Amazon.com Review
First a book, then a play, then a musical and a couple of movie versions--Auntie Mame became a multi-media sensation long before the term was invented. Mame first burst upon the public's consciousness in 1955, with the publication of Patrick Dennis's classic novel,
Auntie Mame. More than 40 years later, the book is still in print, and still a delight to read.
Who can resist that force of nature, Mame Dennis, who takes over the rearing of her orphaned nephew Patrick and turns his life into one wild escapade after another? She enrolls Patrick in a progressive school where, among other things, the students strip naked and pretend to be fish, laying and fertilizing eggs; in a later chapter, she busts him out of a conservative prep school, driving a stolen car. During Patrick's college years, she's almost caught dallying with one of his classmates in the dorm.
Auntie Mame is a novel that holds up well over the years. The times it describes were simpler in many ways than they are today, which may account for some of the book's charm. But in the end, the success of Patrick Dennis's frequently hilarious and always entertaining tribute to unconventional family life rests on the affectionate, funny friendship between young Patrick and his one-of-a-kind guardian.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"I reread and study
Auntie Mame like a hilarious, glamorous bible where, among other wise lessons, one learns that true sophistication and innocence are two halves of the same glittering coin."
--Charles Busch, author of
The Tale of the Allergist s Wife and
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom"
Auntie Mame is the American
Alice in Wonderland. It is also, incidentally, one of the most important books in my life. Its witty Wildean phrases ring in my mind, and its flamboyant characters still enamor me. Like Tennessee Williams, Patrick Dennis caught the boldness, vitality, and iridescent theatricality of modern American personality. In Mame s mercurial metamorphoses we see American optimism and self-invention writ large."--Camille Paglia, author of
Sexual Personae"Mame Dennis is the
grande dame of grand dames and I, for one, am thrilled that she s back among us. She is still hilarious, sparkling, and utterly indestructible despite the best efforts of time, neglect, and Lucille Ball."
--Joe Keenan, Emmy-Winning Writer/Producer for
Frasier, author of
Blue Heaven and
Putting on the Ritz"
Auntie Mame is a unique literary achievementa brilliant novel disguised as a lightweight piece of fluff. Every page sparkles with wit, style andthough Mame would cringe at the thoughthigh moral purpose. Let s hope Patrick Dennis is finally recognized for what he is: One of the great comedic writers of the 20th century."
--Robert Plunket, author of
Love Junkie From the Trade Paperback edition.
