Bare with Me

The Great Depression left America in ruins, but out of those ashes rose a star like none the country had seen before: Gypsy Rose Lee. A bawdy stripper and burlesque performer, Lee rose to the top, embodying the very nature of the American dream. Author Karen Abbott uses Lee’s story as a jumping-off point to examine American life in that era in her new historical novel, American Rose.

“Gypsy wasn’t a linear person; she was more of a puzzle,” says Abbott. “I wanted to tell the story like a striptease, show a little here and there before revealing it all at the end.” True to her intention, the book jumps between time periods and stories, eventually providing a wider look at the state of the nation through the microcosm of Lee’s sizzling, boisterous life. Abbott will read from the book and present a slide show tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Tattered Cover LoDo, 1628 16th Street; admission is free. Burlesque dancer Vivienne VaVoom will provide a demonstration of Lee’s techniques and style. For more information, visit www.tatteredcover.com or call 303-436-1090.

Sat., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., 2011