Book Review of “Cheaper” by the Dozen

The autobiographical loudness Cheaper by the cardinal was written in 1949. Since then, it has been reprinted numerous times, most recently in 2003. The take for, written by plain-spoken B. Gilbreth younger and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, two of the dozen children of postmark and Lillian Gilbreth, is nigh plainspoken Jr. and Ernestines recollections of growing up, in the company of ten other siblings and two high-energy engineers as parents, in a huge house in Montclair, unseas adeptd Jersey, around the turn of the 20th century.Much of the humor in spite of appearance this hold in is because the father of this huge family, discourteous, is a good-hearted man who effs his twelve children and their antics, entirely is likewise an engineer (as is his wife Lillian) by profession, and an expertness expert. Frank older likes to believe problems and conflicts can be solved in a sort of mechanical way, and sometimes with just one quick radical for every problem (at least that is his theory). Many funny and ironic situations build up from this questionable premise. Still, as the authors of Cheaper by the Dozen rec completely, Dad was happiest in a crowd, especially a crowd of kids (p. ).But since, as an engineer, Frank Sr. owns a scientific management company, he continually tries to apply his confused principles of scientific management at home, with mixed results. In one incident, he does so by taking motion pictures of his children washing dishes and doing other kinsperson chores, which he calls motion study (p. 3) in order to study their cogency at these tasks (or the lack thereof), and then hopefully apply what he has acquire from these homemade motion studies to other workplace situations.Frank Sr. lso has separately of his twelve children chart their weights and other progress each day, on a progress and weight chart (p. 3) he has put up on the bathroom wall, as soon as they can physically release (which is early, since the father has high expectations of his children in every respect). There is sometimes dissimilitude between Frank Sr. and the childrens mother, Lillian, which points out some of the differences between them.For example, Lillian wants to unless a spot on the progress and weight charts for recording the childrens mundane prayers, entirely Frank Sr. ever the practical man of save rather than contemplation, insists there is no room for that. Many of the funniest episodes in the book derive from these types of conflicts ( ever rather gentle ones) between the parents, especially since their mother, Lillian, is more relaxed in terms of her personality, and sees everything more individually and perhaps, at times, more clearly as soundly (although Lillian never directly insists on this to Frank Sr. , however just lets things happen until the truth becomes apparent on its own).Although both Lillian and Frank Sr. re brilliant engineers, Lillian seems to have more personal discernment into her children as individuals. And, despite Frank Sr. s considerable efficiency, Lillian often has more common sense. This is perhaps reflected in the way Frank Sr. and his philosophies of efficiency are joked about, much more in the book, than Lillian or her actions or beliefs are joked about. Lillian was an early career woman, and one of the other themes of this book is how she handled, so well, especially for those times, a high-powered career and raising twelve children.Lillian Gilbreth herself, although non the master(prenominal) focus of this book, is very inspire in that way. The main reason, overall, that I liked this book is because the humor within it is good natured, and the high-powered Gilbreth family, even though it is so elephantine and chaotic, and has its own share of challenges and setbacks, is not dysfunctional in any way, like so many, even smaller, families today. That, in and of itself, is amazing. Whatever is happening, inside or alfresco the family, there is always love , solidarity, and teamwork within the family itself.The authors also mention how Frank Sr. would never criticize his family to anyone outside the family. Obviously, this book was set in far simpler times than today. For example, as the without delay grown up Gilbreth siblings first describe their father Dad was a tall man, with a large head, jowls, and a Herbert Hoover collar (p. 1). This tells us right wing away that the book takes place many decades ago, since Herbert Hoover was chairman in the 1920s.Even the conflicts and disagreements detailed within the book, which are always describe truthfully and in detail, seem humorous, good-natured, and reasonable, especially compared to many kinds of family conflicts today. Also, these conflicts are always agreeably resolved, without any lasting damage to any of the children or their egos. This, also, is sincerely yours amazing, since both parents are so busy, not only inside but outside the home. Also, the mother and the father are very different from one another by nature, but as the authors point out, they work well together and do everything well as a team.They are always supportive of each other and their children. Dr. Lillian Gilbreth seems the true hero of the Cheaper by the Dozen family. Frank Gilbreth Sr. died before any of his children had reached 20 years old. Lillian act raising the children on her own, while working and lecturing full-time. Moreover, she managed to put them all through college. Lillian Gilbreth, amazingly, given both the time and the large number of children she had, also had a very distinguished career in her own right when few women had such careers, and even fewer were also mothers of such large families.Still, Lillian Gilbreth managed to be a loving and attentive mother to all of her children. I found Cheaper by the Dozen to be a very inspiring book, and always very honest and humorous. Cheaper by the Dozen conveys the message that family members who love one another, stick to gether, and have a sense of humor about things that happen in families, and in life, can make it through anything. Therefore, I highly recommend the book Cheaper by the Dozen as an sharp reading experience for everyone.