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Finding Zsa Zsa: The Gabors behind the Legend
For decades, the Gabor dynasty was the epitome of glamour and fairy tale success. But as biographer, film historian, and Gabor family friend Sam Staggs reveals, behind the headlines is a true story more dramatic, fabulous, and surprising than their self-styled legend would have you believe . . .
In 1945, after barely escaping Hitler’s invasion of Hungary followed by “liberation” of the country by the Red Army, three members of the Gabor family—Jolie, her ex-husband Vilmos, and their daughter Magda—arrived in New York City. In Hollywood, their other daughters,
Zsa Zsa and Eva, had worked feverishly throughout the war years to secure their rescue from the Nazis’ plan to exterminate the Jews. Stepping off the boat, Jolie, the iron-willed matriarch, already had a golden future mapped out for her sharp-witted, cosmopolitan beauties.
Over the next six decades, with twenty-three husbands between them (suave All About Eve star George Sanders would wed both Zsa Zsa and Magda), scores of lovers, and roller-coaster rides in film, television, theater, and business, the elegant yet gloriously bawdy, addictively watchable Gabors carved a niche in the entertainment industry that made them world-famous pop-culture icons. But beneath the artifice of Dior and diamonds was another side to the story they never the whole truth.
This first verifiable history of the Gabors casts a startling new light on these extraordinary women. Finding Zsa Zsa reveals the tumultuous and often unforgiven battles between mother and daughter, sister and sister, wife and husband; Eva’s “bearded” romance with Merv Griffin that allowed them both to seek same-sex lovers; Zsa Zsa's involuntary confinement in a mental hospital; her life-long struggle with bipolar disorder; and her last—unconsummated—marriage to the manipulating faux prince Frederic von Anhalt. Here too is the untold story of Zsa Zsa’s daughter, Francesca Hilton, a gifted photographer who eschewed the Gabor lifestyle and paid a sad price for her independence. The story of family patriarch Vilmos Gabor, who returned to Hungary only to be trapped behind the Iron Curtain, reads like a Cold War spy thriller.
Culled from new interviews with family, colleagues, and confidantes, and the unpublished memoirs of the author's friend Francesca Hilton, Finding Zsa Zsa finally introduces fans to the Gabor family they never knew, including many never-before-seen photos. It’s a riveting, outrageously funny, bittersweet, and affectionately honest read of four women who were vulnerable, tough, charitable, endlessly fascinating, and always glamorous to a fault.
In 1945, after barely escaping Hitler’s invasion of Hungary followed by “liberation” of the country by the Red Army, three members of the Gabor family—Jolie, her ex-husband Vilmos, and their daughter Magda—arrived in New York City. In Hollywood, their other daughters,
Zsa Zsa and Eva, had worked feverishly throughout the war years to secure their rescue from the Nazis’ plan to exterminate the Jews. Stepping off the boat, Jolie, the iron-willed matriarch, already had a golden future mapped out for her sharp-witted, cosmopolitan beauties.
Over the next six decades, with twenty-three husbands between them (suave All About Eve star George Sanders would wed both Zsa Zsa and Magda), scores of lovers, and roller-coaster rides in film, television, theater, and business, the elegant yet gloriously bawdy, addictively watchable Gabors carved a niche in the entertainment industry that made them world-famous pop-culture icons. But beneath the artifice of Dior and diamonds was another side to the story they never the whole truth.
This first verifiable history of the Gabors casts a startling new light on these extraordinary women. Finding Zsa Zsa reveals the tumultuous and often unforgiven battles between mother and daughter, sister and sister, wife and husband; Eva’s “bearded” romance with Merv Griffin that allowed them both to seek same-sex lovers; Zsa Zsa's involuntary confinement in a mental hospital; her life-long struggle with bipolar disorder; and her last—unconsummated—marriage to the manipulating faux prince Frederic von Anhalt. Here too is the untold story of Zsa Zsa’s daughter, Francesca Hilton, a gifted photographer who eschewed the Gabor lifestyle and paid a sad price for her independence. The story of family patriarch Vilmos Gabor, who returned to Hungary only to be trapped behind the Iron Curtain, reads like a Cold War spy thriller.
