives I wish I had lived."27:30 - "You need to like to communicate with your characters – whether they're figments of your imagination or whether they're dead people you're trying to bring back to some kind of life on the page – you don't have to like them, but you have to find them interesting."30:15 - "I fought to have this accepted for seven years...”33:30 - "The way that we're taught history... is the completely wrong approach: there were people, there was blood, there was sweat, there were tears... History is a soap opera."35:33 - Where can people connect with you? 36:26 - ConclusionLinkageAbbott's website – and story of the name change.The weird starts on page one: THEN CAME THE DEVIL prologue.Though we didn't get a chance to talk about it, Abbott's stunning essay, HOW SARAH GRUEN LOST HER LIFE about her friend, the author Sarah Gruen and Gruen's all-consuming efforts to free a wrongly-convicted man from prison, is a must read. You should also peruse Abbott's Wicked History blog for more of her insights into the soap opera that is history.You can reach her via email, abbottauthor(AT)gmail(DOT)com.+++Theme music, INTERSECTIONS, by Uziel Colon; all rights reserved.You can keep up with my latest socializations via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast app; earlier episodes live here.

On October 10, 2019, Karen Abbott will deliver a Banner Lecture entitled, “The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz-Age America.” In the early days of Prohibition, a German immigrant named George Remus quit practicing law and started trafficking whiskey. Within two years he was a multi-millionaire. The press called him “King of the Bootleggers,” writing breathless stories about the Gatsby-esque events he and his glamorous second wife, Imogene, host at their Cincinnati mansion. By the summer of 1921, Remus owns 35 percent of all the liquor in the United States. Pioneering prosecutor Mabel Walker Willebrandt was determined to bring him down. Willebrandt’s bosses at the U.S. Attorney’s office hired her right out of law school, assuming she’d pose no real threat to the cozy relationship they maintain with Remus. Eager to prove them wrong, she dispatched her best investigator, Franklin Dodge, to look into Remus’s empire. It’s a decision with deadly consequences. Combining deep historical research with novelistic flair, "The Ghosts of Eden Park" is the unforgettable, stranger-than-fiction story of a rags-to-riches entrepreneur and a long-forgotten heroine, of the excesses and absurdities of the Jazz Age, and of the infinite human capacity to deceive. Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of "Sin in the Second City"; "American Rose"; "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy," named one of the best books of the year by Library Journal and the Christian Science Monitor; and, most recently, "The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz- Age America."

My guest is Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of "Sin in the Second City", "American Rose", and "Liar, Temptress, Soldier. Spy".  She discusses her new book, "The Ghosts of Eden Park", and the wild story of George Remus, the most powerful bootlegger in early Prohibition-era America. It's a roller-coaster tale - his rise, his fall, and the  strange love triangle he shared with wife Imogene and Prohibition Agent Franklin Dodge, which would ultimately drive him to such rage that he would shoot her dead and face a sensational trial.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Abbott is a New York Times bestselling historian and a pioneer of what USA Today calls “sizzle history.” Her hits to date include Sin in the Second City (2008) and American Rose (2012). Publishers Weekly praises Abbott’s latest title, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, as a “gripping… remarkable story of passion, strength, and resilience.” It brings to light the stories […]

Karen Abbott is a New York Times bestselling historian and a pioneer of what USA Today calls “sizzle history.” Her hits to date include Sin in the Second City (2008) and American Rose (2012). Publishers Weekly praises Abbott’s latest title, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, as a “gripping… remarkable story of passion, strength, and resilience.” It […]

Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of SIN IN THE SECOND CITY, AMERICAN ROSE, and, most recently, LIAR TEMPTRESS SOLDIER SPY, named one of the best books of 2014 by Library Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, Amazon, and Flavorwire, and optioned by Sony for a miniseries. A native of Philadelphia, she now lives in New York City, where she's at work on her next book.

Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of SIN IN THE SECOND CITY, AMERICAN ROSE, and, most recently, LIAR TEMPTRESS SOLDIER SPY, named one of the best books of 2014 by Library Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, Amazon, and Flavorwire, and optioned by Sony for a miniseries. A native of Philadelphia, she now lives in New York City, where she's at work on her next book.

