The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Story of the Trapp Family Singers
Book Review: My Favorite Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my all time favorite book! I have watched the movie a million times since I was two years old, portrayed Maria von Trapp in the musical play and read this book. I find it extremely engaging and entertaining. I found myself laughing out loud while reading and at other times on the brink of tears. I think it is an uplifting, encouraging story! I reccomend it to anyone!Book Review: 5 stars for storytelling, 3 for probity, average 4!
Summary: 4 Stars
My mother ran the gift shop at the Trapp Family summer camps in Stowe in the late '40s, and I spent my summers with her when I was three and four, the youngest child there. Agatha, the oldest daughter, appointed herself as my caretaker during those two summers, and I have many clear and wonderful memories of those times - Cor Unum, their home which later became the original Lodge, just completed; singing and dancing all day and evening, indoors and out; hiking Pico Peak singing; the family with their dirndls and braided crowns; and always, the figure of Maria, the Baroness, looming over all, larger than life, laughing and singing and leading the fun. That said, this book was one of my earliest attempts to read a "big people's" book. I loved it - still do! - and the way it captured the characters of the people I knew. But I also recall my mother telling me that while the Baroness was a wonderful raconteur, her book, like all memoirs, was somewhat skewed and biased. She was not the holy innocent who had no idea that the Captain was in love with her and who meekly married him only because it was the will of God. She was an immensely strong-willed woman who knew exactly what was going on and also knew that she was entirely ill-suited to contemplative convent life. Which isn't to say that her account is untrue; light that passes through a prism is still light, although bent, and her account, while similarly bent, is still fundamentally true. There is some truth in all she says, but some of the details have been fluffed up a bit.
The family probably wouldn't have survived without her strength, will, and humor, and there is no doubt of her religiousity - she turned to charismatic Catholicism in her later years and was speaking in tongues. As is the case with all strong people, some people, including some in her family, had difficulties with her. And of course, the play and film bear very little resemblance to reality - the very fact that the family names weren't flossy enough for Hollywood tells you that the producers felt a need to tart up the story.
But I've always loved this book, and will continue to recommend it - forget the movie!
Book Review: Interesting and entertaining
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is an easy read. It is interesting and there are many entertaining parts. Inspiring, uplifting? Less so. One soon realizes that Maria is the "Captain" here. Such amibition, enthusiasm and hard work is admirable but it becomes a little tiresome when piously clothed in "the will of God". Clearly all of this is the will of Maria. Read it for part of the "real" story. See the play and movie to see how great artists can make a story come alive and inspire us to better things.Book Review: Maybe not completely true, but still throughly readable
Summary: 4 Stars
I, too, saw the A&E Biography of the Von Trapp family, which revealed the "real" story. So, while reading Maria's book, I had to be somewhat skeptical when she characterized herself as a decent, noble, loving mother, always ready to do the will of God, (Well, she probably was, at least in part.) Despite this skepticism, I still enjoyed the book. Parts of it are quite humorous, and others are filled with richly detailed descriptions of Austrian folk life and thier celebrations of holidays. Some parts were even a little moving, too. It was nice to hear what really went on, even if Maria left certain things out conveiently. There's no reason why anyone shouldn't read this, especially if they're interested in the story behind The Sound of Music. Even if it isn't the complete true story, it's still throughly engaging. And it's got to be at least half-true, so, oh, well.Book Review: More real than the movie ever could be
Summary: 4 Stars
I read the 1949 edition of this book, and in doing so I got to share in Maria's heart, her mind, her faith, her family. I feel as if I know them all! Too bad the movie didn't come even close to being as real as this true story. I can't help but feel like America was fed a fluff story of little substance with "The Sound of Music", and too bad everyone knows the stars but not the real Trapps! May the remaining original Trapps be blessed and honored, wherever they may be living out their years.