Culled from new interviews with family, colleagues, and confidantes, and the unpublished memoirs of the author's friend Francesca Hilton, Finding Zsa Zsa finally introduces fans to the Gabor family they never knew, including many never-before-seen photos. It’s a riveting, outrageously funny, bittersweet, and affectionately honest read of four women who were vulnerable, tough, charitable, endlessly fascinating, and always glamorous to a fault.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published July 30, 2019
192 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
About the author
Sam Staggs
21 books28 followersSam Staggs is the author of several books, including biographies of movies: All About All About Eve, Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard, When Blanche Met Brando, and Born to be Hurt. He has written for publications including Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest. He lives in Dallas, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 14, 2020
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, primarily thanks to the condescending, snarky commentary by the author. "Author" claims to be the Gabors' friend - I would hate to be his friend!
In one breath, he proclaims them as strong, trailblazing, entrepreneurial women, and in the next, he portrays them as lying, conniving, talentless, money-grubbing - the condemnations go on ad nauseum.
What should have been a celebration of their lives and accomplishments is instead 389 pages of unrelenting remonstrations of failure, plots, and character flaws.
In one breath, he proclaims them as strong, trailblazing, entrepreneurial women, and in the next, he portrays them as lying, conniving, talentless, money-grubbing - the condemnations go on ad nauseum.
What should have been a celebration of their lives and accomplishments is instead 389 pages of unrelenting remonstrations of failure, plots, and character flaws.
November 18, 2019
I didn't really know too much about the Gabor sisters and really only knew of Zsa Zsa from her appearances on Love Boat when I was little. This was a pretty fascinating read.
August 9, 2019
I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review. I knew that going in to this book, it would be an interesting read. I mean, we are talking about the Gabors after all! And let's face it, if reality TV had been around back in their day, we would have been inundated with those beautiful blondes--and I don't mean that in a bad way. Getting back to the book, however, I learned that there is much more to their story than glamour. It all started with mother Jolie and father Vilmos--a couple who did not stay together, but brought fourth three daughters--Magda, Eva, and Zsa Zsa. Of course, Magda, the least known of the three, had the most interesting story as she was part of the resistance during World War II. Eva traveled to the United States to become an actress and took her chosen professional very seriously while Zsa Zsa married a Turkish diplomat. Of course, the family squabbles were unavoidable, but in the end, the sisters were always loyal to each other and to their parents. They were devastated by their father's choice to remain in Hungary after the communist take-over and their uncle (mother's brother) and grandmother (mother's mother) were killed by the Nazis during World War II. Author Sam Staggs did a good job detailing their lives both individually and together, but he often made sarcastic comments throughout the book, which I thought were unnecessary and which took away from the Gabor story. He portrayed them as admirable women and there was no need to be snarky. If you are at all curious about the Gabors, I highly recommend this book. Their story is unique and while they were always careful to show their glamourous side to the public, there was also a very private side that they kept out of the spotlight. Oh and one more thing--Staggs did clear up one mystery for me and that was how Zsa Zsa got her name. It was an Hungarian nickname for her given name Sari.
August 16, 2019
I've enjoyed Sam Staggs' previous books on All About Eve and Sunset Blvd., but this one didn't work for me. His breezy, semi-campy style was fine for the making-of books, but here, his over-the-top purple prose gets very tiresome. To quote one short paragraph in the chapter on Zsa Zsa's trial for slapping a policeman, "Looking back, we see that Zsa Zsa starred in a Fellini movie minus Fellini. Even so, her raucous trial is surely the only one in the annals of American jurisprudence that wanted a score by Nino Rota." You may think that is a fun, campy comment, and it is, but when you get those kinds of paragraphs almost non-stop for nearly 400 pages, it wears you out, and it obscures the common humanity of the Gabors, which actually goes against his project.
He goes to great pains to tell us that, despite the similarities noted in the press, the Gabors and the Kardashians, famous for being famous, are nothing alike. But then he proceeds to actually make a pretty good case for why, in fact, they *are* alike. Granted, Zsa Zsa and Eva were actors, and Eva was a pretty good one (Staggs says that Zsa Zsa basically gave up trying after her showcase role in Moulin Rouge). Still, to the public, Zsa Zsa was an early version of a Kardashian, and I don't think that takes anything away from her to admit that. No one else will probably ever get around to doing a full biography of the Gabors--and despite its flaws, this one does seem to be well-researched--so this will have to do, but I wish it had not been written in a more serious style.
