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My Life and Hard Times
Widely hailed as one of the finest humorist of the twentieth century, James Thurber looks back at his own life growing up in Columbus, Ohio, with the same humor and sharp wit that defined his famous sketches and writings. In " My Life and Hard times, " first published in 1933, he recounts the delightful chaos and frustrations of family, boyhood, youth odd dogs,
...morePaperback, 128 pages
Published
October 1st 1999
by Harper Perennial
(first published 1933)
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probably the funniest (in a wryly funny, self-depricating, midwestern sort of way) thing ever written in the english language, and the cartoon illustrations are even better.
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Have you ever felt like your family isn't normal? Then you can relate to My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber.
James is a boy who's family is made of interesting people, a weird car, and a house in the middle of an odd neighborhood. This family of five lives in a cinder block on a farm and it’s a difficult life. There is barely enough food to feed her family, the winters are harsh, and the farmer’s cat can’t wait to get his paws on the mice.
Timothy gets sick, and the small cold ...more
James is a boy who's family is made of interesting people, a weird car, and a house in the middle of an odd neighborhood. This family of five lives in a cinder block on a farm and it’s a difficult life. There is barely enough food to feed her family, the winters are harsh, and the farmer’s cat can’t wait to get his paws on the mice.
Timothy gets sick, and the small cold ...more
My Life and Hard Times. James Thurber. 1933. Perennial Classics. 106 pages. ISBN 0060933089.
Okay, okay, so I know James Thurber is a celebrated author and artist who spent the majority of his career writing for The New Yorker, but that was over 50 years ago. I really need to start washing my hands of classics such as these because they're just too old. I can appreciate his talent, but from an enjoyment standpoint I just need to stick to later, humorous biographies written by people t...more
Okay, okay, so I know James Thurber is a celebrated author and artist who spent the majority of his career writing for The New Yorker, but that was over 50 years ago. I really need to start washing my hands of classics such as these because they're just too old. I can appreciate his talent, but from an enjoyment standpoint I just need to stick to later, humorous biographies written by people t...more
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I'm not sure I agree that Thurber has been our (American) best humor writer, or our best short story writer. What about Raymond Carver? Doesn't Jon Stewart count?
Certainly, I find his writing humorous, but I also find it a bit monotonous. In this semi-autobiography, I tired easily of the bumblings in the dark. There were far, far too many of these stories. The electric car piece is hands-down the best of them all, but I feel he never achieves that...more
I'm not sure I agree that Thurber has been our (American) best humor writer, or our best short story writer. What about Raymond Carver? Doesn't Jon Stewart count?
Certainly, I find his writing humorous, but I also find it a bit monotonous. In this semi-autobiography, I tired easily of the bumblings in the dark. There were far, far too many of these stories. The electric car piece is hands-down the best of them all, but I feel he never achieves that...more
I remember having to read "The Dog That Bit People" in class during my sophomore year of high school. Twenty five bowed heads in a room, each making no sound (save the occasional sigh), and one nerd giggling his bespectacled head off, which was me. Much of the book is about Columbus, Ohio, where I lived for a short while; but it's a vanished Columbus, a provincial college town in a backwater state where everybody knew everybody, not the bustling yuppie-filled metropolis that it has b...more
Before starting: I need something light, and I love memoirs, so this should be perfect.
And it was! A very short memoir that says it all. Some writers don't have to talk and talk and talk, just a few short episodes, all humorous, tell about the essential elements of James Thurber's boyhood growing up in Columbus, Ohio - the flatlands. Even though the chapters could be seen as short stories, they are not! They are true episodes in this humorist's life. The book was written in the 30s ...more
And it was! A very short memoir that says it all. Some writers don't have to talk and talk and talk, just a few short episodes, all humorous, tell about the essential elements of James Thurber's boyhood growing up in Columbus, Ohio - the flatlands. Even though the chapters could be seen as short stories, they are not! They are true episodes in this humorist's life. The book was written in the 30s ...more
Am I missing something here? This seemed like a children's book, and maybe I am no longer young at heart, but not a good one either.
The stories were not funny at all and just throwaway anecdotes that might have been funny to the author's immediate family or maybe as part of a silent era slapstick movie, but as written words they were pointless and instantly forgettable.
I liked "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" so I was surprised by the one-dimensional self-cente...more
The stories were not funny at all and just throwaway anecdotes that might have been funny to the author's immediate family or maybe as part of a silent era slapstick movie, but as written words they were pointless and instantly forgettable.
