Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis was first published in 1955. It's a young man's humorous reminiscence of a very unforgettable, often exasperating character: his Aunt Mame. (Though it's his story as well.) Each chapter reads like a short story. And some of Mame's antics are laugh-out-loud funny. Which is why I'm counting this book as my Humorous or Satirical Classic for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge.
Here are a few quotes that capture the character and style of this novel:
"Looking back on Auntie Mame as the razzle-dazzle butterfly she was in 1929, I can see that she must have been just as terrified at the prospect of rearing a totally strange ten-year-old boy as I was when I first stumbled large-eyed and frightened into the Oriental splendor of her Beekman Place apartment. But Auntie Mame was never one to admit defeat. There was a kind of up-and-at-'em spirit of a speak-easy Girl Scout to my aunt."
"She never revealed her exact age and on a legal document she'd say 'over twenty-one,' which no one ever seemed inclined to question. I suspected she was between thirty-five and forty, and she seemed a lot younger."
"Every weekend I drove off to New York with a carload of junior Fred Astaire's, who settled comfortably in the bedrooms of Auntie Mame's big house on Washington Square and practiced being suave with their hostess. Auntie Mame loved it all. She liked company, and the younger and gayer the better. ... (And) the boys loved her .... they needed Auntie Mame to supply the beds, the board, the parties, the liquor. But she needed them for something more. She needed them to assure her that she was still young, still beautiful, still desirable."
Happy Reading!
This should be a fun and funny look back at another time. I'd like to see the film based on the book. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the movie either, but I've heard it's very funny. And didn't they make a stage play of it, too?
DeleteI've heard very good things about this one! Maybe I'm confusing this for some other book, but for some reason I had the impression there was a ghost too in there? Anyways, hope this one turns out to be great -- and then I can pick it up too 😂
ReplyDeleteNo ghost, but a fun read. If you like a book that's written like a series of vignettes or short stories that is. :)
DeleteI have been curious about this book because my great Aunt's name was Auntie Mame and she was alot like the fictional character, fun and young at heart. People liked her. And it sounds like this book in addition to being humorous is also a good character study of Auntie Mame with serious observations on life as well.
ReplyDeleteThis book is a very much a study of Auntie Mame, and she's quite the character! :)
DeleteI didn't know this started as a novel. I'll bet it was fun!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know it was a book first either! That's what made me want to read it.
DeleteI think I would like Auntie Mame. This sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDeleteIt's lighthearted and made me laugh. :)
DeleteI wish I'd had an Auntie Mame. I think everyone does! Sounds like a hoot. Great choice the challenge.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun read. And Auntie Mame is a hoot. :)
DeleteInteresting...never new there was a book, having only known of Auntie Mame via the movie and Broadway play. Should have guessed. The book sounds like fun; did you know about it beforehand, or did you sort of stumble across it?
ReplyDeleteI did not know about it beforehand; like you, I only know of Auntie Mame as a movie and aBroadway play, mostly because of that song about needing a little Christmas. But I was looking to see what classic novels my library had available, and there it was. Once I knew it was a book, too, I knew I had to read it.
DeleteI haven't ever read it but the snippet's sounded good.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how funny this one ended up being.
DeleteThis does sound like a fun read and Auntie Mame sounds like a great character and one you'd want to invite to your parties!
ReplyDeleteShe would definitely be super fun at parties! :D
DeleteThis does sound like a fun one!
ReplyDeleteProving that not all classics are tragic and depressing. ;D
DeleteHa! I like her way of never revealing her age. Sounds like a fun story, Lark! :)
ReplyDeleteThat quote about her age totally made me laugh when I read it.
DeleteThis sounds like a fun read. And that cover is cute, too. :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't the cover fun? I like that kind of art. :)
DeleteThis sounds like a super fun read! Gotta love a book that can make you laugh out loud. :D
ReplyDeleteYes! And hard to find when reading classics. :)
DeleteThis sounds delightful!
ReplyDeleteIt is. :)
DeleteThis sounds hilarious!
ReplyDeleteIt has some very funny moments! One of my favs involves Mame and a horse and a hunting expedition. :D
DeleteThis sounds like a fun book - I had never heard of it before!!
ReplyDeleteI'd only heard of the play and the movie version of Auntie Mame; I never knew it was a book, too, until this year.
DeleteI've seen the play and would like to check out the film too, one of these days with the immortal Rosalind Russell. I also have a copy of the book courtesy of a library book sale, but I've not gotten to it yet. One of these days! :D
ReplyDelete'One of these days' is my current reading mantra, too. :D
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