He goes to great pains to tell us that, despite the similarities noted in the press, the Gabors and the Kardashians, famous for being famous, are nothing alike. But then he proceeds to actually make a pretty good case for why, in fact, they *are* alike. Granted, Zsa Zsa and Eva were actors, and Eva was a pretty good one (Staggs says that Zsa Zsa basically gave up trying after her showcase role in Moulin Rouge). Still, to the public, Zsa Zsa was an early version of a Kardashian, and I don't think that takes anything away from her to admit that. No one else will probably ever get around to doing a full biography of the Gabors--and despite its flaws, this one does seem to be well-researched--so this will have to do, but I wish it had not been written in a more serious style.
September 18, 2019
Zsa Zsa was a little before my time, until I read this book I didn’t realize how much acting she had done.It talks about her early life and all the close calls she went through. One of the problems with the book is that it was so out of order, the author would talk about something happening in the 1930’s then skip to the 1970’s and then back to the 1930’s. Zsa Zsa had a very colorful life.
August 4, 2019
Well, who would have thought these fluffy, fabulous women were so fierce? But I guess that was the point of the book. I love these ladies, but knew little beyond talk show appearances and "Green Acres," so was quite excited to read this. Bravo to the author for showing they more more than just pretty faces. So for that, it gets some stars.
While much of it was interesting, I did find myself glossing over pages and sections here and there where the info was just to much, too dry. For several sections, I felt as if I had to plow through. Got rather tedious.
I expected this book to be a lot more fun, as these ladies were. So, I was a little disappointed.
While the dense, boring sections were a downer, the real downside of this book for me was the author's snooty voice. This was over-the-top, overdone, over-dramatic writing in style and vocabulary, and the tone came off a bit look-at-me-I'm-brilliant-and-I'm-full-of-myself. Somewhat of a creative masturbation project. When I learn as much about the author as I do about the topic, something is seeping onto the pages that shouldn't be. OK, Mr. Staggs. We get it. You don't like Donald Trump or Zsa Zsa's last husband. We don't care. Can we get back to the Gabors?
Also, it's called FINDING ZSA ZSA: The Gabors Behind the Legend. However, it is not focused on Zsa Zsa. It is about the entire family. Probably should have been called The Gabors Behind the Legend to be more accurate to the content.
Good book, recommend, but it really could have been a lot shorter.
While much of it was interesting, I did find myself glossing over pages and sections here and there where the info was just to much, too dry. For several sections, I felt as if I had to plow through. Got rather tedious.
I expected this book to be a lot more fun, as these ladies were. So, I was a little disappointed.
While the dense, boring sections were a downer, the real downside of this book for me was the author's snooty voice. This was over-the-top, overdone, over-dramatic writing in style and vocabulary, and the tone came off a bit look-at-me-I'm-brilliant-and-I'm-full-of-myself. Somewhat of a creative masturbation project. When I learn as much about the author as I do about the topic, something is seeping onto the pages that shouldn't be. OK, Mr. Staggs. We get it. You don't like Donald Trump or Zsa Zsa's last husband. We don't care. Can we get back to the Gabors?
Also, it's called FINDING ZSA ZSA: The Gabors Behind the Legend. However, it is not focused on Zsa Zsa. It is about the entire family. Probably should have been called The Gabors Behind the Legend to be more accurate to the content.
Good book, recommend, but it really could have been a lot shorter.
June 25, 2019
I have an indelible image of Zsa Zsa Gabor in my head and I was very curious to read about her life, and that of her siblings. This book has left me a bit perplexed: How could Sam Staggs turn such "dishy," vibrant lives in to such a tedious book ? I am shaking my head in disbelief, I just can't quite comprehend how he managed this feat.
Perhaps it is his writing style. It is not clean and journalistic, nor is it light and lively. It is ponderous. The book really became a chore for me but I wanted to complete it because I live in Palm Springs and the Gabors have a history here and I was looking forward to gleaning some tidbits of local history. They were not forthcoming; the ladies' life in the desert was distilled to one sentence.
