Pretty Things by Liz Goldwyn and Refreshing the Past: A Book Review

Pretty Things is a soft cover book from Liz Goldwyn on the various stages of burlesque. This 280 page read covers the birth of Burlesque in Greek Tragedy and carries forth to the 19th Century and beyond. This book is partially based off of the 2005 documentary Pretty Things. The pages offer an in-depth look at sexuality, costume and characters, which is a nice follow-up to the production.

Some of the extraordinary characters covered in the pages include Jennie Lee "The Bazoom Girl," who teased her audiences with false pretenses of being cold. This helped keep her costume on a little longer, while further exciting the audience. Also of note is Betty Rowland, who sued the author's grandfather for ownership of the name "Ball of Fire." Rowland, a fiery red-head dancer, did not want her nickname reused for cinema. As a sidenote, burlesque in cinema had a poor reputation and the lawsuit was eventually thrown out for lack of evidence. As well, Zorita relates some of the difficulties working in Chicago, which led to her participation in burlesque. Each of the many important characters in this exotic dance are given special attention by the author and personal anecdotes from each is worthy of note. The many black and white and colour pictures, along with notes from the performers, and billets of upcoming shows make the book a visual delight.

There are hundreds of photos of the performers in the pages and all are tasteful, as the woman prepare and perform burlesque. The stage shows are especially well rendered in the book and the era of the 1800s or 1900s is well displayed. However, some of the pictorial art is well aged, now a hundred years on. The yellowing of some of the portraits is noticeable and this aging seems to take away from some of the beauty of the performers. Yet, this is historical undertaking by the author and the entertainment value is still within the pages.

Pretty Things has received renown from Vanity Fair, Time, V Magazine and others. This attention is well deserved, as Pretty Things is an in-depth and light-hearted look at the many women of burlesque. This book is recommended for those with a nose for taste and an eye for history. Pretty Things is simply an enjoyable read and a look at an era which is still being renewed in performances today.