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Growing up and Other Vices
The acclaimed author of the international bestsellers In and Out of the Garden and Sara Midda's South of France turns her genius to the universally shared emotions, charms, and mysteries of childhood.
Each page of Growing Up and Other Vices is a book unto itself. Whimsical little figures illustrate Table Manners ("Do not rummage through the dish to find the tastiest morsel for yourself"); Things You Are Supposed to Grow Out Of . . .; A Noise Brought on by Nature and How to Deal with It; and Behaviour Towards Various Creatures.
In a work that is both enchanting and revealing, Sara Midda wryly observes our adult imperfections. Not a drawing, not a word is untrue, not a moment untouched by a smile of recognition. 52,000 copies in print.
Each page of Growing Up and Other Vices is a book unto itself. Whimsical little figures illustrate Table Manners ("Do not rummage through the dish to find the tastiest morsel for yourself"); Things You Are Supposed to Grow Out Of . . .; A Noise Brought on by Nature and How to Deal with It; and Behaviour Towards Various Creatures.
In a work that is both enchanting and revealing, Sara Midda wryly observes our adult imperfections. Not a drawing, not a word is untrue, not a moment untouched by a smile of recognition. 52,000 copies in print.
- GenresArt
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 3, 2014
Really good book with tiny drawings and scraggly writing about how growing up can be crappy when adults are mean.
May 10, 2017
This is a cute book. It's not a story book, it's more a "make yourself a cup of tea and curl up and reminisce" kind of book. Grab a cat and/ or a blanket. Comfy? Ok!
Think back to when you were a kid and you were excited to meet a new person that your parents were going to see and your mother said something like, "This person has always felt that children should be seen rather than heard." Remember how you felt? That, "whoa! what the heck? I'm a person, too, it's not like I run around in circles screaming! I'm a good citizen. I like people and I like to talk to them and meet them, why wouldn't they want to talk to me just because I'm a kid?" That's kind of what this book is about -- remembering those little moments and feelings from childhood. It's amazing how well she can remember and I find myself nodding. "Oh yes, I had forgotten about the pleasure of discovering this or the injustice of that!"
How adults seem to think children don't get headaches. I never got that line personally (fortunately I was surrounded by caring people generally), but I remember a young friend of mine having a headache come on suddenly while we were on a bus trip somewhere and some sour old biddy making a comment like, "Well she felt fine ten minutes ago!" No kidding, jerk, that's how it happens sometimes.
If you go into it that way, not expecting it to be like something else you've read, I think you will appreciate it more. I loved it and found it quite clever.
Think back to when you were a kid and you were excited to meet a new person that your parents were going to see and your mother said something like, "This person has always felt that children should be seen rather than heard." Remember how you felt? That, "whoa! what the heck? I'm a person, too, it's not like I run around in circles screaming! I'm a good citizen. I like people and I like to talk to them and meet them, why wouldn't they want to talk to me just because I'm a kid?" That's kind of what this book is about -- remembering those little moments and feelings from childhood. It's amazing how well she can remember and I find myself nodding. "Oh yes, I had forgotten about the pleasure of discovering this or the injustice of that!"
How adults seem to think children don't get headaches. I never got that line personally (fortunately I was surrounded by caring people generally), but I remember a young friend of mine having a headache come on suddenly while we were on a bus trip somewhere and some sour old biddy making a comment like, "Well she felt fine ten minutes ago!" No kidding, jerk, that's how it happens sometimes.
If you go into it that way, not expecting it to be like something else you've read, I think you will appreciate it more. I loved it and found it quite clever.
September 10, 2016
This isn't quite the book I was expecting it to be.
The artwork is too small and dare I say simple to be appreciated for longer than a glance. The writing is sparse and not very amusing. Honestly, it felt like the author was struggling for ideas a lot of the time and decided that anything would go, so long as it filled the page.
I'm probably more disappointed because I enjoyed Sara Midda's 'Sketchbook from Southern France' so much, and I expected this book to be like that one. It isn't. Don't read/buy it expecting it to be.
Currently looking for someone to take it my off my hands...
The artwork is too small and dare I say simple to be appreciated for longer than a glance. The writing is sparse and not very amusing. Honestly, it felt like the author was struggling for ideas a lot of the time and decided that anything would go, so long as it filled the page.
I'm probably more disappointed because I enjoyed Sara Midda's 'Sketchbook from Southern France' so much, and I expected this book to be like that one. It isn't. Don't read/buy it expecting it to be.
Currently looking for someone to take it my off my hands...
September 20, 2011
cute book
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews