Play Book Tag discussion

I was surprised when walking by the book cart at the hospital when I saw Cheaper by the Dozen. My family loves the Steve Martin movie so I paid the dollar for the book.

Both the book and the movie are about a large family (12 kids) but then the diverge.

I love the dedication in the front of the book:
To Dad who only reared twelve children
To Mother who reared twelve only children.

This book is not linear so you do not get a sense of how the family progressed and how order was brought about, but instead the books is filled with anecdotes and stories, mainly about their father. He was fun, smart, innovative man but also hard, demanding, and arrogant.

Because the story is old (1949) and and the writing is evidence of Frank and Ernestine's superior intellect, I found the read to be dry and difficult much of the time.

I found the family and especially the parents very fascinating. I look forward to reading their second book Belles on Their Toes

I never saw the Steve Martin version, but I did see the older one(1950) a few times and always enjoyed it

This was on our shelves when I was a kid and I remember laughing my way through it. I loved the recollections about the dad’s experiments with applying time and motion thinking to ordinary household tasks and the hassles that ensued. The chaos of a large family was also intriguing and their mother obviously had the patience of a saint to put up with it all - while at the same time being a brilliant engineer, industrial psychologist and educator in her own right. I loved her - she was my favourite character.

I haven’t reread it since, though - I tried once but found the writing was too stilted for my mood at the time. I’d probably also find the father annoyingly doctrinaire - just a sign of the changing times.

Joanne wrote: "I never saw the Steve Martin version, but I did see the older one(1950) a few times and always enjoyed it"

I never knew there was an older version. I looked it up and seems to be a realistic adaptation of the book. The Steve Martin versions is a Steve Martin type comedy. Funny but nothing close to the real story.

KateNZ wrote: "This was on our shelves when I was a kid and I remember laughing my way through it. I loved the recollections about the dad’s experiments with applying time and motion thinking to ordinary househol..."

I did find much of it humerus and yes the mother was my favorite character also. That is why I loved the dedication so much.

Jason wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I never saw the Steve Martin version, but I did see the older one(1950) a few times and always enjoyed it"

I never knew there was an older version. I looked it up and seems to be a ..."
It is still very humorous, in a 1950's sort of way-I am not a Steve Martin, so could be why I never watched that version

I read this as a teenager and loved it. I'd almost be afraid to read it now, I might be disappointed. After reading it, I saw the movie with Clifton Webb and fell in love all over again.

My Mom loved the older version of the movie and my Dad always claimed that my mom wanted to have 12 children and she would roll her eyes.

I read it some time in the 70's because my Mom loved it so much. I remember it as being fun.

I love the older version of the movie, which shows up on cable tv pretty often, especially around June. I believe I started watching the Steve Martin version and hated it so much that I could not finish watching. It just was not as good as the original!

I read the book a long time ago too and remember finding it pretty fun if dated.