The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

A delightfully written memoir by the Nun herself - what a talented lady, a non-stop energetic, warm, loving, devoted wife, and Mom to 10 children, some her own, some step children she took in as her own. Loved this! Never saw the movie, do not need to!

It was such a joy to read Maria Von Trapp’s story through her own words- I could not put the book down! As a Catholic myself, reading of her family’s faith in God during the various trials they lived really ignited my own faith as well. (and their trials were many... and by far greater than any trials I have lived myself) It makes me sad they never made a second ‘Sound of Music’ movie showing their life in America. It really sounds like quite the adventure- full of enough drama the movie producers wouldn’t have to create follies like they did with their escape from Austria. :) But then again, if that second movie was made there may be less people led to this marvelous autobiography looking for more, which would be a true shame.

This book is a personal family history of the Trapp Family Singers. It begins with Maria's days in the convent, traces the migrations of the family during the War years, and finishes in their family home in Vermont. Ever since seeing The Sound of Music for the first time, I have always been curious about what happened next- -did the entire family manage to safely climb the Alps to freedom? How did they pay for their journey to the US? And what connection do they have to the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont? Maria Trapp answers all of these questions in this book. While the musical version of their life did convey many of the main episodes, the storyline of the musical compressed these episodes so that they seemed to happen one after the other: Maria leaves the convent, teaches the children how to sing, marries their father, and they flee the country at the outbreak of the war, all within 2 hours. Phew! Like the musical, this book also starts with Maria's last day in the convent, but more than a year passed before she and the Baron were married, in 1927. They were married some 12 years and had 2 additional children along the way before leaving Austria. Yes, as unknowns, the family did win a song festival, but that was in 1936, and by the time they fled Austria, they were already quite well-known and had toured Europe as a family singing group. Indeed, one additional reason for leaving the country when they did was that they had been invited to sing at Hitler's birthday. When driving past the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, I have always thought of it as a ritzy place, and assumed that the money to purchase it and develop it had come from the Baron's family fortune. In reading this book, I found that that was not the case at all. The Baron's fortune was lost before the family left Austria, and they arrived in the US on borrowed money. In their new American lives, they had to restart from the very bottom of the social ladder, digging themselves out of debt before they could even begin to think of buying new clothes or a home. For years they dressed in the same simple clothes they had arrived in, and they built their first house in Vermont from the foundation up with their bare hands. That is, the girls did, since the two boys had been drafted into the US army and were fighting in Europe at the time. This book relates all of these details and many more, with a considerable sprinkling of humor. Maria comes across as a determined optimist, a young girl barely out of her teens who arrived on the doorstep of a house filled with grief and dissension. Through her personal character and upbringing, she created a family with strong bonds to each other that was able to withstand remarriage, loss of fortune, becoming refugees, and establishing a home and a livelihood in a distant foreign land. The two elements that were her constant guidance and source of inspiration were her faith and the music. This book is peppered with remarks that

Though our whole family loves the movie "The Sound of Music," the book -- as usual -- is much better! It includes so much more detail and personal and historical facts to add to the story. The movie covered only the first HALF of this book -- and the second half is the best part! I've often wished they would make a "sequel" to "The Sound of Music" to show the wonderful "rest of the story!" This is a great "READ-ALOUD" book for families with even quite young children, an excellent "historical read" for older children, and fine entertainment and inspiration for young and old alike!

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!

The true, complete story of "The Sound of Music" is even richer and more riveting than the film. The book goes into much deeper historical detail about Hitler's persecution of believers in God. The book is an excellent primary source for teaching history. When teaching high school students about the Second World War, I always read my classes the sections in the book where Maria describes how the family's life in Austria was changed once the Nazis rose to power. I hope that the publishers will put this gem of a book back in print and back on the shelves of America's bookstores!

This is simply one the most uplifting books I have ever read! I adore the movie "The Sound of Music" but this book is even more amazing. The von Trapp family went from immense wealth to poverty in a very short time, but throughout their trials they never lost their faith that God would provide. I was also impressed that they were so easily able to recognize the evil around them (Hitler, etc.) for what it was. My favorite part of the book is when Georg gathers his family together and tells them, "Children, we have a choice now: do we want to keep the material goods we still have. . .our friends, and all the things we are fond of?--then we shall have to give up the spiritual goods: our faith and honor. We can't have both any more." The family chooses to relinquish their wealth and retain their honor. This is the best example I know of a family that stuck together through thick and thin.