Customer Reviews

How Not to Become a Little Old Lady

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

My daughter gave me this book for Christmas but said she hadn't read it, which made me feel a little better. Frankly, I'd rather be a little old lady than Mary McHugh, who trades on all the nasty things that have been said about women growing older. My copy is going into the trash, where it definitely belongs.

I purchased this book expecting a whistful, witty, wink and nod at older age, along with some genuine suggestions for maintaining one's vibrance in advanced years. Please be assured this book contains none of those things. Each page states a tired, much used, irrelevant or outright offensive cliche. If you've ever watched a sit com you've heard these same old lines over and over again. The narrative reminds me of a bad comedian doing his first minute at an open-mike night. I purchase this as a gift for my mother, but realized I couldn't possibly give it to her without hurting her feelings. Ageism at it's worst. Sadly, the writer maligns senior women as bigoted small-minded losers while failing to recognize her own emotional fears about aging and body image. Her tone is that of a sorority sister gossiping about what's wrong with anyone not in her peer group.

It's shocking that Andrews McMeel Publishing actually printed this "book". The illustrations are fine and surpass the writing to a degree. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean very much.

Wish I could send this back, but I'd lose so much on shipping it's not worth it. I don't know that I've ever recycled a book, but I wouldn't even feel right donating it to the library book sale.

I read through most of this book while I was browsing at Borders, and I couldn't figure out WHY it was in the humor section. Guess I don't have much of a sense of humor.

As a crotchety old woman I would really be upset if someone gave me this book.

I confess that I am guilty of some "old lady" things. Yes, I do buy some at thrift stores, but I think I can still see well enough to know if there are food stains on them, thank you very much. And yes, I do try to give exact change to cashiers, otherwise I would be carrying around pounds of coins. But these are things I have done for years, and I'm not going to change now. I guess that that shows I am set in my ways.

I'm not sure who the target demographics for this book are: certainly not us curmudgeonly wrinklies.

If you want to buy a book for a "mature" woman, I would suggest that you find out her interests and try to find a book that she would enjoy. The most interesting book I have read lately was FOREVER BARBIE by M.G. Lord, but realize that would not be to everyone's taste.

Bought this for my grandmother's 106th birthday. I was not able to be there for the party (living on a different continent) but I talked to the other family members who were able to be there and they all commented on the book. They all thought it was funny and best of all, my 106 year old grandmother got a laugh out of it. I think the title was enough to make my grandmother laugh. As for the negative reviews, well perhaps my family is a little more sit-com than others... or perhaps they all took the book for what it is - a light hearted book with not necessarily original observations of Old Ladies. I didn't order this book thinking it would be full of deep, reflective thoughts on aging. Had it been a book like that, my grandmother would have really been offended and would have put me in my place. I guess you have to know what you are buying and for whom you are buying.

I returned the How Not to Become A Little Old Lady books........thought it would be really funny for a gift. Not funny at all! Was actually kind of 'dumb'.........sorry!

I loved this book and the wonderful illustrations by Adrienne Hartman. I laughed a lot at the things Little Old Ladies do, and I'm going to buy more copies to give to my women friends who are definitely not Little Old Ladies and don't want to be. I know a lot of people who describe their vacations by what they ate though! This is a perfect hostess gift and it would also be an ideal gift for Mother's Day.

This "book" (hate to dignify it by calling it a book) is disgusting, stupid, simple minded, degrading to women, cruel to the many women who have meager money to get by on, and worse. Whoever wrote it is a total jerk and obviously feels herself to be superior to others.

Tiny book; nearly as small as a pack of cigarettes. The author manifests her, obvious, liberal left-wing views, so not very humorous much of the time. Seemed more often like a soapbox platform for her PC opinions, instead of just a book of funny slogans and sayings. Sad really.

It served its purpose. I used it as a gag gift and got laughs all over for my 50 year old girlfriends birthday party. I did not read the book. :)

This is not a senior self-help book or a book for intellectual stimulation, but for a few chuckles, it's a quick, humorous excursion through Mary McHugh's world of little old ladies. I agree with one of McHugh's introductory statements: "The trouble with letting yourself become a Little Old Lady is that you are missing half the fun of being alive in the twenty-first century."

I hope I don't fit most of McHugh's stereotypes. I don't "still wear makeup and stockings to the supermarket" or "think microwaves fry your brain if you stand near them," and I certainly don't "turn (my) back on computers," which are a big part of my life.

On the other hand, I do "still expect people to RSVP when (I) invite them to a party," and I know a few peers (in addition to my 90+ mother) who "wear plasitc bonnets in the rain." I don't.

Mary McHugh's "How Not to Become a Little Old Lady," with its cute illustrations by Adrienne Hartman, is a charming little "quick read" for the self-aware older woman with a sense of humor.