A writer tackling the very long lives of four women will have to make choices of what to emphasize and what to delete. Mr. Staggs spent pages and pages describing performances and appearances by the sisters and this will probably have significant appeal to readers who want a deep dive in to film, theater and TV history. I was hoping to find a little more humor, a little more lifestyle,, a lighter look in to these glamorous lives, and a heavier hand by the editor.
In short, I was disappointed in this book but another reader may appreciate this perspective on the Gabors.
NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Perhaps it is his writing style. It is not clean and journalistic, nor is it light and lively. It is ponderous. The book really became a chore for me but I wanted to complete it because I live in Palm Springs and the Gabors have a history here and I was looking forward to gleaning some tidbits of local history. They were not forthcoming; the ladies' life in the desert was distilled to one sentence.
A writer tackling the very long lives of four women will have to make choices of what to emphasize and what to delete. Mr. Staggs spent pages and pages describing performances and appearances by the sisters and this will probably have significant appeal to readers who want a deep dive in to film, theater and TV history. I was hoping to find a little more humor, a little more lifestyle,, a lighter look in to these glamorous lives, and a heavier hand by the editor.
In short, I was disappointed in this book but another reader may appreciate this perspective on the Gabors.
NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2019
Finding Zsa Zsa by Sam Staggs is a great read that delves into the lives of the Gabor family (including but not limited to Zsa Zsa’s mother, father, sisters Eva and Magda).
The author clearly spent a large amount of time researching and interviewing for this piece, and it shows (compliment inserted here), as this was not easy subject matter to unearth. Discrepancies between truth, exaggerations, and just plain missing information scattered over several countries pre war and post war make this a daunting task.
This family was full of life, emotion, and personalities, and of course any time there are a lot of “large personalities “ present in a room or relationship/family setting, tensions can run high and passionate displays can take place.
The author did a fabulous job staying impartial and objective throughout this book.
I learned so much more then I ever thought possible about the Gabor family and am glad in doing so. Very interesting indeed.
5/5 stars
Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
The author clearly spent a large amount of time researching and interviewing for this piece, and it shows (compliment inserted here), as this was not easy subject matter to unearth. Discrepancies between truth, exaggerations, and just plain missing information scattered over several countries pre war and post war make this a daunting task.
This family was full of life, emotion, and personalities, and of course any time there are a lot of “large personalities “ present in a room or relationship/family setting, tensions can run high and passionate displays can take place.
The author did a fabulous job staying impartial and objective throughout this book.
I learned so much more then I ever thought possible about the Gabor family and am glad in doing so. Very interesting indeed.
5/5 stars
Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
August 11, 2019
It certainly wouldn’t be Summer to me unless there was a gossipy book read on the beach so thank god for Finding Zsa Zsa. It follows Zsa Zsa’s dramatic life from her years in Hungary where her family, being Jewish, suffered terribly at the hands of the Nazis, through to her life of glamour and society balls, with plenty of time spent mulling over her nine (nine!) marriages and the scandals that became part and parcel of her larger-than-life persona.
At times funny, and at times unbelievably bitchy, this tell-all biography is certainly all encompassing; there isn’t a single event or facet of Zsa Zsa’s life that is missed out. But this book also reveals the other side to Zsa Zsa – her battles with bipolar, her traumatic involuntary incarceration at the hands of her then-husband Conrad Hilton, and her domineering mother who controlled and directed Zsa Zsa’s and her sisters’ ambitions ruthlessly.
For me, this was the perfect Summer read – an easy-to-read entertaining piece on one of the great pop culture icons of the 20th century that tells you more about everything you already know, but also reveals parts of their lives that they had chosen to keep hidden.
At times funny, and at times unbelievably bitchy, this tell-all biography is certainly all encompassing; there isn’t a single event or facet of Zsa Zsa’s life that is missed out. But this book also reveals the other side to Zsa Zsa – her battles with bipolar, her traumatic involuntary incarceration at the hands of her then-husband Conrad Hilton, and her domineering mother who controlled and directed Zsa Zsa’s and her sisters’ ambitions ruthlessly.
For me, this was the perfect Summer read – an easy-to-read entertaining piece on one of the great pop culture icons of the 20th century that tells you more about everything you already know, but also reveals parts of their lives that they had chosen to keep hidden.