I liked "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" so I was surprised by the one-dimensional self-cente...more
Good, easy-to-read book. I don't really care for the illustrations but the anecdotes included throughout the book are endearing. The narrative style is quaint and successful in being funny.
The chapter about the day the dam broke was especially inspired. So was the chapter on his memories of Ohio State University:
"I was mediocre at drill, certainly-- that is, until my senior year. By that time I had drilled longer than anybody else in the Western Conference, having failed...more
The chapter about the day the dam broke was especially inspired. So was the chapter on his memories of Ohio State University:
"I was mediocre at drill, certainly-- that is, until my senior year. By that time I had drilled longer than anybody else in the Western Conference, having failed...more
I read this book for the first time shortly after moving to the Midwest. I moved here from Boston when I was ten, and a year or two later, I was flipping through my anthology textbook for my Literature class and found a short story written by James Thurber. It was absolutely hilarious, so I went to the library and checked to see if he had written any actual books. This popped right up so I borrowed it and took it home to read.
This short 'autobiography' is dry, witty, self-deprecating...more
This short 'autobiography' is dry, witty, self-deprecating...more
Hilarious! Are the stories really true? Quite possibly. Could they happen in present-day america? Probably not. Thurber tells stories about his family, characters plagued by phobias but nonetheless ready to make a daring go at misunderstanding what is going on.
I remember reading Thurber as a child and thinking he was hilarious. I don't know whether my sense of humor has changed or whether it was the TV show I found so funny years ago. There is certainly humor here, I guffawed only once or twice. I think "My World and Welcome To It" is more playful, linguistic and indicative of Thurber's genius, but it's interesting read his take on his childhood and family. It's heartening that his telling of beds collapsing (I had one of these as a child) c...more
Cleverly written and absurdly funny, it's also a very realistic picture of the craziness found in an ordinary family. Thurber rambles out into such interesting tangents, you don't even realize he's done it until it comes back. But my favorite thing about this book is that it's filled with places and landmarks that are still part of Columbus, OH. Reynoldsburg, Franklin Park, Clintonville, Broad/High and the statuary on the State House lawn all make appearances in these short stories. The characte...more
Brillance comes in small packages. James Thurber packs a lot of funny and absurdity in a tiny book that you should definitely read.
A quaint little book of short autobiographical vignettes prior to 1918. Known as a major humorist, I feel Mr. Thurber's book is a bit dated, which allowed for some unintended charm to shine through with the use of dated sounding words like rigamarole. I had hoped for the book to give me a laugh or two after a couple of stressful weeks dealing with family, but was satisfied with some pleasant smiles, especially from the Grandfather character. Short, sweet and a bit old fashioned. Looking up som...more
I just reread this book for the first time since middle school or high school. I definitely appreciate Thurber's humor and subtlety. Here are a few quotes I especially enjoyed:
"Your short-piece writer's time is not Walter Lippmann's time, or Stuart Chase's time, or Professor Einstein's time. It is his own personal time, circumscribed by the short boundaries of his pain and his embarrassment, in which what happens to his digestion, the rear axle of his car, and the confused fl...more
"Your short-piece writer's time is not Walter Lippmann's time, or Stuart Chase's time, or Professor Einstein's time. It is his own personal time, circumscribed by the short boundaries of his pain and his embarrassment, in which what happens to his digestion, the rear axle of his car, and the confused fl...more
I actually have the fifth printing of the 1961 Bantam Classic edition, but I don't know how to get that information into the system if it's not already there.
James Thurber has a gift with words. He always knows when to add a particular detail and when to add a comment on the events he's narrating. This collection of stories leads me to believe that the author grew up in a uproariously crazy household; in fact, he could have lived a commonplace life, but his telling of it is exquisite.
James Thurber has a gift with words. He always knows when to add a particular detail and when to add a comment on the events he's narrating. This collection of stories leads me to believe that the author grew up in a uproariously crazy household; in fact, he could have lived a commonplace life, but his telling of it is exquisite.
Yes, yes, yes! This book was great! Everyone needs to read it right now. I laughed like crazy.
This is James Thurber's memoir - it's a collection of 10 stories from his childhood/youth. It's only about a hundred pages long, so I was hoping I'd be able to read the whole thing whil waiting in line at the bookstore where I was doing my Christmas shopping. But the lines were actually moving pretty fast, so I had to buy it.
