You're
Only Old Once
by Dr. Seuss
>
On March 2, 1986 Dr. Seuss celebrated his 82nd birthday with the publication
of this tiresome satire about visiting doctor after doctor.
Perhaps a gift of this book cheer an aged complainer -- if through some
miracle they aren't quite offended by it. On the other hand, if that's
your aim, then struggle over to amazon.com and further
enrich the Seuss media conglomerate.
I'm not really entitled to be a curmudgeon, so let's just say 'Gram and
Gramps' were happy to get rid of this one, and I was happy to snap it
up. Until I read it, that is.It's
pretty good-natured, and bears the hallmarks of all the Seuss talent, silliness,
and inventiveness, but the plot is wayyyyy too weak: when you get old, you
go to a lot of doctors. And the silliness just didn't strike me funny this
time around. Wouldn't a send-up of 90-year-old who starts hanging out with
bimbos have provided some opportunities for some real fun?
On the other hand, practically all the Amazon reviewers thought it was the
best thing since sliced bread, even going so far as to deem it a satire.
So go ahead and read
their reviews. What's the worst that could happen, you might buy the
book?
reviewed January 14, 2001