Rating: 
Summary: 5 stars for storytelling, 3 for probity, average 4!
Review: My mother ran the gift shop at the Trapp Family summer camps in Stowe in the late '40s, and I spent my summers with her when I was three and four, the youngest child there. Agatha, the oldest daughter, appointed herself as my caretaker during those two summers, and I have many clear and wonderful memories of those times - Cor Unum, their home which later became the original Lodge, just completed; singing and dancing all day and evening, indoors and out; hiking Pico Peak singing; the family with their dirndls and braided crowns; and always, the figure of Maria, the Baroness, looming over all, larger than life, laughing and singing and leading the fun. That said, this book was one of my earliest attempts to read a "big people's" book. I loved it - still do! - and the way it captured the characters of the people I knew. But I also recall my mother telling me that while the Baroness was a wonderful raconteur, her book, like all memoirs, was somewhat skewed and biased. She was not the holy innocent who had no idea that the Captain was in love with her and who meekly married him only because it was the will of God. She was an immensely strong-willed woman who knew exactly what was going on and also knew that she was entirely ill-suited to contemplative convent life. Which isn't to say that her account is untrue; light that passes through a prism is still light, although bent, and her account, while similarly bent, is still fundamentally true. There is some truth in all she says, but some of the details have been fluffed up a bit. The family probably wouldn't have survived without her strength, will, and humor, and there is no doubt of her religiousity - she turned to charismatic Catholicism in her later years and was speaking in tongues. As is the case with all strong people, some people, including some in her family, had difficulties with her. And of course, the play and film bear very little resemblance to reality - the very fact that the family names weren't flossy enough for Hollywood tells you that the producers felt a need to tart up the story. But I've always loved this book, and will continue to recommend it - forget the movie!
Rating: 
Summary: Great
Review: One of my favorite books. "The Sound of Music" was the best movie ever so I had to read the book it was based on. this book was great and I loved all the extra info that was not in the movie. A real inspiriring story.
Rating:
Summary: THIS BOOK IS ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!
Review: One of the best books written of all time. It will make you cry, laugh, and just make you feel good inside. i first read this book at the Trapp Family lodge in Stowe, VT and I just fell in love with it. This is a great book for all! Please rate my review!
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever written!!!
Review: That really was an interesting book!!!!! When I started to read the first page, I was so cautivated by its contense, that I could hardly stop reading!!!! I also liked it, because I read it when I had already seen the movie and so I could see what was true and what was invented by the producers of the film. What I liked best in this absolutely interesting book is the way Maria starts learning Enlish in the ship American Farmer, because thats really an ingeniouse and funny way of learning a language. I also liked the part when they arrived in America and they saw that the american culture was very different from the european one. In this part it was very easy to understand how lost and confused they surely felt in the first days of being there. But also in this part of the book we can see how brave they were, because although they had a lot of problems, they had success in their lives in the american continent. The part in which I was almost moved to tears was the ending, because there you can see what friends are for and why you have to have some.
Rating:
Summary: More inspiring than the movie!
Review: The "Sound of Music" is one of my favorite movies and I've seen it probably over 20 times. But Maria's book made me cry over their pains and their victories. It also reminded me of the saying, "A Family that Prays Together, Stays Together." They did not only pray, they sang and sang and sang. This book should be in K-12 readings lists. I just turned 9 and I think families will benefit from this book especially with all the trouble around today.
Rating:
Summary: A DELIGHTFUL BOOK!!VERY INSPIRING !!
Review: The Sound of Music is my favorite movie, so I HAD to track this book down and read it. I was not disappointed! Maria inspired me with her faith in God and his help through all the trials of life. She also had SO MANY MORE STORIES TO TELL THAT NEVER MADE IT INTO THE MOVIE. One example: I was interested to know that their mansion in Austria was made into a Nazi Headquarters after the family fled. Once, when Hitler was visiting, he overheard one of the German soldiers whistling a tune which happened to be of Russian origin. Hitler was so enraged that he ordered all the German guards present to be shot. This book is one of the best books that I have ever read. --George Stancliffe
Rating:
Summary: The best book I have ever read.
Review: The Sound of Music is my favourite film I have seen it at least 25 times. But when I read the real story I liked it more. I think Maria was a great woman who kept the family together with her love. It was the most important thing for her. When I am sad and fed up with all the things around me I always read the book /of course only parts of it/ and after reading I always feel better. It is One Of My Favourite Things! I would recommend to everybody to read it. It is about love and history.
Rating:
Summary: In my list of top 10 reads of all times
Review: The Trapp Family Singers is high on my list of all time favorite books. I first read it when I was a teenager and have read it probably 20 times since then. About 3 years ago I obtained a new copy, as my old one was totally worn out and I wanted to be able to read this again and again. It is an entertaining story, but more than that it is inspirational. Their faith is tremendous and each time I read it my own faith is strengthened. I love the humor in the book- it leaps out at you in unexpected ways. I related the story of the turtle to my children on the way to church the other day and my family howled with laughter! I am so glad that the book has been reprinted, as it was out of print for several years.
Rating:
Summary: Loved the movie? The book is 10 times better!!
Review: The true, complete story of "The Sound of Music" is even richer and more riveting than the film. The book goes into much deeper historical detail about Hitler's persecution of believers in God. The book is an excellent primary source for teaching history. When teaching high school students about the Second World War, I always read my classes the sections in the book where Maria describes how the family's life in Austria was changed once the Nazis rose to power. I hope that the publishers will put this gem of a book back in print and back on the shelves of America's bookstores!
Rating:
Summary: A fun and uplifting read
Review: The was a very enjoyable book about the Von Trapp family. It was fascinating to find out how many things in the film, The Sound of Music, actually happened, as well as how many things were different. Maria Von Trapp also shares the role faith had in sustaining the family through some very difficult times. I recommend this to all who would enjoy a relaxing and positive book. The second half of the book does lag in spots, but the overall reading experience makes the book worthwhile and fun reading for ambitious upper elementary students through adults.
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