Erma Bombeck Books

Erma Bombeck was, hands down, the funniest humor columnist to ever grace newspapers and bookstores. Even now, years after she passed way, her writings are still funny and topical.

In "I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression," as with most of her books, Erma Bombeck takes snippets of her life, her husband, and her three kids and relates them to us in a way that only she can. Everything from her husband's inability to start a fire in the fireplace to her own inability to cope with turning 40, nothing is sacred or forbidden when Erma writes about her life.

This book is funny, witty, relevant, and an easy read. If you're life is busy and complicated, take some time out to read this book. Erma has a way of making your life seem not so bad. If nothing else, it's a great way to spend a few minutes each day.

Erma Bombeck confronts society's greatest challenge: Surviving the Seventies - the fears, the worries, the anxieties. She shares with her millions of readers some of her deepest concerns; discovering that lettuce has been fattening all along; getting into the Guinness Book of Records under "Pregnancy: Oldest Recorded Birth,", leaving the world suddenly and knowing that no one else in the family can replace a toilet-tissue spindle.

Erma meditates on such philosophical dilemmas as who killed apple pie, and contemplates the futility of surviving a white sale only to find that all that's left are double top sheets and single contour bottoms. She offers warm and wise advice on what to do when the supermarket discontinues your silverware pattern, and provides sane alternatives for the working wife trying to quick-thaw a pork chop under each armpit. The book abounds with down-to-earth practical suggestions for coping - the art of financing sirloin tip at 6 percent on the unpaid balance for thirty-six months, the secret of making towel racks out of oversexed coat hangers, what to do when your ozone is in trouble, how to handle traumas, natural disasters, deep depression, and readily adjust when they run out of extra-crispy chicken at the carry-out.

Erma has always kept me laughing and this book is one of her best. Erma was the author of a syndicated column for thirteen years which appeared in 700 newspapers, and she vowed she would hang all her awards and recognitions in her utility room. It's where she earned them. This is her fifth book. Her hobby is dusting.

The focus here is on the teenage child and with four in my blended household, I have a great deal of experience in dealing with them. My situation is nowhere near as bad as Bombeck relates, in many ways she exaggerates the situation for comedy effect. Yes, teenagers still listen to unusual and raucous music and with the advent of the MP3 player, do so all the time. In fact, the greatest status symbol now is whether you have an iPod or a generic MP3 player.
Bil Keane is a cartoonist who contributes the visual effects to the book. He is best known for his "Family Circus" cartoon strip and it is easy to recognize similarities between the characters in his strip and those in the cartoons in this book. Together, they have developed an amusing look at the teen years from the perspective of a parent. Eventually, you do get through it and then have the opportunity to look back and appreciate how the circumstances were never as bad as you thought they were going to be.
Growing up is hard, yet being the parent of a child growing up is in some ways even harder. Although this book was written in 1971 and so much has changed since then, the fundamental problems of the teen years have not. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in are as strong as ever and one of the best ways to cope is to attack the problem with humor. The combination of Bombeck and Keane do that really well, so when your children stress you out, one way to deal with it is to make fun of it with this duo of humorists.

In this memoir, Erma Bombeck (once called "the Socrates of the ironing board") takes a loving and comical look at her long marriage. Starting with her wedding and ending forty-three years later at her son's wedding, she comments on the various stages of her life, the kids, the house, their careers, growing older, and finds humor in all of it.

While this book isn't as hilarious as some of her earlier work (like When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home), I was nodding at every paragraph and thinking, "Yes! That's just how it is!" I was surprised at how much I sobbed with the later chapters that deal with her aging parent and catastrophic illness. This is a sweet and gentle book that Erma's fans are sure to enjoy.

Lovely to catch up with one of Erma Bombeck's books. Loved her when I lived in America and it is sad she had to check out so early. She always brings a smile to my face and the afternoon flies by when I have my nose in one of her books.

The book arrived in a timely manner and was in excellent condition. I gave the book as a gift to a sick cousin.

Don't get on a bus, train or plane and read this book because you will laugh out loud and people will want you to explain your laughter.I love this book I had it in the 70s it was funny then and it is funnier now.

Funny and relevant to anyone who has a life and a family!!!

I am on an Erma Bombeck kick ~~ and to be honest, this one is my favorite. I have rated all the others a five but if I could rate this one a ten, I would. It's funny, it's warm and it's loving as well as full of statire. I love statire. It's not the mushy warmth you'd think you're getting. Even if it is a bit dated (I grew up in the 70s & 80s) ~~ the insights are still true today.