Karen Abbott is one of America's most popular historical investigators. She wrote about the prostitution trade of gilded age Chicago in Sin in the Second City and about Gypsy Rose Lee in American Rose. Her newest book is Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War.

If group biography is one of the exciting new trends in life-writing (and some say it is), Karen Abbott– the historian, not to be confused with the novelist-proves one of its deftest practitioners- first, in her debut Sin in the Second City, then in the follow-up American Rose (which we discussed back in 2012) and now in her new book: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War (Harper, 2014). Tracking four women- two Confederates and two Unionists- across battle lines, continents and even, at times, genders, with great verve Abbott weaves together a series of stories, connected by the conflict in which they are occurring and yet also uniquely each women’s own. The story of the American Civil War has been told umpteen times, but it is an unexpected element within the familiar which Abbott is concerned with exploring here. Tales of our heroines- Belle Boyd, Emma Edmonds,Rose O’Neale Greenhow and Elizabeth Van Lew, all women most readers will be encountering for the first time- yield an untraditional perspective on women’s participation in the war whilst Abbott also gives fresh life to well-known figures: Stonewall Jackson, painted here in broad vivid colors, emerges from the familiar tapestry in his full, eccentric glory almost as a character born anew. Reviewing her first book, USA Today labeled Abbott a “pioneer of sizzle history.” It’s a label that’s stuck and one which is apt for a mode of story-telling driven by such a propulsive kinetic energy, as Abbott’s is. But it’s important to note that the stories she’s telling are sturdy, thoroughly researched and culturally necessary. The word “sizzle” can imply a frothy effervescence, a flash in the pan, and these stories- the stories of these four women in Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy and in her other books- are anything but. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If group biography is one of the exciting new trends in life-writing (and some say it is), Karen Abbott– the historian, not to be confused with the novelist-proves one of its deftest practitioners- first, in her debut Sin in the Second City, then in the follow-up American Rose (which we discussed back in 2012) and now in her new book: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War (Harper, 2014). Tracking four women- two Confederates and two Unionists- across battle lines, continents and even, at times, genders, with great verve Abbott weaves together a series of stories, connected by the conflict in which they are occurring and yet also uniquely each women’s own. The story of the American Civil War has been told umpteen times, but it is an unexpected element within the familiar which Abbott is concerned with exploring here. Tales of our heroines- Belle Boyd, Emma Edmonds,Rose O’Neale Greenhow and Elizabeth Van Lew, all women most readers will be encountering for the first time- yield an untraditional perspective on women’s participation in the war whilst Abbott also gives fresh life to well-known figures: Stonewall Jackson, painted here in broad vivid colors, emerges from the familiar tapestry in his full, eccentric glory almost as a character born anew. Reviewing her first book, USA Today labeled Abbott a “pioneer of sizzle history.” It’s a label that’s stuck and one which is apt for a mode of story-telling driven by such a propulsive kinetic energy, as Abbott’s is. But it’s important to note that the stories she’s telling are sturdy, thoroughly researched and culturally necessary. The word “sizzle” can imply a frothy effervescence, a flash in the pan, and these stories- the stories of these four women in Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy and in her other books- are anything but. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If group biography is one of the exciting new trends in life-writing (and some say it is), Karen Abbott– the historian, not to be confused with the novelist-proves one of its deftest practitioners- first, in her debut Sin in the Second City, then in the follow-up American Rose (which we discussed back in 2012) and now in her new book: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War (Harper, 2014). Tracking four women- two Confederates and two Unionists- across battle lines, continents and even, at times, genders, with great verve Abbott weaves together a series of stories, connected by the conflict in which they are occurring and yet also uniquely each women’s own. The story of the American Civil War has been told umpteen times, but it is an unexpected element within the familiar which Abbott is concerned with exploring here. Tales of our heroines- Belle Boyd, Emma Edmonds,Rose O’Neale Greenhow and Elizabeth Van Lew, all women most readers will be encountering for the first time- yield an untraditional perspective on women’s participation in the war whilst Abbott also gives fresh life to well-known figures: Stonewall Jackson, painted here in broad vivid colors, emerges from the familiar tapestry in his full, eccentric glory almost as a character born anew. Reviewing her first book, USA Today labeled Abbott a “pioneer of sizzle history.” It’s a label that’s stuck and one which is apt for a mode of story-telling driven by such a propulsive kinetic energy, as Abbott’s is. But it’s important to note that the stories she’s telling are sturdy, thoroughly researched and culturally necessary. The word “sizzle” can imply a frothy effervescence, a flash in the pan, and these stories- the stories of these four women in Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy and in her other books- are anything but. