42 Up: 'Give Me the Child Until He Is Seven and I Will Show You the Man' (7 Up Film Series) [Paperback]

Bennett L. Singer (Editor), Michael Apted (Editor)

Book Description

Series: 7 Up Film Series

A richly illustrated companion volume to the acclaimed 7 Up film series-- a fascinating longitudinal study, published to coincide with the film release of 42 Up. "Utterly fascinating," "groundbreaking," "unparalleled." These are among the accolades American critics have used to describe the series of British television programs that began in 1964 when filmmaker Michael Apted set out to test the aphorism "Give me the child until he is seven, and I will show you the man." He filmed fourteen seven-year-old boys and girls from all walks of British life and revisited the same group at fourteen, twenty-one, twenty-eight, thirty-five, and, now, forty-two. This series, chronicling their successes and failures, fears and dreams, is one of the greatest-and most fascinating- longitudinal studies of all time. 42 Up is being published to coincide with the American film release of the most recent installment and provides an overview from the project's inception. Illustrated throughout, the book chronicles the life-stories of each of the film's subjects, capturing the spirit and candor of the films in an accessible, affordable format.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Apted has directed feature films in the U.S. and in England, including Gorillas in the Mist, Nell, Coal Miner's Daughter, Gorky Park, and the British Academy Award-winning 7 Up series. He lives in Los Angeles. Bennett Singer is a documentary filmmaker and executive editor of Time magazine's education program. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (November 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565844653
• ISBN-13: 978-1565844650
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars As an UP series fan, this is a disappointment, December 5, 2004

By 

The Rocketman (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 42 Up: 'Give Me the Child Until He Is Seven and I Will Show You the Man' (7 Up Film Series) (Paperback)

This is a thin little book (155 pages) that is mostly transcripts of the film 42 UP. It includes snippet interviews of the other UP film series, but these are identical to what you will find in the "flashbacks" in the 42 UP film. There is a little bit extra here from the 35/42 Uppers than in the movie but not enough to be hyped as "never-before-available out-takes from 35 UP and 42 UP". The interviews themselves are raw transcripts without descriptive comments like "sighs", "laughs", "winces" which would help put the verbal comments in perspective.

It saddened me to see such classy people like Michael Apted and Roger Ebert involved in this book project which clearly came from a marketing person. This book will not enhance your experience of 42 UP in the least.

My advice is to get the 42 UP series DVD and listen to Michael Apted's commentary track. It contains much more information than is found in this book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 42 Up's use, March 30, 2009

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Mary S. Krimmel (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 42 Up: 'Give Me the Child Until He Is Seven and I Will Show You the Man' (7 Up Film Series) (Paperback)

This book is useful for the enjoyment and appreciation of the 42 Up films. I would never recommend it for anyone who has not had some experience seeing the film, because it is mainly a transcript of the film, with some reflective comment.

5 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Child is Parent to the Adult, June 22, 2000

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B. Burr "LaLa" (USA - Houston) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 42 Up: 'Give Me the Child Until He Is Seven and I Will Show You the Man' (7 Up Film Series) (Paperback)

If the book is 1/10 as fascinating as the movie, it's a winner. A 'must see' for all parents, educators, POLITICIANS!, sociologists, mental health professionals and everyone else who cares about who we are as humans. Entertaining as well as deeply thought-provoking.