August 4, 2022
Finding ZsaZsa was a very interesting read. With the Gabors—-Eva, ZsaZsa, Magda and Mama Jolie—they worked hard for their fame. Movies, television and stage productions, as well in the public eye, they were elegantly dressed with jewelry to match! These women were intelligent, witty and resourceful.
In 1945, after barely escaping Hitler’s invasion of Hungary followed by “liberation” of the country by the Red Army, three members of the Gabor family arrived in New York City. Stepping off the boat, Mama Jolie, her ex-husband Vilmos and their daughter Magda were to join their other daughters, Zsa Zsa and Eva. Zsa Zsa and Eva worked feverishly throughout the war years to secure their parents and Magda’s rescue from the Nazis’ plan to exterminate the Jews.
Their story of ups and downs throughout all their lives casts a startling new light on these extraordinary women. You’ll read about the tumultuous and often unforgiving battles between mother and daughter, sister and sister, wife and husband.
I could go on, but that would take away the variable history of the Gabors!
Recommend this highly for those of you who did or didn’t know this legendary family.
In 1945, after barely escaping Hitler’s invasion of Hungary followed by “liberation” of the country by the Red Army, three members of the Gabor family arrived in New York City. Stepping off the boat, Mama Jolie, her ex-husband Vilmos and their daughter Magda were to join their other daughters, Zsa Zsa and Eva. Zsa Zsa and Eva worked feverishly throughout the war years to secure their parents and Magda’s rescue from the Nazis’ plan to exterminate the Jews.
Their story of ups and downs throughout all their lives casts a startling new light on these extraordinary women. You’ll read about the tumultuous and often unforgiving battles between mother and daughter, sister and sister, wife and husband.
I could go on, but that would take away the variable history of the Gabors!
Recommend this highly for those of you who did or didn’t know this legendary family.
June 25, 2020
This book was a bit tedious to read and did not capture my interest as much as I had hoped. However my main concern is with the author’s obvious political leanings being injected throughout. It had no place in the story and the author should have kept it out.
July 31, 2019
In his rollicking and gossip-filled biography of the Gabors (sisters Zsa Zsa, Eva, Magda and mother Jolie), entertainment biographer Staggs ("All About ALL ABOUT EVE") immediately dispels the cliché that they were famous only for being famous. "They worked at their careers, every hour and every day for close to a century," he writes. "Under the frills they were strong, courageous women ahead of their time." They also approached romance and matrimony with a fervor. Zsa Zsa married nine times (her eighth lasted just one day), Magda six and bisexual Eva five times.
As in life, the flamboyant, witty and bipolar Zsa Zsa continuously steals the spotlight in this biography with nonstop marriages, affairs and feuds. Without a good maternal role model (Staggs writes that Jolie "blended the talents of prison matron with mother love"), unsurprisingly, Zsa Zsa had an estranged relationship with her daughter, Francesca (who joked, "My mother and I get along great now that we're the same age"). Zsa Zsa's final marriage (to Prince Frederic von Anhalt) lasted two decades, although her daughter claimed the marriage was unconsummated. According to Staggs, her final years "resembled a Danielle Steel novel or a bad TV drama," with Anhalt isolating her from friends and family for his financial gain.
Staggs creates an engaging and fascinating family saga filled with fresh insights from newly conducted interviews. He also corrects lore spread through fanciful memoirs written by all four Gabors. This is a big, irresistible beach read, perfect for fans of "The Real Housewives" and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
Sam Staggs's delicious gossip-fest gives the Gabor sisters respect while also enjoying their outrageous tabloid antics and love affairs.
As in life, the flamboyant, witty and bipolar Zsa Zsa continuously steals the spotlight in this biography with nonstop marriages, affairs and feuds. Without a good maternal role model (Staggs writes that Jolie "blended the talents of prison matron with mother love"), unsurprisingly, Zsa Zsa had an estranged relationship with her daughter, Francesca (who joked, "My mother and I get along great now that we're the same age"). Zsa Zsa's final marriage (to Prince Frederic von Anhalt) lasted two decades, although her daughter claimed the marriage was unconsummated. According to Staggs, her final years "resembled a Danielle Steel novel or a bad TV drama," with Anhalt isolating her from friends and family for his financial gain.