This is a book that would be fun to read aloud.
This is James Thurber's memoir - it's a collection of 10 stories from his childhood/youth. It's only about a hundred pages long, so I was hoping I'd be able to read the whole thing whil waiting in line at the bookstore where I was doing my Christmas shopping. But the lines were actually moving pretty fast, so I had to buy it.
This is a book that would be fun to read aloud.
Is this book funnier than Steven Colbert? Yes, it is. Is it funnier than your mom? Yes, it is. Is it funnier than Samuel Beckett? Believe it or not, YES IT IS! Is it funnier than Spiro Agnew? Trick question! Spiro Agnew is not funny. This is actually the funniest book ever. You won't believe that it was first published in 1933. 1933 was not generally considered a funny year, but this book is absolutely hilarious. It's a must read! Check it out!
The other day I wanted to read this book again, so I went to my bookshelves, found the T's and...it wasn't there. I looked through all the other books to see if it had been misplaced, but no luck. After thinking about it for a few days I have a very vague memory of forcing this book into someone's hands a while back. I suppose whoever it was still has it. If it was you, you can keep it. I bought another one.
I have loved James Thurber since high school when I read "The Cat...more
I have loved James Thurber since high school when I read "The Cat...more
I loved this book when I was a kid. Now, I give it to friends when they turn 40. There's a dog that bit people, an aunt who believed electricity leaked from outlets, a cousin who believed he'd stop breathing in his sleep...and "The Night the Ghost Got In" is one of the best humorous short stories ever written.
Someone tricked me into reading this when I was a child by convincing me it was about a little dog. It's about as much for children because of this as Watership Down is because of the Rabbit. I gave it four stars because I think I would have liked it if I understood it. I'll try reading it again now.
i enjoyed his sense of humor and the cartooning in his book. although not a biography as such, he tells vinietts of his life as a young man with wit and an eye to seeing the humor in life. i reckomend it to anyone who wants a quick fun read.
This is one of my all-time favorite books. While "The Night the Bed Fell," and "The Night the Ghosts Got In" are often the most popular stories in this book, it's "More Alarms at Night" that makes me laugh out loud every time.
Quick read, and pretty fun. It's weird to go right from this to Chelsea Handler's _Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea_. I recognize that this is a pretty established genre: humor writing through biographical anecdotes.
An autobiography of unparalleled modesty and humor... This book genuinely attracted me to the Thurber, both as a writer and a person. And if that doesn't declare the success of an autobiography, I don't know what does!
He says to write your autobiography from periods of so long ago that you have time and distance and therefore will not hurt yourself or anyone else. Thus, this exquisite gem of his early days. Perfection.
Thurber is supposed to be a classic 20th c American humorist. But maybe this work was too dated for me. I was hoping for the wit of Dorothy Parker, but i didn't find it here. I'll try again w/Thurber before giving up.
Now that is a palate-cleanser. Although there was one antiquated, offensive illustration that I had to shield from the view of other Muni riders, it was generally easy-going and quite charming.
James Thurber is someone I admire from a distance but for whatever reasons I can't really get into his humor. It maybe too dated for my taste. But again this is my problem as a reader. I think he represents his era quite well and I respect that - but it doesn't knock me out for some odd reason.
I find the whole New Yorker style very dry - even the cartoons in that magazine (to this very day) a very dull and dry read. The only one that makes me chuckle are the works of Charles ...more
I find the whole New Yorker style very dry - even the cartoons in that magazine (to this very day) a very dull and dry read. The only one that makes me chuckle are the works of Charles ...more
This is my favorite book of all time. It will take you less than two hours to read. I relate everything that happens to me to something in this book. It is well worth the two hours!
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Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio to Charles L. Thurber and Mary Agnes (Mame) Fisher Thurber. Both of his parents greatly influenced his work. His father, a sporadically employed clerk and minor politician who dreamed of being a lawyer or an actor, is said to have been the inspiration for the small, timid protagonist typical of many of his stories. Thurber described his mother as a "born com...more
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“In the pathways between office and home and home and the houses of settled people there are always, ready to snap at you, the little perils of routine living, but there is no escape in the unplanned tangent, the sudden turn.”
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“My mother, for instance, thought-or rather, knew-that it was dangerous to drive an automobile without gasoline: it fried the valves, or something. 'Now don't you dare drive all over town without gasoline!' she would say to us when we started off" (31).”
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