Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life

By Mary Schmich

"What she wrote was funny and wise and charming, so I would have been proud had the words been mine."--Kurt Vonnegut, New York Times

Wear Sunscreen, now a hit video on YouTube.com, has been seen by millions of viewers.

It all began with a column titled "Advice, Like Youth, Probably Just Wasted on the Young," written by Mary Schmich and published in the Chicago Tribune on June 1, 1997. Posted on the Web, Schmich's column quickly became an international sensation. Friends e-mailed it to friends, the media picked up on it, and a star was born. There was only one problem: Everyone thought the column was an actual commencement address given by author Kurt Vonnegut.

Eventually, Mary Schmich was correctly identified as the author. AMP published her advice as a gift book in 1998. The following year, "Wear Sunscreen" became a hit song. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Release date: May 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449426897

Book preview

Reviews for Wear Sunscreen

[jfe16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.”“Don’t waste your time on jealousy.”“Do one thing every day that scares you.”These [and some two dozen other wise words] . . . generally directed toward college graduates preparing to step out into the real world . . . offer readers a little inspiration along with a bit of lighthearted humor. Clever and witty, readers are likely to find that these words . . . sandwiched between the admonition to “wear sunscreen” remain with them long after they’ve turned the final page.Recommended.