Book info

• Title Cheaper by the Dozen
• Author Frank B. Gilbreth Jr.
• Year 1948
• Genre Memoir

Translated into more than fifty languages, Cheaper by the Dozen is the unforgettable story of the Gilbreth clan as told by two of its members. In this endearing, amusing memoir, siblings Frank Jr. and Ernestine capture the hilarity and heart of growing up in an oversized family. Mother and Dad are world-renowned efficiency experts, helping factories fine-tune their assembly lines for maximum output at minimum cost. At home, the Gilbreths themselves have cranked out twelve kids, and Dad is out to prove that efficiency principles can apply to family as well as the workplace. The heartwarming and comic stories of the jumbo-size Gilbreth clan have delighted generations of readers, and will keep you and yours laughing for years.

Thoughts

Having watched the movies that were based on this book, I was intrigued to find the source material still available to read. It’s completely different to the comedy in the movies but it’s no less interesting. It’s a lot more focused on how the father deals with life in such a big family, and actually the vast array of children don’t have too much impact other than when it fits in with a story about the dad. Interesting though, and well worth a read - it’s almost impossible to imagine such a big family at such an intriguing time in the past.

Rating: 4 / 5