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If group biography is one of the exciting new trends in life-writing (and some say it is), Karen Abbott– the historian, not to be confused with the novelist-proves one of its deftest practitioners- first, in her debut Sin in the Second City, then in the follow-up American Rose (which we discussed back in 2012) and now in her new book: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War (Harper, 2014). Tracking four women- two Confederates and two Unionists- across battle lines, continents and even, at times, genders, with great verve Abbott weaves together a series of stories, connected by the conflict in which they are occurring and yet also uniquely each women’s own. The story of the American Civil War has been told umpteen times, but it is an unexpected element within the familiar which Abbott is concerned with exploring here. Tales of our heroines- Belle Boyd, Emma Edmonds,Rose O’Neale Greenhow and Elizabeth Van Lew, all women most readers will be encountering for the first time- yield an untraditional perspective on women’s participation in the war whilst Abbott also gives fresh life to well-known figures: Stonewall Jackson, painted here in broad vivid colors, emerges from the familiar tapestry in his full, eccentric glory almost as a character born anew. Reviewing her first book, USA Today labeled Abbott a “pioneer of sizzle history.” It’s a label that’s stuck and one which is apt for a mode of story-telling driven by such a propulsive kinetic energy, as Abbott’s is. But it’s important to note that the stories she’s telling are sturdy, thoroughly researched and culturally necessary. The word “sizzle” can imply a frothy effervescence, a flash in the pan, and these stories- the stories of these four women in Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy and in her other books- are anything but. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a whole, the genre of biography trends towards linear narratives–wherein the events of a subject's life are tracked in the order that they occurred. This makes sense, as it's how we live our lives, but there are advantages that come with non-linear structure. In the case of Karen Abbott‘s American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life & Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (Random House, 2012), the benefit is that the book reads like a slick, sexy film noir and it is virtually impossible to put down. The life of Gypsy Rose Lee- “this Dorothy Parker in a G-string”, famous for her “burlesque of burlesque”- is perhaps best likened to a Greek drama. The relationship between Gypsy, her controlling mother and the younger sister who stole her name offers enough material for a whole master's thesis on Freud, and that's just one of the many tangled relationship dynamics here worthy of analysis. And yet, Abbott exercises masterful control over her colorful cast of characters, all while guiding three separate narrative strands. We enter the narrative at three distinct points and flip between them throughout: Gypsy, post-1939; Gypsy, pre-1939; and the Minsky Brothers burlesque clubs in the 1920s. If you're not a biographile, the transitions might even slip by unnoticed, incrementally heightening the drama with each page until, at the book's crescendo, you find you're almost winded. American Rose is an ambitious story told in an ambitious style and, much like modern art, it looks effortless because it is impeccably well done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a whole, the genre of biography trends towards linear narratives–wherein the events of a subject’s life are tracked in the order that they occurred. This makes sense, as it’s how we live our lives, but there are advantages that come with non-linear structure. In the case of Karen Abbott‘s American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life & Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (Random House, 2012), the benefit is that the book reads like a slick, sexy film noir and it is virtually impossible to put down. The life of Gypsy Rose Lee- “this Dorothy Parker in a G-string”, famous for her “burlesque of burlesque”- is perhaps best likened to a Greek drama. The relationship between Gypsy, her controlling mother and the younger sister who stole her name offers enough material for a whole master’s thesis on Freud, and that’s just one of the many tangled relationship dynamics here worthy of analysis. And yet, Abbott exercises masterful control over her colorful cast of characters, all while guiding three separate narrative strands. We enter the narrative at three distinct points and flip between them throughout: Gypsy, post-1939; Gypsy, pre-1939; and the Minsky Brothers burlesque clubs in the 1920s. If you’re not a biographile, the transitions might even slip by unnoticed, incrementally heightening the drama with each page until, at the