Cheaper by the Dozen

By Gilbreth and Carey

      Cheaper by the Dozen is an amusing, non-fiction (supposedly!), account of life in the sixteen-member Gilbreth household in the 1920s. Mr. Gilbreth is a professional motion study expert (an expert on efficiency) and is constantly trying to make life a little quicker for himself and his twelve children: whether it's a method for taking a bath in only a minute or a new way to learn morse code, Mr. Gilbreth is always saving time.
      The Gilbreth household is often chaotic what with the children (six boys and six girls), the two hired servants, and the family's dog, and most of the book is just about their day to day life and the interesting situations they often find themselves in.
      As a whole the book is amusing and I enjoyed most of it, although the last two or three chapters disappointed me. They showed a rebellious attitude in some of the children that had previously been absent, and for me ended the book on a low note. Cheaper by the Dozen was funny but not as good as it could have been.

John, age 16