Rating: 
Summary: Belly Laughs with Empty Heart
Review: "Auntie Mame, An Irreverent Escapade" is not only the title of an often-hilarious pseudo-biography in 1955, but also the name of the alterego of Miss Marion Tanner of Buffalo, NY. When her nephew, Edward Everett Tanner III, under the nome-de-plume of Patrick Dennis, set out to record (with great embellishment!) the eccentric antics of his aunt, he portrayed a woman of considerable wealth, but an empty and wanton lifestyle. That riches do not bring happiness is one of the background themes of this novel, but the fact that Auntie had a good heart does shine through her excessive drinking and often none-too-ladylike ways. One sees her as a shallow, single flapper of the 'Twenties, a woman of reduced (but still plush) means in the Depression trying to keep a job with less than sterling talents, and a suddenly purposeful existence during the WWII years, after the death of her first husband, who in real life was a writer and that lasted for about ten years. After that she married an English engineer, but neither of them died on the Matterhorn, as portrayed in the movie of 1958.That movie starred Rosalind Russell in what became the defining role of her career, and even the title of her autobiography: "Life's A Banquet," was a quote from her character of Auntie Mame as wonderfully essayed in the film of that name. This is one of those cases where the film is greater than the book, primarily for what the producer (Russell's future husband, Freddie Brisson) wisely left OUT of the movie. Ed Tanner as Patrick Dennis is no small ego, and much of his own self-adoration is present in the book, where he does portray himself as a callow youth prone to such characterizations of his manliness as "'., I roared!" when speaking of his pronouncements to his Auntie. The episodes in this very episodic novel are sometimes very funny, but one must have a large literary allusion memory to understand all the implied humor, and the attitudes of the author as portrayed by characters Patrick and his Auntie, are very liberal and not to all tastes. I found the book hilarious as a teenager, but as I grew up and adopted morals, I could see the futility of the very monied but purposeless peregrinations of what were often pretentious people. That situation is brought out all the more in the sequel: "Around The World With Auntie Mame" (1958) which the author dedicated to, not his Aunt, but "To the one and only Rosalind Russell." It is perhaps illuminating to read in Richard Lamparski's 1985 book "Whatever Became Of'" that the author's real Aunt was not the beloved character as spoken of in his books. There Mr. Lamparski reveals that she was indeed born in Buffalo, graduated Smith with a Masters in sociology in 1914 and went to New York City. She did live in Greenwich Village in a Bohemian lifestyle, as they would then have put it, but while she and her nephew were friends, the coming of this novel and then the movie did nothing to enhance her fading life. In an interview, Miss Tanner said: "I think by the time Rosalind Russell appeared in the play [and then the movie] he thought SHE was his aunt." The real 'Auntie Mame' says that she and her nephew had a "falling off, not out." Further insight into the unfortunate situation comes from the play's script writer who said in 1983: "By opening night I think Rosalind Russell believed that SHE wrote 'Auntie Mame.'" By 1964, Miss Tanner was long-widowed and destitute and living in a nursing home and never saw her nephew again (he died in 1977). She was not mentioned in the will of his considerable estate. Marion Tanner died in 1985 in New York City at age 95. It is perhaps best that the book be viewed as a fantasy, for then one can concentrate on the humorous situations, the remarkable characters that dance through its pages, and the wonderful descriptions of places and times that the author leaves you. If you see the movie with Russell (the one with Lucille Ball in 1973 was inept) you will come away with wonderful performances (Russell was nominated for an Academy Award), extravagant sets and memorable visions far beyond the often nasty characterizations in the book. If you read Mr. Tanner (Patrick Dennis') other novels you will find him witty, but never warm; sophisticated but superficial. If this is your cup of tea, this novel and its sequel should fit you to a 'T'!
Rating: 
Summary: Fluffy Lit.
Review: 'Auntie Mame,' is truly an irreverent escapade -- a fast, fun, and fluffy read. It also possesses a certain quality of campiness. Auntie Mame is indeed a gay man at heart -- irreverent, campy, sexual, and flighty (of course, this does not apply to ALL gay men). Her character is admirable but not convincing enough to be compelling or important.
Some of the plots are completely incredible and too coincidental. For example, the courtship between her and Beau is so quick that you think that the author is doing this for the purpose of pushing the plot forward. The first half of the book is touching and believable. We care for Little Patrick and Nora. The second part of the book seems to be rushed or episodic. It's like Dennis keeps throwing obstacles to Patrick and Mame just to force it more interesting.
The character of Ito is completely OFFENSIVE. Ito is a great example of liberal racism. Why does he have to giggle all the time? He has no function and expressive range whatsoever. He's sexless, submissive, and plain dumb. Even the Irish nanny Nora has a purpose, returning to her homeland.
At most, this book is entertaining without any social or literary value. It's a fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Did I read the same book??
Review: After reading the above reviews, I wonder if I read the same book as the others. I will agree that the story was, at times, slightly funny. Other than that, I do not feel this book has stood the test of time well. Many of the social references are of course outdated, but the underlying attitudes towards class and gender are much easier to pick up on. The writing and storytelling was nothing spectacular, and the way the main character speaks of and acts towards women is appalling. Auntie Mame, if written differently, could have come across as an intelligent and warm hearted soul. Instead she is portrayed as a flighty rich woman looking for pet projects. I think this book has seen it's day in the sun, and I recommend leaving it on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Did I read the same book??