Staggs creates an engaging and fascinating family saga filled with fresh insights from newly conducted interviews. He also corrects lore spread through fanciful memoirs written by all four Gabors. This is a big, irresistible beach read, perfect for fans of "The Real Housewives" and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
Sam Staggs's delicious gossip-fest gives the Gabor sisters respect while also enjoying their outrageous tabloid antics and love affairs.
July 20, 2019
Anyone who watched a lot of television during the 1960s-1970s should know the names Eva and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Zsa Zsa would probably be remembered more as a celebrity, while Eva would be remembered as Lisa Douglas on the TV show “Green Acres”. There was an older sister, too, named Magda, as well as a mother named Jolie. Plus, Zsa Zsa had a daughter with Conrad Hilton named Francesca, the only Gabor sister to have a child. Francesca had no children.
Author Sam Staggs knew the family, and obviously did a lot of research on all family members while writing this book. He clearly was very fond of them, but doesn’t shy away from disclosing some of their secrets, and going into detail about some of their scandals. I liked the book in the beginning, but started getting bored by the Gabors, and put it aside for a few weeks. When I resumed reading, though, it seemed more interesting, and I had no problem finishing it.
(Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
Author Sam Staggs knew the family, and obviously did a lot of research on all family members while writing this book. He clearly was very fond of them, but doesn’t shy away from disclosing some of their secrets, and going into detail about some of their scandals. I liked the book in the beginning, but started getting bored by the Gabors, and put it aside for a few weeks. When I resumed reading, though, it seemed more interesting, and I had no problem finishing it.
(Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
June 5, 2020
Odd book, claims to be about the Gabors but is mostly about Zsa Zsa and filled with bizarre critiques of not only the Gabors' works but others. The author has a snotty attitude toward just about every film and TV project, while overly oozing about Zsa Zsa. He is very defensive about anything negative the Gabors did (and they did a lot), so this isn't an objective biography. It has a few insights you'll not find elsewhere since he had the cooperation of Zsa Zsa's daughter, but its way too long, poorly written, and honestly kind of dull. He speeds through some major parts of their lives, rehashes things he's familiar with, and annoyingly jumps back and forth in timelines. If you really need to know details about the Gabors this is probably the book to read, but after I finished it I realized I didn't really care that much about them nor were they as interesting as I hoped.
June 24, 2019
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable look at one of entertainment's enduring celebrity families. The author did his research, tracked down a lot of the miscellaneous and contradictory information floating around - much of it put about by the Gabors themselves! - and gave a great look inside the making of the legend of the Gabors. I particularly liked the fact that his tone was respectful throughout. The book is not a "tell-all and shock" story, although there would be plenty of material to do so, but rather an insightful look at their familial background in Hungary, and the way the lives of the Gabor sisters and their mother developed once they set their sights on being fabulous.
This was an enjoyable look at one of entertainment's enduring celebrity families. The author did his research, tracked down a lot of the miscellaneous and contradictory information floating around - much of it put about by the Gabors themselves! - and gave a great look inside the making of the legend of the Gabors. I particularly liked the fact that his tone was respectful throughout. The book is not a "tell-all and shock" story, although there would be plenty of material to do so, but rather an insightful look at their familial background in Hungary, and the way the lives of the Gabor sisters and their mother developed once they set their sights on being fabulous.
September 15, 2019
Terrific, fun read
I knew who the Gabors were of course. And I enjoyed "Green Acres." But they all kind of melded together in my mind. I'm sure I've been confused about who was Zsa Zsa and who was Eva. And barely knew there was a Jolie and a Magda.
This books clears up who was who and what they did. The Gabors were a very female tribe with lots of males coming and going. They had more dignity, a sturdier work ethic and more generosity than I realized.
The book is fun and dishy without in the least being trashy. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in feisty women, show business bios, celebrity culture, feminism in its many forms, and interesting people.
I knew who the Gabors were of course. And I enjoyed "Green Acres." But they all kind of melded together in my mind. I'm sure I've been confused about who was Zsa Zsa and who was Eva. And barely knew there was a Jolie and a Magda.