book’s crescendo, you find you’re almost winded. American Rose is an ambitious story told in an ambitious style and, much like modern art, it looks effortless because it is impeccably well done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a whole, the genre of biography trends towards linear narratives–wherein the events of a subject’s life are tracked in the order that they occurred. This makes sense, as it’s how we live our lives, but there are advantages that come with non-linear structure. In the case of Karen Abbott‘s American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life & Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (Random House, 2012), the benefit is that the book reads like a slick, sexy film noir and it is virtually impossible to put down. The life of Gypsy Rose Lee- “this Dorothy Parker in a G-string”, famous for her “burlesque of burlesque”- is perhaps best likened to a Greek drama. The relationship between Gypsy, her controlling mother and the younger sister who stole her name offers enough material for a whole master’s thesis on Freud, and that’s just one of the many tangled relationship dynamics here worthy of analysis. And yet, Abbott exercises masterful control over her colorful cast of characters, all while guiding three separate narrative strands. We enter the narrative at three distinct points and flip between them throughout: Gypsy, post-1939; Gypsy, pre-1939; and the Minsky Brothers burlesque clubs in the 1920s. If you’re not a biographile, the transitions might even slip by unnoticed, incrementally heightening the drama with each page until, at the book’s crescendo, you find you’re almost winded. American Rose is an ambitious story told in an ambitious style and, much like modern art, it looks effortless because it is impeccably well done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a whole, the genre of biography trends towards linear narratives–wherein the events of a subject’s life are tracked in the order that they occurred. This makes sense, as it’s how we live our lives, but there are advantages that come with non-linear structure. In the case of Karen Abbott‘s American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life & Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (Random House, 2012), the benefit is that the book reads like a slick, sexy film noir and it is virtually impossible to put down. The life of Gypsy Rose Lee- “this Dorothy Parker in a G-string”, famous for her “burlesque of burlesque”- is perhaps best likened to a Greek drama. The relationship between Gypsy, her controlling mother and the younger sister who stole her name offers enough material for a whole master’s thesis on Freud, and that’s just one of the many tangled relationship dynamics here worthy of analysis. And yet, Abbott exercises masterful control over her colorful cast of characters, all while guiding three separate narrative strands. We enter the narrative at three distinct points and flip between them throughout: Gypsy, post-1939; Gypsy, pre-1939; and the Minsky Brothers burlesque clubs in the 1920s. If you’re not a biographile, the transitions might even slip by unnoticed, incrementally heightening the drama with each page until, at the book’s crescendo, you find you’re almost winded. American Rose is an ambitious story told in an ambitious style and, much like modern art, it looks effortless because it is impeccably well done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a whole, the genre of biography trends towards linear narratives–wherein the events of a subject’s life are tracked in the order that they occurred. This makes sense, as it’s how we live our lives, but there are advantages that come with non-linear structure. In the case of Karen Abbott‘s American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life & Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (Random House, 2012), the benefit is that the book reads like a slick, sexy film noir and it is virtually impossible to put down. The life of Gypsy Rose Lee- “this Dorothy Parker in a G-string”, famous for her “burlesque of burlesque”- is perhaps best likened to a Greek drama. The relationship between Gypsy, her controlling mother and the younger sister who stole her name offers enough material for a whole master’s thesis on Freud, and that’s just one of the many tangled relationship dynamics here worthy of analysis. And yet, Abbott exercises masterful control over her colorful cast of characters, all while guiding three separate narrative strands. We enter the narrative at three distinct points and flip between them throughout: Gypsy, post-1939; Gypsy, pre-1939; and the Minsky Brothers burlesque clubs in the 1920s. If you’re not a biographile, the transitions might even slip by unnoticed, incrementally heightening the drama with each page until, at the book’s crescendo, you find you’re almost winded. American Rose is an ambitious story told in an ambitious style and, much like modern art, it looks effortless because it is impeccably well done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You, Me, Them, Everybody Live! at Pete's Candy Store with Karen Abbott, Andy Haynes and The Bandana Splits Karen is the author of "American Rose" and "Sin in the Second City." You should buy both books. They're good. Visit her here. Andy Haynes is an extremely funny stand up. Follow him on Twitter here. The […]