Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis
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Book Reviews of Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade
Book Review: great source
Summary: 5 Stars
advertised as used, but only had name in front cover, otherwise in excellent condition. arrived quickly.Book Review: Very funny novel stands the test of time admirably
Summary: 4 Stars
I have, of course, seen the film versions of this novel numerous times. The first of them has long been a favorite. Truth be told, however, I was really very surprised when I discovered that the book is really just as funny--if not more so--than the movie itself. (I find that funny movies do not, frequently, derive from funny books.)At any rate, any fan of the film who enjoys reading will surely love this novel just as any devotee of the novel will no doubt adore the rather surprisingly faithful Rosalind Russell film version.
What really surprised me the most, however, was how incredibly *advanced* this book seemed. Outside of some rather historically obscure references, the book seems barely half of its nearly fifty years. Mame would no doubt be almost as shocking a character in today's society as she would have been at the time. That fact alone (and especially when combined with her delightful wit and charm) will make her an enduring character for decades to come, at the very least.
The story is told as a series of anecdotes about Mame--and even includes a few great ones which are not present in the film (giving enthusiasts of the latter even more reason to try the book.) Unfortunately, it's this manner of telling the tale which is really my only serious criticsm. Dennis relates his anecdotes mimicing Reader's Digest-style stories about "unforgettable characters." At the open of each chapter, he returns once again to this style--likening events in the life of his auntie Mame to similar (albeit less outrageous) ones in those of the nameless "unforgettable characters." It gets a bit tedious, however--this cyclical storytelling gimmick--and really doesn't add much, though I suppose it doesn't detract from it too terribly, either.
Regardless, it's still a wonderful story and well-worthy of a good reading or two. I know it's definitely one I'll savor for years to come.
Book Review: One of my favorites
Summary: 4 Stars
Although outdated, the story gives some historical insight into social mores of a time long ago, although Patrick Dennis (non de plume) seems dedicated to exposing the "hypocrisy" of the upper classes and moneyed individuals.Sometimes the accounts are very lengthy but the charcterizations are quite funny and theatrical and make for great bedtime reading aloud for kids as the characters have great accents and strong characterizations. Auntie Mame is a great character - sophisticated yet naive (getting taken in by social fads and trends, trying to absorb the customs of other countries per her own perceptions), flouting social conventions--she is not on target but she is not boring.
Some of the negative reviews seem based on how the reviewers would like Auntie Mame to be portrayed rather than accepting that she is a character that someone imagined and wrote about. Yes, she does drink too much and she is vain and no, she is not perfect. This is fiction. Trying to guess which real life persona she is based on may be of interest in the history of writing but is irrelevant in reading a work of fiction.
I give it four stars simply because I enjoyed it so much both as a child and then as a father reading it to his child. Yes, it seems dated, there are some appalling racial sterotypes (e.g., Ito) and the writing is not always the greatest, but the characters (particularly the exaggerated ones such as Auntie Mame, Vera Charles, Beauregard's mother, the Upsons) are broadly written and very funny and enjoyable.
Book Review: Timeless
Summary: 4 Stars
Since it was reprinted, the topic of Mame Dennis has crept into a lot of online reviews and conversations over cocktails. I recently got into a screaming match on an airplane over the topic of Mame's relevance today. Even some of the reviews on this site are less than flattering and I want to answer them all by suggesting that the authors (and readers) read the book again.Mame is an icon, even today. She is our Alice in Wonderland all grown up, smarter, wittier and more interesting than Mary Poppins, and I wish that she had been sent to Oz instead of that Dorothy girl or allowed to poke around the back of C.S. Lewis' wardrobe. No other heroine of modern fiction would have kept the Japanese Ito in her employ, or stood up to such ugly anti-Semitism in polite New York society. She rallies behind a pregnant Agnes Gooch and looks after her nephew (and a whole lot of other children during the war) as few other figures might have; dominating four decades as no other could have, she knows the benefit of a good drink and the power of humour in bleak times. This book and its title character are as remarkable today as when the book was first released, and I daresay that she will be for a long time to come.
Book Review: The entire book was amusing and a joy to read.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a good book for many reasons. Auntie Mame herself is a character and a half. Her actions and the things that happen to her are truly entertaining to read. Also, I think it's nice to read stories that take you back in time: the 1920's to 1950's Manhattan in this case.This wasn't a laugh out loud book for me but it was consistently amusing and made me chuckle. The characters are some of the most colorful I've ever read. Auntie Mame superficially appears to be self-centered but you see that she really cares about people and does the right thing (in her own manner). Also, for the time period in which the novel was written, she was extremely open-minded.
The chapters are easily digestable to read one each night in bed before going to sleep. I also like that each chapter opens up with the narrator talking about a an old (and unbelievable) lady in an article he's reading. This causes the narrator to reminisce about related story starring his Auntie Mame. In the end, the narrator stops the reminiscing and brings the story to the present. I thought this structure was well-crafted.