Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis chronicling the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the ward of the sister of his dead father. The book is inspired by Dennis' real life eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook mirrored those of Mame. The novel was a runaway best seller, setting records on the New York Times bestseller list, with more than two million copies in print during its initial publication. It became the basis of a stage play, a film, a stage musical, and a film musical.