Teddy Bear Stories for Grown-Ups [Paperback]

Catherine Taylor (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 25, 1994

Teddy bears play a part in the lives of innumerable grown-ups. Often, even after a childhood teddy has been worn into a threadbare, shapeless lump, the affection it inspired still remains. There has been a great resurgence of interest in teddy bears both new and old - not just as objects of affection, but also as collector's items. Teddy bear shops have sprung up all over the country and there is even a teddy hospital at The House of Bruin in Loughborough, Leicestershire, where sick teddies can receive expert medical attention. As countless grown-ups know, teddy bears are not just for children.

Teddy bears are the inspiration in this unique and fun collection of stories. With 23 stories in all, readers will find a wonderful variety, from mystery to humor and romance, to some amazing true stories. Read the fascinating story of how Margarete Steiff, a German dressmaker, got into the toy business by mistake. Her nephew decided to make a bear with moveable limbs made out of mohair, this inventing what soon was to be named by Americans the "teddy bear" after Teddy Roosevelt. Another story tells how a lucky teddy bear, unbeknownst to his unfortunate owner, became a survivor in the sinking of the Titanic. Whatever their theme, all the stories acknowledge the very special relationship that exists between a bear and its owner.

Altogether, this is a perfect companion for all who believe that their relationship with teddy bears is too precious to end with childhood.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...truly entertaining stories...a pleasant read." -Teddy Bear and Friends magazine

About the Author

Catherine Taylor is an editor at Michael O'Mara Books Unlimited in London, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing (July 25, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555911927
• ISBN-13: 978-1555911928
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,576,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Intention Misses the Mark, June 6, 2002

By 

Tracy Robert (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teddy Bear Stories for Grown-Ups (Paperback)

I was enthusiastically interested when I saw the title of this book. I hoped for stories that were more in depth then children's books about teddy bears, with teddy bears that were not personified, but were still present in the stories. I see teddy bears as being charming and innocent, and expected stories that reflected that quality without being condescending to an adult audience.

What the reader gets in this book is a group of stories complied by Catherine Taylor. These stories were solicited from the general public in England. This mismatched group of stories do maintain a teddy bear theme, but that is the only thing that they have in common. Some of the stories are contrived, dark, and simply TOO adult for my tastes. Overall, the quality of the writing and text choices reminds me of college publications that solicit manuscripts from the student population in order to create a publication with many voices. In this case, teddy bears end up screaming the perceptions of the authors, and some of them are not seen with the compassion or tenderness that some people have for teddy bears.

The only reason I give this book 3 stars instead of 2 is because it seems to fill some market, and some adults may like the less-than-innocent themes. The British have a different relationship with their bears then Americans do, and they definitely have a different sense of humor, which also may appeal to some. A few of the stories did meet my expectations, and I found those few to be genuine and well written. However, I still prefer a well written children's book about teddy bears to this book for adults.

A similiar book of solicited compilations about dolls is "Enchanted Companions: Stories of Dolls in Our Lives" by Carolyn Michael and Friends. The writing is much better and the text is better presented. If you also like dolls, I would recommend it over "Teddy Bear Stories for Grown-Ups" until something better about teddy bears comes along.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A cute teddy bear novel, May 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Teddy Bear Stories for Grown-Ups (Paperback)

this book will make you smile and giggle, as you relive moments you too have spent with a teddy bear, or growing up. Comforting and adorable stories for anyone with a passion for teddy bears.

5.0 out of 5 stars A cute compilation of stories, June 11, 2009

By 

Takezo Kensei "Kensei" (Palmdale, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teddy Bear Stories for Grown-Ups (Paperback)

I got this book from my aunt, who used to collect bears, a few years back. I was enthusiastic about the idea of a book about teddy bears, being a bear lover, myself, but wasn't sure about the "grown-ups" part (I was still rather young).

But I skimmed through it, selecting the stories that sounded interesting, and I loved it. Recently, I went looking through my bookshelves (I'm also a reader, by the way), and I found the copy, and I sat down and read a few of the stories, and it renewed my love for teddy bears. At almost 16 years old, I found myself giving a great big hug to my beloved bear, Pigwidgeon (Named after Ron Weasley's owl in the Harry Potter book series), and longing to add to my collection.

So, whether you're considered an adult or not, I think this book is a good refresher course for collectors and bear-lovers in general.