The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom [Paperback]

Sarah Delany (Author), Annie Elizabeth Delany (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1996

"IT'S AS IF WE'VE BECOME AMERICA'S GRANDMAS."

That's how Sadie Delany described the outpouring of affection and admiration that followed the success of Having Our Say, the best-selling memoir she and her sister published in 1993. Now they offer their fans a treasury of grandmotherly good sense: memorable aphorisms, engaging anecdotes, rules for managing money, practical advice on staying active in old age, and some favorite recipes, too. It's a book filled with the secrets of living well, from two women who did it for more than a century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An inspirational and delightful guidebook on how to live long and well, written by feisty centenarian sisters who do yoga every morning, this no-nonsense manual could add years to your life. Authors of the bestselling Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (also written with Hearth), Sarah, now 105 years old, and Bessie, 103, were among the first African American professional women in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Raleigh, N.C., to an ex-slave turned Episcopal bishop and a free-born mother of mixed racial parentage, the Delany sisters rejected marriage proposals to live together and pursue careers-Sarah a high-school teacher, Bessie a dentist. Their homespun, plucky advice-exercise regularly, don't smoke or drink, shun credit cards, spend more time with family-reflects their perception that people today are too rushed, self-centered, overworked, lack consideration and "rot their brains" watching TV. Interspersed with family photographs and documents, recipes and numbered lists of pointers for right living.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Atop a hill overlooking Manhattan, the Delany sisters practice the ancient art of the elders." -Washington Post

"They are literature's living kin." -Margo Jefferson, The New York Times

"The Delany sisters are a national treasure." -Julian Bond

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha USA (September 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568361661
• ISBN-13: 978-1568361666
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > African-American & Black
  • #59 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > General
  • #66 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Health, Mind & Body > Self-Help > Self-Esteem

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 100 year old wisdom still works wonders today!, February 9, 2000

By 

Jane Kitson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom (Paperback)

This is a textbook on life itself! I laughed out loud through this entire book as the sense of humor that these ladies still possess is a hoot! I wish I could take them to lunch. The Delany sisters are not to old too know what is really important and their timeless advice is an essential contribution to our nation! This book should be required reading material for every person who holds an elected office in the country. Don't miss the opportunity to find out what is really important in life...read this book and buy it for all of your friends. It is precious.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom Pays, October 30, 2001

By 

Hillari Hunter "Westside Tomboy" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom (Paperback)

There's nothing quite like wisdom from someone who's older and has gone through a lot. Readers will delight in the nuggets here, as well as the humor that goes along with them.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book you can read over and over., March 15, 2000

By 

Amy Goldshine (Queens, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom (Paperback)

I only wish that I could have met these 2 special women. They had such wit and wisdom. I recommended their books to a friend who passed it on to her sister, mother, nephew and so on. Well worth buying.