Auntie Mame's Favorite Son :
Patrick Dennis
Book Review by Paulette Reynolds
May 17, 2015
Patrick Dennis
Book Review by Paulette Reynolds
May 17, 2015
Patrick Dennis's May 18 birthday has come and gone, quietly celebrated by an unknown number of Baby Boomer fans. I count myself as one of those Dennis enthusiasts, whose best-known literary works are nestled in my modestly ample home library.
Author of such delights as Auntie Mame, Genius, The Joyous Season, and Little Me, Patrick Dennis helped me learn the basics of dialogue and description. Although he passed over almost four decades ago, I'm still enjoying his unique brand of skeptical whimsy and delightfully quirky characters that was his particular gift to share. His books, like old friends that you occasionally see but don't entirely forget, never truly go out of fashion.
And while Mr. Dennis is known primarily for his splendid book, Auntie Mame, I consider Genius to be his most gifted work. Yes - I know he followed up his biggest hit with Around the World with Auntie Mame, and has written 16 novels - my pronouncement stands. His skillful balancing of multiple characters and sly humor are enough to captivate anyone willing to enter his world of lovable oddballs; because by the time you finish your first Patrick Dennis novel, you finally notice that the sun has risen and you're late for work.
The main character of Genius is film director and deadbeat ex-husband/father Leander Starr (a thinly veiled look at the genius that was Orson Welles). Set in Mexico, Genius ensnares us with breathless pacing that never lets up, from the first sentence until his closing paragraph. Before you finish the book, you'll swear you've met someone exactly like Leander Starr - or wish you had!
Having read most of his works - numerous times - I can always count on Patrick Dennis to deliver happy memories, wit, and wisdom. While several of his earlier books, written under the nome de plume Virginia Rowans, may be difficult to obtain, it's worth the time to choose a few from my personal list to begin your collection. My favorites? Genius, The Joyous Season, Auntie Mame, Guestward, Ho!, Paradise, and Little Me in that order. And yes - there's even a biography to complete your newly-acquired and ever-growing Patrick Dennis collection, aptly entitled Uncle Mame.
Author of such delights as Auntie Mame, Genius, The Joyous Season, and Little Me, Patrick Dennis helped me learn the basics of dialogue and description. Although he passed over almost four decades ago, I'm still enjoying his unique brand of skeptical whimsy and delightfully quirky characters that was his particular gift to share. His books, like old friends that you occasionally see but don't entirely forget, never truly go out of fashion.
And while Mr. Dennis is known primarily for his splendid book, Auntie Mame, I consider Genius to be his most gifted work. Yes - I know he followed up his biggest hit with Around the World with Auntie Mame, and has written 16 novels - my pronouncement stands. His skillful balancing of multiple characters and sly humor are enough to captivate anyone willing to enter his world of lovable oddballs; because by the time you finish your first Patrick Dennis novel, you finally notice that the sun has risen and you're late for work.
The main character of Genius is film director and deadbeat ex-husband/father Leander Starr (a thinly veiled look at the genius that was Orson Welles). Set in Mexico, Genius ensnares us with breathless pacing that never lets up, from the first sentence until his closing paragraph. Before you finish the book, you'll swear you've met someone exactly like Leander Starr - or wish you had!
Having read most of his works - numerous times - I can always count on Patrick Dennis to deliver happy memories, wit, and wisdom. While several of his earlier books, written under the nome de plume Virginia Rowans, may be difficult to obtain, it's worth the time to choose a few from my personal list to begin your collection. My favorites? Genius, The Joyous Season, Auntie Mame, Guestward, Ho!, Paradise, and Little Me in that order. And yes - there's even a biography to complete your newly-acquired and ever-growing Patrick Dennis collection, aptly entitled Uncle Mame.
COPYRIGHT 2012/2016. Paulette Reynolds. All CineMata Movie Madness blog articles, reviews, faux interviews, commentary, and the Cine Mata character are under the sole ownership of Paulette Reynolds. All intellectual and creative rights reserved.