Harold and Maude [Paperback]

Colin Higgins (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Avon Books (Mm) (September 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380003856
• ISBN-13: 978-0380003853
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,308,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short and Sweet, December 11, 2001

By 

Lee M. Mcguire (Urbana, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harold and Maude (Paperback)

What a beautiful story, where the old cliche, "it made me laugh, it made me cry" is realized. The writing style is simple and straightforward, the dialogue is enlightening, and the dramatic turns are both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Harold and Maude, the novel, begged to made into a movie, and the author, Colin Higgins, must have had dramatic aspirations when he wrote this. So they made a movie out of this, one of the greatest movies of all time. The power and basically everything worthwhile in the film comes from this book (not negating the acting of Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, or Vivian Pickles, who are all fantastic), from which Higgins later culled his screenplay. If anything, the experience of reading the novel may have some advantages over watching the film. It is quick and to the point, nothing is drawn out, and any extemporaneous extractions of theme or mood are left to the reader. Read the novel, see the movie, read or watch a staging of the play. Colin Higgins will be remembered for writing Harold and Maude the movie, but his great contribution to literature and mankind was first writing the book. This life-affirming novel needs to be in stock. Especially when there is so much other garbage overflowing the bookstore shelves.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OFFBEAT STORY OF LIFE, LOVE, AND, ESPECIALLY, LIFE., February 21, 1999

By 

Mike Zaleski ([e-mail]) (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harold and Maude: A Play in Two Acts (Paperback)

As I look at the sales rank of this play, I wonder if anyone will actually see this review. Oh well, this play was written after the short story and movie versions this offbeat story of life, love, and, especially, life. It is a little different because it was written for the stage and some of the things that happen in the film or short story cannot be expressed on the stage. Either way, though, it still retains its charm and ability to uplift through its general originality and excellence. This is my favorite story and I recommend it to everyone. I see that some might think I'm overreacting or generalizing too much, but trust me on this one. Go see the movie and buy this play (for it seems to be out of print but amazon.com still is able to obtain leftover copies).

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a guide to life and death, October 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Harold and Maude: A Play in Two Acts (Paperback)

If e'er there was a script that could serve as a litany for the development of human thought and the slow evolution of the human spirit, this is it. Harold and Maude manages to capture and encapsulate the ultimate arguement of modern man, the individual versus institutions.....does society exist to serve the individual or are we all pawns of the society we have created? And are we obliged to subscribe?