This book made me laugh and made me cry. I think my absolute favorite chapter would be: I am Laughing So Hard that I Can't Stop Crying. I think I cried and laughed throughout that whole chapter. There's one where the father grumbles about the grass being torn up because of the wading pool, the sledding parties and beach parties. Then there's the one where it says, I love you enough to say no .... truths that my parents have always said to me and truths that I plan to pass onto my kids.

This book is heartfelt and witty. I wish there are more writers like Erma still out there. Sometimes, it seems like not everyone has a sense of humor anymore about life ~~ and even though life was hard, Erma made it all worthwhile. It still rings true today.

5-15-06

Erma Bombeck is great! If you have children, or even if your children are grown and gone like mine, you will still get chuckles and remember when!

For anyone is a parent of a teenager, or anyone who is interested in reading more about that complex, and turbulent dynamic, this book is for you. I first read this book when I was eleven years old, and it just got me reading and enjoying more of Erma Bombeck's unique and broad brand of humor. To top that off, the little comic interludes, illustrating themes and common day-to-day interactions between parents and children, are drawn beautifully by Bil Keane, who went on to illustrate the successful comic strip, "Family Circus," for years.

Whether Erma Bombeck is taking on housekeeping, driving lessons, or hairstyles, she is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Granted, this book was originally written in the 1970s and there is a slightly dated hippie quality to the look of the teenagers in this book, the themes ring true today, as much as thirty years ago. Parents and their teenage children speak different languages, diverge greatly in their tastes in music, friends, romantic partners and lifestyle. Yet, God has put them together, to teach one another lessons in adversity, communication (or lack thereof) and exasperation!

Bombeck's talent shines brightly here. I also reccomend you check out "Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession," "The Grass is Greener Over the Septic Tank," "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits?", and "When You Begin to Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home." They are also great examples of her comedic writing, and warm insight into life and its day-to-day mini-disasters!

The book was first published in 1970 and the text and the illustrations are showing their age. Let's face it, the kids who where teenagers in it are now in their mid to late 40s. Of course with the 2000s being into the 1970s retro look and sound, maybe what's old is new.

That's not to say it wasn't a quick and enjoyable read and Bil Keane's illustrations are humorous too. I recommend flipping through the book once just to enjoy his illustrations. Imagine the Family Circus kids as hippy teenagers. Actually come to think of it, the Family Circus kids probably are actually in their mid to late forties as well.

I've been a fan of Erma Bombeck since *long* before "The Grass is Always Greener.." and teaming her yolks with Bil Keane was a stroke - of genius. Never picturing the Keane children before in a post-pubescent manner, the effect on the text was stunning. Did Jeffy really grow mutton-chop sideburns? Was Dolly suffering emetophilia as Ms. Bombeck suggests? In so many ways, this book is like Disney's "The Lion King," only without the Uncle Scar, and the part with the hyenas. I'd recommend it highly for the witty text, but the binding was a problem as the pages tend to slip out if you bend the book open too far. Still, four stars for Mrs. Bombeck and Bil!

Pairing Bil Keane (Of "Family Circus" fame) and Erma Bombeck was a stroke of genius. These two work very well together - it's a shame they didn't do more work together.

Of course, the title is the "mother's curse" - if you had a mom, you may remember her using that line on you. I often wonder if that's why some people don't have children.

This book takes you thru "expert" advice - and than shows you how the situation plays out in the real world. If you are a parent of a teen, you may want this book just so you can remember they don't stay teenagers forever (they _don't_ , really - tho sometimes it's hard to believe).

So get this book, find a quiet spot (HA! what's that, the bathroom?) and enjoy - it's cheaper and more fun that psychotherapy.

The first few chapters got me laughing, yes. But later on, I felt like I was reading a stand up comedian's script. It made me feel that everytime she goes on a vacation, she turns every moment as an oppurtunity to make it derogatorily funny. A bit too pessimistic for me.
i liked however how she pointed out the 'usual' members of a travel group and the confinement of travelling with a group.
sometimes the accounts are too exagerrated, bordering on slapstick: (when she decided to travel and not be a house-sitter anymore, she held up her hands to declare this, clutching the neighbor's hamster).
This is a book that may be enjoyed by people who travel so that they could be reminded of how things are all better 'back home'. People who genuinely love to travel (for love of culture and other purposes) may find it a waste of time reading this.

This is the first book I've read by Irma Bombeck and I bought it because of the rave reviews from other readers. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I am recovering from a broken ankle and needing a "little cheering up". This book did the trick. I was laughing nonstop. I would highly recommend it!

Erma's funniest book yet! Every time I'm on a car trip and I'm stuck behind an RV, I think of her experience driving the "rig" with her hands clamped to the wheel, etc. I think of her regretting having more children than she had backseat windows and paying a fortune for a cruise only to spend half the voyage throwing up into a sink shaped like a seashell. Erma took mundane real life for mothers/wives and made it funny.