This books clears up who was who and what they did. The Gabors were a very female tribe with lots of males coming and going. They had more dignity, a sturdier work ethic and more generosity than I realized.
The book is fun and dishy without in the least being trashy. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in feisty women, show business bios, celebrity culture, feminism in its many forms, and interesting people.
January 20, 2020
I am old enough to remember the Gables and their omnipresence on television and tabloids. I remember afternoons watching Merv Griffin on TV with my mother and seeing the Gabors' "scandalsphere" [to quote the author] unfold. I will still watch Eva on "Green Acres" if I run across it in syndication. As a jewelry manufacturers ' granddaughter, I was schooled in costume and the real stuff and Jolie Gabor was the "real thing"...
Having read Staggs' other books on movies I adore, this is no different. He is a thorough researcher as well as a lifelong fan, and I have always wanted to have coffee with this wonderful author. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book in my local library where I chose to read and review it. 5/5_
Having read Staggs' other books on movies I adore, this is no different. He is a thorough researcher as well as a lifelong fan, and I have always wanted to have coffee with this wonderful author. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book in my local library where I chose to read and review it. 5/5_
January 7, 2023
The original Kardashian...
What my 👂 heard 👇
I loved her with a full heart
Teenage reluctance
I'm intoxicated with the fumes of memory
They acted as yeast in my rise
It was divine knowing you
My merchant for error is microscopic
I'm enchanted with her
He had a keen wit
You're a fraud of every sort
That struck me as terribly wise
It's like champagne performance light... pale gold and sparkling
Diplomacy and suave talk aren't my strong points
The story of this event is delicious
Choose your friends judiciously
I am no love pirate
Mega crook
I'm like the boy next door if you live next door to a rolex dealer
What my 👂 heard 👇
I loved her with a full heart
Teenage reluctance
I'm intoxicated with the fumes of memory
They acted as yeast in my rise
It was divine knowing you
My merchant for error is microscopic
I'm enchanted with her
He had a keen wit
You're a fraud of every sort
That struck me as terribly wise
It's like champagne performance light... pale gold and sparkling
Diplomacy and suave talk aren't my strong points
The story of this event is delicious
Choose your friends judiciously
I am no love pirate
Mega crook
I'm like the boy next door if you live next door to a rolex dealer
November 11, 2023
Staggs starts out claiming he wants to make the case that there's more to the Gabor family than being famous for being famous. He doesn't really succeed. Eva was undoubtedly the most talented Gabor. She was a good actress. The first season of Green Acres is a triumph of surrealism and largely succeeds because she is so believable in her role. She also was a successful businesswoman with her line of wigs. Magda was fascinating if somewhat overlooked in this tale. She too was good at business but did not get the fame of her sisters. She was also a resistance fighter in WWII which is way cool. Which takes us to Zsa Zsa who really was famous for being famous. She did some movies but was mostly known for showing up on talk shows and game shows or as a guest star. That's not a bad thing. There were lots of "stars" in the 1960's and '70s who had the same kind of fame. Those opportunities don't really exist anymore having been replaced by reality tv and social media. Staggs doesn't feel it's right to compare the Gabors to the Kardashian despite the fact this whole book shows how similar the two families are. I have minimal knowledge of the Kardashian family, but even I can see Kim at least works hard to get her fame. The Gabors are interesting, but Staggs' personal opinions were not.
July 10, 2019
Thank you to Sam Staggs, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "Finding Zsa Zsa".
I was excited to read this book to find out more about the Gabors. However, for me, I felt like was reading the Enquirer, instead of biography. I felt that the biography went all over the place and did not have a focus on how to depict the history of the Gabors. Ultimately, I skipped to the end and did not completely finish the book. I may come back to it later as I am still interested in the Gabors.
I was excited to read this book to find out more about the Gabors. However, for me, I felt like was reading the Enquirer, instead of biography. I felt that the biography went all over the place and did not have a focus on how to depict the history of the Gabors. Ultimately, I skipped to the end and did not completely finish the book. I may come back to it later as I am still interested in the Gabors.
August 13, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This volume on the lives of Jolie (the mother), sisters - Zsa Zsa, Eva and Magda Gabor is an interesting insight not just into the family but the history and politics of Hungary during their lifetime. Many of the "myths" about their lives were debunked - like how old was Zsa Zsa really? Were her husbands all titled men? Was she really Miss Hungary? There are some very nice archival photos included in the book.
