Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis
Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis
Before I get to my review, I thought I'd mention that I think Auntie Mame has my favorite book cover in my entire library. The little jpg doesn't do it justice -- it's so darn fabulous. The metallic cigarette smoke, the expression on little Patrick's face, the way Mame is sprawled out on the back cover -- absolutely visually delicious. Anyway, my friend Hillary recommended Auntie Mame when I was in Chicago in June while we were in a used book store. I actually started reading it on the plane home, but then it became my Car Book, and my Car Books are the ones that get read the most slowly, since I only read them when I am randomly trapped in the car -- in drive-throughs, while waiting to pick someone up, etc. I finished it earlier this month, but as usual it's taken me a while to sit down and write about it.
From the back of the book: Wildly successful when it was first published in 1955, Auntie Mame sold over two million copies and stayed put on the New York Times bestseller list for 112 weeks. Since then, Mame has taken her rightful place in the pantheon of Great and Important People as the world's most beloved, madcap, devastatingly sophisticated, and glamorous aunt. She is impossible to resist, and this hilarious story of an orphaned ten-year-old boy sent to live with his aunt is as delicious a read in the twenty-first century as it was in the 1950s.
Too true, back of the book. I absolutely fell in love with Mame and Patrick and their crazy adventures, not to mention all the other characters that pepper this novel. The writing is impeccable and the stories are both ridiculous and heartwarming. The humor is spot on. It also made me want to drink gin and tonics in the morning, and wear wildly fancy clothes all the time. The writing is sort of PG Wodehouse-in-America, especially the obliviousness / good intentions of the characters. All around very funny and highly recommended.
My Rating: 9 out of 10 for being a delight from the '50s that still relevant and wonderful today.
Comments
do you watch Mad Men? that show makes me want to drink and smoke ALL THE TIME. hehe. :P
i'll have to put this on my wishlist. :)