The title at first hadnt seemed so appealing to me, but the contents of the novel is what matters the most. My mother had urged me to read this book saying it was both witty and funny. A optimistic novel, turning lifes issues into comedy. In her book " When you Look like YouPassport Photo" she writes about her travel experiences which you can both laugh with and at the same time relate to. It starts off with her never having left her home town, to renting the smallest and most unpractical home RV in the world to deciding to leaving her children home to explore Europe. Even if you havent traveled you can laugh at the way she describes even the weirdest things and if you have relate to the tour guides and horrible food services. The memeroable husband always thinking that there are consipiracies going on in the system. The Hotel rationing the same piece of hard roll for every serving. Then there is always your typical bus groups. The health fanatic upfront, the photo mania and your typical drunk always singing at certain stops. I found it funny when she explaned that she had more children than she had window seats and just basically how she compared her life to things. IN her book, she gives tips and rules on travel issues. I havent read a book that made me laugh from page to page liek this one, this is a book no one should miss reading. Her perspective is always fresh, always giving her own ideas her own opinios. " Food for the dangerous" isnt this a catchy yet dangerous phrase. Erma describes all things with a different look. I heard that the authot died a few years ago and i praise her. Having suffering so much illness and even althrough this, having the ability to narate such an optimistic and hilarious book.

& this was the best. You can litterally place yourself in her shoes & experience comical things you could never have imagined happening to yourself. The way she narrates really grabs you into the book & won't let you go, & when your finished you need another of her books or you'll go into withdrawl syndrome. It was a horrible loss she died & took her comical genius that no one else has mastered with her.

Quite amusing, not every single chapter great, but funny enough to keep me going.

Erma Bombeck is the best. Family life is challenging, but Erma gives it to you straight...there's comedy in everything. Each of her books shares stories with the others, but from different points of view. If you're up for a good laugh, read this book!

I grew up reading Erma Bombeck. I have always loved her columns and her books. My parents and I would sit around the dinner table and discuss her columns ~~ but now as a mother and a wife, I have a much better appreciation of Erma's writing.

This one is about her kids coming home in 1987 and one of them announced that he's moving back in permanently ~~ and it's a rundown of all the things that family members do. Sometimes, it's funny and sometimes, it's annoying. But what are you going to do? Throw them out on the streets? Erma had me laughing all night while laying in the hospital bed with a sick preschooler. She's been there and I am going through it. It's a honest, refreshing look at parenting and marriage ~~ everyone should read Erma. She gets her points across with humor and statire.

I am reading three others of her books ~~ and can't wait to read them. She's the perfect medicine for this housewife!

5-11-06

One of the funniest humor columnists of all time, Erma Bombeck has scored again with this funny snapshot of family life.

It's 1987, and all three Bombeck children have come home for a visit (one of whom has decided to make his visit permanent). Not only does Erma provide us with a timeline of the events of this particular weekend, she also delves back into her memories of the years gone by as she routinely attempts to defend her parenting skills (or lack of them) to us.

It's been several years since Erma Bombeck passed away. But her books continue to be as funny and relevent today as they were back then. "Family - The Ties That Bind and Gag" is no different.

Just the thought of a family re-union sends Erma Bombeck reliving her family's past. And it is _hilarious_!

This is a great book if you ever had or currently have a family or know somebody who has a family. It makes you laugh out loud.

"At Wit's End" was the first Erma Bombeck book I read. I've been told that I write like her, so I was curious about what she had to say. I found the set-up rather choppy and her flow severly erratic. Her humor was chuckle-worthy, but I felt she was writing more towards herself, expecting the readers to fully grasp her humor. Even if you're not a wife or mother, you can still enjoy what is being said about such topics. I "sorta" recommend.

This is Erma Bombeck's first book and you can see all that talent, all that material ready to make its mark on the world.

But it doesn't read as a "first book" - all the stuff is there - the kids letting you know on Sunday night they need a costume for the school play - this happens in 2002 just the same as it happened in the 1970s - and of course, mom has no idea what she's supposed to do about a costume. That part is worht the price of admission alone.

So find a quiet spot, maybe after the kids have gone to school and you're wondering if you relaly should have sent them since it's snowing and school will probably close early - get a cup of coffee and read about what it's really like to be a mom.
Oh, and keep the radio on, too - they'll be announcing the school closings for you - and of course, the bus won't be available to pick them up;)

This was Erma Bombeck's first book, and it is hilarious! It takes her through a one-year period, with all the trials and tribulations of housewivery. She tells a great story . . . and explains who she wrote this book for! It is a marvelous pick-me-up book. Read it! "My children have an imagination straight from the pages of Frankenstein. Once they put a live hamster on my chest to wake me up in the morning. As I bolted upright, my throat muscles paralyzed by fear, they asked, "Can we have the cardboard that comes with Daddy's shirts?"