This volume on the lives of Jolie (the mother), sisters - Zsa Zsa, Eva and Magda Gabor is an interesting insight not just into the family but the history and politics of Hungary during their lifetime. Many of the "myths" about their lives were debunked - like how old was Zsa Zsa really? Were her husbands all titled men? Was she really Miss Hungary? There are some very nice archival photos included in the book.
November 1, 2023
Quite Entertaining
This biography is written tongue in cheek much of the time with much ironic humor, clever allusions and fun wordplay. The research looks exhaustive with much sorting out of confused facts promulgated by the Gabors for their own PR purposes. What a splash those sisters made and the more outrageous, the better. Lots of great Hollywood gossip. Interesting psychology of Jolie's maternal style as an impetus for the daughters' personality development. They were beautiful survivors of a tough system.
This biography is written tongue in cheek much of the time with much ironic humor, clever allusions and fun wordplay. The research looks exhaustive with much sorting out of confused facts promulgated by the Gabors for their own PR purposes. What a splash those sisters made and the more outrageous, the better. Lots of great Hollywood gossip. Interesting psychology of Jolie's maternal style as an impetus for the daughters' personality development. They were beautiful survivors of a tough system.
November 27, 2024
Hungarian Cool
This was the first book I read about the Gabor family,the precursor to the Kardashian and the Paris Hilton phenomena. While Zsa Zsa and Eva were not long on acting talent, they had a native intelligence and appeal that today's celebrities lack. A big plus is that Jolie, Zsa Zsa, and Eva never took themselves too seriously and their occasional melodramatics were served up with a wink and a gentle nudge in the ribs. For that I tip my hat to them all, and to Magda. Not the show biz type but she shone in her unique manner.😼
This was the first book I read about the Gabor family,the precursor to the Kardashian and the Paris Hilton phenomena. While Zsa Zsa and Eva were not long on acting talent, they had a native intelligence and appeal that today's celebrities lack. A big plus is that Jolie, Zsa Zsa, and Eva never took themselves too seriously and their occasional melodramatics were served up with a wink and a gentle nudge in the ribs. For that I tip my hat to them all, and to Magda. Not the show biz type but she shone in her unique manner.😼
August 18, 2019
What I thought would be a book of pure tittle tattle was instead an interesting and informative read. The first half of the book detailed the family Gabor escape from the Nazis and later from the Russians as Hungary suffered WWII. The Hollywood era, the plethora of husbands (really bad taste in men) and the sad demise of all five Gabor ladies covers the second half of the book. A devoted, highly dysfunctional family.
July 22, 2022
I didn't end up finding the Gabors as interesting as I hoped they would be -- still far too vacuous and soapy for me, especially in the end, when their lives become positively gothic. But I will agree that they are far more interesting than the Kardashians, and they have a far more interesting history. The early chapters about their lives in Europe are by far the most compelling parts of this book.
June 23, 2022
This was a long, tedious read.It felt like I was reading an encyclopedia entry instead of an intimate look at the lives of the Gabor family.Also the author's political bias and interjections were quite amusing.Not sure why he felt the need to insert these throughout the book as they had nothing to do with the subject.
August 13, 2019
The stories are fun to read if you were a fan of the Gabors. I was a little girl when they were in their heyday of the 1960's. The book jumps around a lot with dates and stories, and I didn't think it flowed very well. All in all it was fun to read.
August 22, 2019
I won this book in a Giveaway. It's a lot like its subjects: a bit over the top and cheesy. Still, as someone who grew up watching Zsa Zsa and Eva on television, I found the book worth a read and an interesting trip down memory lane.
September 16, 2019
Before the Kardashians there were the Gabors. A fascinating family! The author does a deep dive into the lives of sisters Magda, Eva and Zsa Zsa and their mother Jolie. Of course Zsa Zsa dominates the story.
Full review: http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2019/...
Full review: http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2019/...
October 8, 2020
I really thought I would like this book and I tried- I really tried. But I just felt it was disjointed and all over the place. Nonetheless it was a serviceable group biography if you are really interested in Zsa Zsa and her sisters.
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