How Not to Become a Little Old Lady

by Mary McHugh, Adrienne Hartman (Illustrator)

You can be little. You can be old. You can be a lady. But you don’t have to be a little old lady!   We’ve all seen her, hunched forward, her hair tucked neatly under a plastic rain bonnet. She’s clutching expired coupons, or discussing her latest health problems over lunch. She’s a little old lady . . . and she's coming your way at 2 mph.    Little old ladies have elastic waistbands on all their slacks. They save rubber bands, remember fifteen-cent McDonald’s hamburgers, and have never seen a public rest room that was clean enough.  How Not to Become a Little Old Lady is for any woman who is proud to have escaped little old ladyhood—or those in danger of slipping into it. Lighthearted and affectionately funny, it also includes charming illustrations from Adrienne Hartman.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy

138 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Perfumegirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this was supposed to be a cute book, but I found lots of it very offensive to elderly people.

[Jocelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny book. I had to check this out because I just had a birthday and I turned 41. I had to make sure that I was not heading down the steps to being a little old lady. I don't mind being an old lady, but not a little old lady. Thankfully, I have about 25 more good years in me before I am a little old lady. :)

[STEPHANI KARGES · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this book SO much that I couldn't even donate it to my local thrift store. It went straight into the trash bin. Purchased because I was turning 50 this year, I had hoped for a light-hearted take on what to do to stay young at heart. The author was, instead, mean spirited and lacked grace toward the older generation.

[Don Handly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just complaints

Was looking for help on how to not come across as an older woman and instead found a string of complaints about the elderly. Not even worth the $1.99 I paid! Read it in 5 minutes.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treat yourself to a much needed smile

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was disappointed. I thought the book would be cute and funny but many things said were offensive to the older generation. They were put downs as to how little old ladies act, dress, behave, etc. It was almost to the point of making funny, ridiculing getting older. Not a very good way to handle the process of aging, particularly when it happens to all of us! Unless, of course, you want to die young and not experience growing older!
I would not recommend this book to anyone, old or young!

[Magi Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

just a bunch of mean jokes

This isn’t any kind of self-help book on staying youthful as you age. It’s a list of mean-spirited, rude, classless jokes. “Old ladies wear sleeves in summer.” “Yet, old ladies continue to go sleeveless long after their arms are wrinkled.”
You suck. I hope when you’re old, you creak when you stand up and the sound of running water makes you pee in public. I hope your arms are flabby and your house smells like old farts.

[Thomas J]

I was given the "How NOT to become a crotchety old man" book, which I thought was both outdated and sexist, so I looked up this book. Just reading the samples on Amazon, I see that this is hopelessly outdated as well, and not very clever. I did realize however that one doesn't need to have talent to get some novelty book published. Note to self, publish novelty book in 2021.

[Rosecityremona · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of money - should have cost a nickle - just s list of old lady stereotypes with no substance.

Waste of money. Should have cost a Nicole. Nothing more than a long list of insulting, out of date old lady stereotypes.

[PAT TROLZ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short and not funny

I actually found this to be rather offensive. Not being an air headed leftist doesn't make one old. It just proves that you're smart enough to think for yourself and brave enough to express it. Bombeck she is not. Now she was funny. Skip this one.

[Ericka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Out of Date

This book didn't come across as funny to me. I can't decide if the book is just woefully behind the times or just stereotypes. I'm sure it has an audience, but it definitely isn't me.

[Midge · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the book cover:

"You can be little. You can be old. You can be a lady. But you don’t have to be a little old lady! We’ve all seen her, hunched forward, her hair tucked neatly under a plastic rain bonnet. She’s clutching expired coupons, or discussing her latest health problems over lunch. She’s a little old lady . . . and she's coming your way at 2 mph. Little old ladies have elastic waistbands on all their slacks. They save rubber bands, remember fifteen-cent McDonald’s hamburgers, and have never seen a public rest room that was clean enough. How Not to Become a Little Old Lady is for any woman who is proud to have escaped little old ladyhood—or those in danger of slipping into those awful Little Old Lady tendencies."

At first reading I thought the snippets in this book were cute. But midway through I see the references were a bit dated. Then I realized the book was published in 2002. Cute, but not memorable.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t find this one as humorous as the male version. I noticed I do quite a few of the signs of little old ladies such as: carry snacks and cleaning products in their purses; save grocery coupons which expire by the time they try to use them; and buy purses with zippered pockets and forget what’s in each pocket.

Things I am looking forward to doing as a future little old lady:
- think there are times when chocolate can solve all their problems
-make reservations for the early bird special
-make Christmas presents out of empty milk cartons and toilet paper rolls
-tell you about every single flower they planted in their garden
- talk about people no one else has ever heard of. (Maybe I already do this.. haha)

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun!, but rather serious book. The Illustrations are fun too! It will more than likely remind you of things your grandmother and mother do (did), and maybe you still do them too? Elastic waistbands on all of your pants? Saving rubber bands? Ironing wrapping paper to use again, so it's not wrinkled? How about plastic rain bonnets? Remembering 15 cent McDonald's hamburgers?

They are all there....some that were there reminded me of things that I do...so does that make me an old lady? Makes you think.

[Charlane Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, but written about ladies older than my 84, lol

There is comic relief here, I don't do that, did that in my 30s but not now, etc. I'm inclined to go through it again and journal what I do now, did in the past, never did, etc. I guess it got to me, lol. What color eye shadow should older women wear these days? Definitely a fun read.

[Sandra Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

no respect for little old ladies

Such as in a family way, ice box, blue hair they dyed themselves, maybe they couldn’t afford to get their hair done.
Back then people knew how to set a budget and had no choice but to follow it. Today’s young adults will undoubtedly end up saying similar comments about their lives so give the older ones a break….llllsomeday that will be you!!

[Christine Bullion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book completely hilarious. My sister, husband and I got hardy laughter. Since We are in the mature lane, we caught so much of what we do and remember our LOL aunts.
We are changing our ways.
It is all in good nature, don't be offended. We are who we are.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author does not have an open mind

This book was very condescending. Most of the nuggets on each page have little to do with growing old and a lot to do with what part of the world you grew up in.

[Kathryn Scarborough · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really bold ladies they are describing

The women described in this book are from a generation that was old when my grandmother was Alive....where did this information come from?

[Jus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this light hearted book at my friend’s house: “How Not to become a little old lady” by Mary McHugh, illustrated by Adrienne Hartman. Not to be taken to heart, comical and funny. If you get offended it’s not for you.

“It’s for anyone in danger of slipping into those awful Little Old Lady tendencies.”

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read. I think I may be too far gone to escape becoming one, but some of the things listed will never happen to me.
Great gift book for your mom on Mother's Day, or for a friend's birthday. Sure to cause a few laughs.

[Esther Swink · Rating 4 out of 5]

probably too true!

Quick read. Funny! Clever! I saw a few pictures of myself in this book!! Fun illustrations —I needed my glasses to read illustrations with small print. Must be one of those old ladies!!

[Sue J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people need to lighten up. This book is not meant to insult the elderly. Life is life… accept it. This was a clever compilation of things that happen as we age! Like it or not.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, fun read about the habits of little old ladies. It's a bit dated, but I still got a good chuckle out of reading it.

[Kathi Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little comments and hints

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of this hit home.

[julie fuller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't waste the time

[Allison Nall · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick read, a good laugh

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, Chuckled at most.
OMG. I've become a Little Old Lady!

[Wayne Inkster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick send whitey book of anecdotes