This was a collection of tales that had been published originally in Readers Digest. Included was a story about a family being slowly poisoned by the lead in a decorative pitcher they drank from every day. There was also one in which a car breaks down in the desert and the children coat their lips with the mother’s lipstick to avoid them drying out. (At one point they get so hungry they eat the lipstick, I think)
I also remember this book! I believe the family ate crayons.
That’s what I remember too.
The Drama in Real Life! story about the family in the desert is in the RD Treasury for Young Readers from 1961. Also in that collection are stories about pursuing a pirate’s treasure, meeting Caruso on a train, and Blondin the tightrope-walker, James Thurber’s Many Moons, and maybe Pompeii. I don’t remember the lead in the vase, though.
F251 in Loganberry’s archives cites the stranded-in-the-desert story as “Ordeal in the Desert” by Evan Wylie. Readers Digest is mentioned, but no specific edition. Apparently there was a “Drama in Real Life” theme that this was a part of. A link in the stumper responses goes to “Reader’s Digest Treasury for Young Readers,” but a follow-up post states the story isn’t in there… however, there were apparently different editions, perhaps with different contents.
(The story was also published under the title “8 Against Death in the Desert” in a newspaper supplement called “Family Weekly.”)
I just purchased a copy of the 5th edition of the Reader’s Digest Treasury for Young Readers (1961), and Ordeal in the Desert by Evan Wylie is on page 117 of the book.
The previous poster is correct. Here is a link to the article. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19590927&id=meNPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aFUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4388,4534493
This article originally appeared in the November 1959 RD.
Thank you–that’s all very useful info.
I remember this book from my chilhood. so glad I found it! does it include the story of Pompeii?
Yes. I have the 1961 Edition of the Reader’s Digest Treasury for Young Readers, and it does contain a story about Pompeii. The story, titled ‘The City That Died to Live,’ is by Donald and Louise Peattie and appears on pages 12-15 of the book.
Awesome! Is it for sale?