Review: After reading the above reviews, I wonder if I read the same book as the others. I will agree that the story was, at times, slightly funny. Other than that, I do not feel this book has stood the test of time well. Many of the social references are of course outdated, but the underlying attitudes towards class and gender are much easier to pick up on. The writing and storytelling was nothing spectacular, and the way the main character speaks of and acts towards women is appalling. Auntie Mame, if written differently, could have come across as an intelligent and warm hearted soul. Instead she is portrayed as a flighty rich woman looking for pet projects. I think this book has seen it's day in the sun, and I recommend leaving it on the shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorites
Review: Although outdated, the story gives some historical insight into social mores of a time long ago, although Patrick Dennis (non de plume) seems dedicated to exposing the "hypocrisy" of the upper classes and moneyed individuals. Sometimes the accounts are very lengthy but the charcterizations are quite funny and theatrical and make for great bedtime reading aloud for kids as the characters have great accents and strong characterizations. Auntie Mame is a great character - sophisticated yet naive (getting taken in by social fads and trends, trying to absorb the customs of other countries per her own perceptions), flouting social conventions--she is not on target but she is not boring. Some of the negative reviews seem based on how the reviewers would like Auntie Mame to be portrayed rather than accepting that she is a character that someone imagined and wrote about. Yes, she does drink too much and she is vain and no, she is not perfect. This is fiction. Trying to guess which real life persona she is based on may be of interest in the history of writing but is irrelevant in reading a work of fiction. I give it four stars simply because I enjoyed it so much both as a child and then as a father reading it to his child. Yes, it seems dated, there are some appalling racial sterotypes (e.g., Ito) and the writing is not always the greatest, but the characters (particularly the exaggerated ones such as Auntie Mame, Vera Charles, Beauregard's mother, the Upsons) are broadly written and very funny and enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Still hilarous and charming.
Review: Auntie Mame was first published almost fifty years ago, and although clearly describing times 75 long past (the book sees Mame through the twenties, the Depression and the War,) it is still charming, witty and absolutely hilarious. Far, far better than the embarassing movie starring Lucille Ball that was made from the book.
The story is told in the first person by Patrick Dennis who is adopted in 1928 by his Auntie Mame after being orphaned. Although a flapper enjoying New York society in the Roaring Twenties, Mame makes Patrick an integral part of her life, in her own inimitable and quite irrepressible way. Unlike most post-War fiction, I think this book more than stands up to the passage of time. Perhaps because Patrick looks back at his childhood, which, even in 1955 (when the book was written) was part of the far distant past, the story is fun, rather than dated. And, certainly, contemporaneous readers have no trouble identifying with the excesses of the twenties, the financial desperation of the thirties or the terrors of the wartime forties.
This book is fun and a good, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Aunt Esther, Aunt Bea, Aunt Flo don't hold a candle to...
Review: Do I feel gipped! My own Aunt's Barb and Joannie were absolute flops compared to Auntie Mame. I tripped over the movie version of this tale one afternoon and was smitten by it's over-the-top flinging of conventional life. In this case, the movie does justice to Mr. Dennis' tale. Finding an author by accident is a gift...and it doesn't arrive C.O.D. from Macy's at Christmas. --Laurel825
Rating:
Summary: Aunt Esther, Aunt Bea, Aunt Flo don't hold a candle to...
Review: Do I feel gipped! My own Aunt's Barb and Joannie were absolute flops compared to Auntie Mame. I tripped over the movie version of this tale one afternoon and was smitten by it's over-the-top flinging of conventional life. In this case, the movie does justice to Mr. Dennis' tale. Finding an author by accident is a gift...and it doesn't arrive C.O.D. from Macy's at Christmas. --Laurel825
Rating:
Summary: FANSTASIC! if I could give it more stars I would!
Review: FANSTASIC!
I'm speechless... the book FAR out exceeded my expectations! It was marvelously witty, had flamboyant characters that will live for generations, and even seemed to slip in a little historic information. I have seen and loved both movies (yes I know the Roz Russell version is the best but we are not debating that here) but the book... oh the book was just wonderful! Sarcastic and filled with tidbits that were not in the movies! I highly recommend this book! I have read it several times!
Rating:
Summary: Very funny novel stands the test of time admirably
Review: I have, of course, seen the film versions of this novel numerous times. The first of them has long been a favorite. Truth be told, however, I was really very surprised when I discovered that the book is really just as funny--if not more so--than the movie itself. (I find that funny movies do not, frequently, derive from funny books.) At any rate, any fan of the film who enjoys reading will surely love this novel just as any devotee of the novel will no doubt adore the rather surprisingly faithful Rosalind Russell film version. What really surprised me the most, however, was how incredibly *advanced* this book seemed. Outside of some rather historically obscure references, the book seems barely half of its nearly fifty years. Mame would no doubt be almost as shocking a character in today's society as she would have been at the time. That fact alone (and especially when combined with her delightful wit and charm) will make her an enduring character for decades to come, at the very least. The story is told as a series of anecdotes about Mame--and even includes a few great ones which are not present in the film (giving enthusiasts of the latter even more reason to try the book.) Unfortunately, it's this manner of telling the tale which is really my only serious criticsm. Dennis relates his anecdotes mimicing Reader's Digest-style stories about "unforgettable characters." At the open of each chapter, he returns once again to this style--likening events in the life of his auntie Mame to similar (albeit less outrageous) ones in those of the nameless "unforgettable characters." It gets a bit tedious, however--this cyclical storytelling gimmick--and really doesn't add much, though I suppose it doesn't detract from it too terribly, either. Regardless, it's still a wonderful story and well-worthy of a good reading or two. I know it's definitely one I'll savor for years to come.
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