Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis
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Book Reviews of Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade
Book Review: Hilarious - absolutely exceeded my expectations!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a fan of the Rosalind Russell film, Auntie Mame, and after recently watching the dreadfully sub-par Mame, starring Lucille Ball, I decided it was finally time to read the book and discover madcap Mame's true story for myself. This book is absolutely hilarious, hands-down one of the funniest, most charming books I've ever read. The Rosalind Russell film is a gem, but the book takes everything wonderful about the film and multiplies it about ten times over. The book is quite a bit more *cough* bohemian than what would've been allowed in a 1950's film. It isn't a straight, linear story - instead it's eleven chapters cover various episodes over the course of Patrick's life as he grows up with his rather unconventional aunt. This device helps make the book an extraordinarily fast read - as soon as one escapade is finished, you want to dive right into the next. Each episode is "framed" by Patrick reading about the "Unforgettable Character" in the Digest, prompting him to compare the Digest's Unforgettable Character with his own Auntie Mame. Patrick reminsces his way through life with Mame in the glittering Roaring Twenties, surviving the Great Depression, her marriage and widowhood, World War II, and my favorite episodes - Patrick's "punctured romance" with the snobbish Gloria Upson and Mame's "golden years" when she starts to long for Patrick to settle down and have kids. The heart of the story is Patrick's relationship with Mame - as he gets older he may get a little more frustrated with Mame's unconventional ways, but underneath it all the one thing that never changes is their love for each other. Auntie Mame is the perfect balance of laugh-out-loud comedy and heart-tugging, genuine emotional depth. HIGHLY recommended.Book Review: Still hilarous and charming.
Summary: 5 Stars
Auntie Mame was first published almost fifty years ago, and although clearly describing times 75 long past (the book sees Mame through the twenties, the Depression and the War,) it is still charming, witty and absolutely hilarious. Far, far better than the embarassing movie starring Lucille Ball that was made from the book.The story is told in the first person by Patrick Dennis who is adopted in 1928 by his Auntie Mame after being orphaned. Although a flapper enjoying New York society in the Roaring Twenties, Mame makes Patrick an integral part of her life, in her own inimitable and quite irrepressible way.
Unlike most post-War fiction, I think this book more than stands up to the passage of time. Perhaps because Patrick looks back at his childhood, which, even in 1955 (when the book was written) was part of the far distant past, the story is fun, rather than dated. And, certainly, contemporaneous readers have no trouble identifying with the excesses of the twenties, the financial desperation of the thirties or the terrors of the wartime forties.
This book is fun and a good, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
Book Review: Simply mah-valous, dah-ling!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure like most of us, you loved the Rosaline Russell film adaptation of Auntie Mame. This book does you one better, and has more stories, more scandal and more laughs then the movie (although I must say, that Rosalind Russell did a superb job, and I saw her face the entire time I was reading this book!).
Told in flashbacks while Patrick Dennis compares Mame to a character in a magazine article he was reading, each chapter is it's own little story, which makes it great for the beach or bedtime. Although quite tame by today's standards, the scandelous stories that never made it into the movie version, add a little more spice to Mame, and will have you chuckling for hours (Mame's seduction of one of Patrick's college friends is a particular favorite).
Definitely a must read, even if you have never seen the movie. The pacing and the characters will make you want to get the movie that everyone reviewing this book is talking about (do NOT get the Lucille Ball version - no matter how big of a fan you are. You'll thank me later).
Book Review: This ain't the Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are buying this book because of the movie, go ahead, but the book is not the movie. In the mid to late 50's people would read this book with a cover over it. The book was considered to be very Risque'when it was published. If you saw the movie before you read this book as I did, Rosilind Russell will always be Auntie Mame. There is a lot in the book that could not have made it to the movie or play. One of the funniest parts that comes to mind is Patrick sneaking in and out of Agnes Gouches hotel room, but I won't go into that. And if you thought Beau was innocent at the foxhunt, and Sally the guilty one your in for a surprise. The sequel to this book "Around the World With Auntie Mame" is equally entertaining if you can find it.
Book Review: Life is a banquet
Summary: 5 Stars
and so is this gem. Although later incarnations remain basically true to the original plot, the original book has several other incidents which are as hilarious and charming as anything filmed or played in the perhaps-more-famous stage and movie versions.
The book reads like a loosely-connected group of related short stories. Though considered risque in its time, it now seems more nicely naughty. This is a fun book where pomposity never wins and the people with good hearts come out on top at the end. In several passages I positively guffawed. If you are easily embarrassed, don't read this at Starbuck's. If you need your heart lightened, put your hands on a copy of this as soon as possible.