The story of the seven lady godivas, Clementina, Dorcas, Arabella, Mitzi, Lulu, Gussie, and Hedwig. Wonderful, funny story and cartoons.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
With the commercial success of You're Only Old Once, Random House offers a commemorative edition of another adult work of humor by the venerable children's book author. Originally published in 1939, this revisionist farce attempts to rectify the "shameful" story of "a big blond nude trotting around the town on a horse" and Peeping Tom, the "illicit snooper." The frothy, historical romp presents seven Lady Godivas (Ladies Godiva?) whose father, the Lord of Coventry, is thrown from a horse and killed. The noble daughters vow to postpone their marriages to the seven Peeping brothers until they discover "some new and worthy Horse Truth, of benefit to man." This gives Seuss the opportunity to contrive the origins of such wisdoms as, "Don't put the cart before the horse." Seuss's only prose work (according to promotional material) lacks the sparkle of his children's verse, his women aren't as interesting as the real Lady G.an 11th century maverick who sacrificed her modesty to force her husband to lower taxesand readers will wonder why the protagonists (who bear unsettling resemblances to children in later Seuss works) are unclothed. Major ad/promo; Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
"A person's a person, no matter how small," Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, would say. "Children want the same things we want. To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted."
Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped millions of kids learn to read.
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1925, he went to Oxford University, intending to acquire a doctorate in literature. At Oxford, Geisel met Helen Palmer, whom he wed in 1927. Upon his return to America later that year, Geisel published cartoons and humorous articles for Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at that time. His cartoons also appeared in major magazines such as Life, Vanity Fair, and Liberty. Geisel gained national exposure when he won an advertising contract for an insecticide called Flit. He coined the phrase, "Quick, Henry, the Flit!" which became a popular expression.
Geisel published his first children's book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, in 1937, after 27 publishers rejected it.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, an Academy Award, three Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and three Caldecott Honors, Geisel wrote and illustrated 44 books. While Theodor Geisel died on September 24, 1991, Dr. Seuss lives on, inspiring generations of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading.
Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped millions of kids learn to read.
Dr. Seuss was born Theodor Geisel in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 2, 1904. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1925, he went to Oxford University, intending to acquire a doctorate in literature. At Oxford, Geisel met Helen Palmer, whom he wed in 1927. Upon his return to America later that year, Geisel published cartoons and humorous articles for Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at that time. His cartoons also appeared in major magazines such as Life, Vanity Fair, and Liberty. Geisel gained national exposure when he won an advertising contract for an insecticide called Flit. He coined the phrase, "Quick, Henry, the Flit!" which became a popular expression.
Geisel published his first children's book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, in 1937, after 27 publishers rejected it.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, an Academy Award, three Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and three Caldecott Honors, Geisel wrote and illustrated 44 books. While Theodor Geisel died on September 24, 1991, Dr. Seuss lives on, inspiring generations of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Early Dr. Seuss Gem,
By
This review is from: Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family (Hardcover)
"A beautiful story of love, honor and scientific achievement" is how Dr. Seuss, with tongue in cheek, describes this book. Touted as Dr. Seuss's first book for adults, The Seven Lady Godivas was originally published in 1939 and reissued in 1987. It tells the story of not one, but seven 11th Century Lady Godivas. They are sisters sworn not to marry their beaus, the seven Peeping brothers (yes, Tom is one of them) until each of them discover a scientific truth about horses. They were driven to this oath by the death of their father during an experiment using a horse as a means of transportation.The history is confused, but the fun never stops. Dr. Seuss's full page drawings (in red, black and white) illustrate every other page. The end papers are a fanciful illustration of the Godiva family tree. The text, though wordier than his childrens books and not in rhyme, is thoroughly Dr. Seuss. He explains the seven sisters preference for nudity by saying they had brains and were not given to vanity. He goes on to say "they were simply themselves and chose not to disguise it." Although this is a great summation of nudist philosophy, it doesn't say much about his regard for women who choose to wear clothes. Instead of scientific truths we are treated by the author to fanciful origins for seven proverbs about horses as each sister discovers her "horse truth" and goes on to marry her boyfriend. If you enjoy Dr. Seuss, you will find these drawings and this story delightful. Although described as an adult book, children will enjoy the story as well. Today's young folks may not be familiar with all seven of the horse proverbs that Dr. Seuss relates in a book that is over 60 years old, but it should not deter from their enjoyment of this amusing tale. The drawings are not detailed enough to offend even the youngest of readers.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not the typical Suess. Definitely for adults. Very humorous.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family (Hardcover)
Begin with seven Lady Godivas and seven Lord Peepings; add the need for each Godiva to come up with a "horse fable" before being able to wed the Peeping to whom she is betrothed and Theodore Geisel has another winner! Definitely for adults but not at all off-colored. Another must for true Dr. Suess collectors.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Straight from the horse's mouth,
By
This review is from: Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family (Hardcover)
After Lord Godiva is killed when his horse throws him, his seven daughters swear an oath forsaking marriage to the Peeping brothers until they have each discovered a "truth" about horses. Each of the seven Ladies Godiva struggles to learn something from their equine companions, each eventually composing a now common horse proverb.This book was written in 1939 as an "adult" book, presumably because Dr. Seuss's whimiscal drawings of the nude Godivas would have been considered too risque in that era. By today's standards, these drawings are quite tame, and the stories are actually quite delightful. Dr. Seuss's fanciful tales of the origins of these proverbs is entertaining and his illustrations are pure Seuss.
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