I used to occasionally pick up my mother's Erma Bombeck books when I was a young teenager and read some of it -- I found it funny but didn't quite understand it.

I am now the stay-at-home mother of a three year old with the second baby on the way. What she writes about is as true in 2000 as it was in the 1970s. The environment may have changed -- not nearly as many stay-at-home moms, and the ones that are tend to be working from home, et cetera.

But there are still husbands who decide to fix the plumbing themselves, there are still kids who want cupcakes and a costume for the school play on Sunday night, and there are still women with college educations who haven't gotten to read a book other than the Dr. Seuss series since before the kids were born.

I understand now. I comprehend fully why my mother told me, when I asked as a naïve teenager what was so funny about Erma Bombeck, I'd understand later. There is no better author to make mothers feel like they're not the only person in the world that puts up with this . . . because their kids and husbands haven't noticed yet.

Of all the animals, man is only one that blushes -- or who needs
to. He is also the only one that laughs, or at least that's what
the naturalists claim. Perhaps it is because we humans are the
funniest of the animals, and who better to point that out than
the late Erma Bombeck?

In "All I Know About Human Behavior I Learned in Loehman's
Dressing Room", Bombeck shares some of the observations made by
the naturalists and then shows how humans are alike. The female
elephant, for example, carries her calf for 660 days before
giving birth and continues breeding until she is ninety years
old. But Bombeck doesn't feel too sorry for the elephant; after
all with her height she carries the extra weight quite well!

In the old days pregnancy was a real event in a woman's life; she
was told to give up exercise and could eat whatever she wanted.
Today, however, she has to exercise more than ever and everyone
is watching what she eats. Birth is so ordinary that a female

jockey delivered only a few hours after her third race. Surrogate
mothers made the old joke "Are you pregnant? No, I'm carrying it
for a friend" reality, and frozen embryos are part of the divorce
settlement!

Another notice tells of four dolphins who got lost and were
trapped in a New Jersey river. Of course we all know they had to
be men. Bombeck knows how to end all wars: "Let men give
directions on how to get there." Why don't men ask for
directions? It would compromise their masculinity.

Of course animals are involved in many laboratory experiments.
After wondering who got their permission, Bombeck continues: "I
have never been in a laboratory where mice are involved in
research. So when someone tells me they are being used to test
the effects of cigarette smoke and alcohol and the consequences
of too much sun, I have to believe there's a group of mice
sitting around the pool, smoking and drinking Mai Tais and
working on a tan."

When she thinks of animal speed, she thinks of the IRS cashing
your check (the fastest animal on earth) and giving a refund (the
snail is faster). When she reads about the devices that are used
to track animals in the wild, she remembers the various
electronic devices we have to stay in touch. What should you
record on that answering machine? "We're not home right now?"
That's obvious. "We'll return your call?" What if it is a
aluminum siding salesman?

This is not a connected narrative, but a series of sketches, each

based on a different piece of information about the animal
kingdom. As a result, you can read this in a hurry or stretch it
out. There are a few dry places, but this is a good book to bring
with you while you are waiting for your appointment with the IRS.

Heard the taped version of Erma Bombeck's ALL I KNOW ABOUT
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR I LEARNED IN LOEHMANNMN'S DRESSING
ROOM . . . this is a collection of 38 pieces where she compares and
contrasts animal behavior with that of the human species.

Not everything hit the mark, but those that did had me laughing quite
a bit . . . for example, when she compares the show-off behavior
of gorillas to the attention-getting ploys of Madonna, Howard Stern,
Roseanne, and other "professional exhibitionists, I kept thinking to myself
that there are indeed amazing parallels.

I also liked her observation about the fact that the female elephant
calf carries here calf for 660 days before giving birth and continues
breeding until she is 90 days old . . . however, Bombeck says not
to feel too sorry for the elephant; after all, her height enables her
to carry the extra weight quite well.

And then she tells the story of four dolphins who got lost and
were trapped in a New Jersey river. Of course, she contends, they
had to be men . . . which leads to the author's advice on ending
all wars: "Let men give directions on how to get there."

Bombeck, who died in 1996, was always one of my favorite
humorists . . . this book will help remind you just how funny she
was . . . narration by Barbara Rosenblatt was fine; however, I would
have preferred hearing the author herself.

I love Erma Bombeck. She is the best author I've read. This book continues that tradition. Every chapter is a laugh. The best part is, you can reread and reread the book and still laugh. Only Erma could do such a thing.