Most Popular Books by Erma Bombeck

Best-loved writing from America''s favorite humorist.

"America''s irrepressible doyenne of domestic satire." THE BOSTON GLOBE Madcap, bittersweet humor in classic Erma Bombeck-style. You''ll laugh until it hurts and love it! "Any mother with half a skull knows that when Daddy''s little boy becomes Mommy''s little boy, the kid is so wet, he''s treading water. What do you mean you''re a participle in the school play and you need a costume? Those rotten kids. If only they''d let me wake up in my own way. Why do they have to line up along my bed and stare at me like Moby Dick just washed up onto a beach somewhere?"

In 1979, someone asked humorist Erma Bombeck, "If you had your life to live over, would you change anything''" Her immediate answer was no, but once she thought about it, she changed her mind. The result was a classic column full of Bombeck"s signature wit and warmth. Now the beloved column that has hung on hundreds of refrigerator doors has been cheerily illustrated and designed as a handsome gift book, Eat Less Cottage and More Ice Cream. In it, Bombeck gently reminds us of what is really important in life:"If I had my life to live over again I would have waxed less and listened more."I would have cried and laughed less while watching television . . . and more while watching real life."But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it . . . look at it and really see it . . . try it on . . . live it . . . exhaust it . . . and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it. . . . "Long-time fans of Erma Bombeck will be thrilled to have this favorite column in the form of a beautiful keepsake. Readers discovering Bombeck for the first time will become fans instantly. Eat Less Cottage and More Ice Cream offers wisdom to inspire all of us.

Three hilarious books in one from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author on marriage, motherhood, and the absurdities of suburban life. If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? is Erma Bombeck''s timelessly witty look at the hidden side of married life. Motherhood captures one of the toughest jobs on earth with humor and heart. The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank is Bombeck''s take on the unforgiving frontier of American suburbia.

#1 New York Times bestseller: A hilarious look at one of the toughest jobs on earth, by a writer "with the comic equivalent of perfect pitch" ( The Boston Globe). Anyone who thinks motherhood is easy has never had children. To care for children, a husband, and oneself is a superhuman task, and any woman who appears to be expert at doing all three simultaneously is not Supermom—she''s a good actress. For three decades, Erma Bombeck chronicled motherhood''s daily frustrations and victories. In this classic anthology, she presents all sorts of mothers, and even a stay-at-home dad, on good days and bad. With hilarious anecdotes and deep compassion, she shows that there is no other profession that demands so much, and rewards so highly. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erma Bombeck including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author''s estate.

When it first appeared in Erma Bombeck''s Mother''s Day column in 1974, When God Created Mothers was an instant success, clipped from newspapers, tucked into purses, and tacked onto refrigerators all over America. Now in this beautiful keepsake edition, Bombeck''s moving words are paired with original art that bring to life the warm portrait of motherhood contained within.An angel marvels at the detail and overtime that the good Lord is putting into his creation of mothers. Despite the six pairs of hands and the three pairs of eyes that every mother needs, the angel thinks she has discovered a flaw:"There''s a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.""It''s not a leak," said the Lord. "It''s a tear.""What''s it for?""It''s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride.""You are a genius," said the angel.The Lord looked somber, "I didn''t put it there."Every mother will treasure this moving tribute, penned by America''s most beloved expert on motherhood.

“[Erma Bombeck] is marvelously funny, direct as a hypodermic, a virtuoso in the field of suburban living.”—Vogue It’s the exposé to end all exposés—the truth about the suburbs: where they planted trees and crabgrass came up, where they planted the schools and taxes came up, where they died of old age trying to merge onto the freeway and where they finally got sex out of the schools and back into the gutters.

A cherished family reunion sets the stage of Erma Bombeck''s predictably hilarious recollections of raising a family. Her conclusion: you can''t live with them, you can''t live without them...or can you...?

The #1 New York Times bestseller about one woman’s doomed quest for self-improvement by a writer “blessed with the comic equivalent of perfect pitch” (The Boston Globe). As far as Erma can tell, her life is going well. Her children speak to her, her husband smiles at her, and she’s capable of looking in a mirror without screaming. But her friends know better. No matter how happy Erma thinks she is, she’s in need of help, and the only way to fulfillment is a ten-foot stack of self-improvement books. From Sensual Needlepoint to Fear of Buying, Erma will try them all. One book recommends bringing roleplay into the bedroom, so she dresses up in her son’s football pads. She tries to meditate but gets stuck in the lotus position. She spends more time in the kitchen but only succeeds in melting her son’s retainer. No matter how hard she tries to improve her family life, her schemes keep backfiring. As she soon learns, you may not always be able to fix what’s not broken—but with enough self-help books, you can break anything you want. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erma Bombeck including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate.

The hilarious #1 New York Times bestseller: Erma Bombeck''s take on marriage and family life is "fun from cover to cover" ( Hartford Courant). Ever since she was a child, Er ma Bombeck has been an expert worrier, and married life has only honed that skill. She gets anxious about running out of ball bearings; about snakes sneaking in through the pipes; about making meaningful conversation on New Year''s Eve. Married life, she realizes, is an unpredictable saga even when you know exactly how loud your husband snores every night—and she wouldn''t have it any other way. In this crisp collection of essays, Bombeck shows off the irresistible style that made her one of America''s favorite humorists for more than three decades. When she sharpens her wit, no family member is sacred and no self-help fad is safe. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erma Bombeck including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author''s estate.

Presents a humorous discussion of a forty-three-year-old marriage.

A collection of mordantly hilarious and sharply-observed stories on motherhood from the bestselling author of Family—The Ties That Bind . . . And Gag! Erma Bombeck has learned a few things about children and family over the years—and in a way that is uniquely and wonderfully her own, she shares everything she knows with her readers. Whether it''s cleaning up after the kids and him, or expendable mothers-in-law, Erma Bombeck gets to the heart of the matter and makes us laugh through our tears. Praise for I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression “A truly wise and funny woman; a laugh-till-you-cry book.”—Library Journal “The smiles never stop until the last chapter ends with a poignant insight into growing up and being a parent.”—The Abilene Reporter-News

The grass is always greener over the septic tank; If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits?; Aunt Erma''s cope book; Motherhood: the second oldest profession.

The inimitable Erma Bombeck, whose unbroken record of New York Times bestsellers and who nationally syndicated column have made her one of America''s favourite writers, turns her insightful trademark sense of humor on the surprising similarities between the animal world and ourselves. Some species have more fun, fewer teeth or longer tails, but compare your experience with humankind against ... the garter snake transvertite ... the barn swallow who can''t make a commitment ... the lion who mates 86 times a day ... and you''ll see, as Erma does, the gap is closing daily!

"The author tells of her travel experiences around the world, addressing the questions of travelers everywhere." --

"She goes a long way with her book to prove that humor is the best -- possibly the only -- way to keep the world on an even keel." CHICAGO SUN-TIMES Remember the things Mother used to say? Erma Bombeck remembers them all and now she''s using them on her own kids! With clever illustrations by Bil Keane, these really funny, too-true observations on family and kids and why it shouldn''t work but does, is a wonderful antitdote to the daily problems and crises that every family faces. With Erma Bombeck in your corner, laughter is the best coach you can have....