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Erma Bombeck
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Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession Kindle Edition

by Erma Bombeck (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 422 ratings
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#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.
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Previous page
  1. ISBN-13
    978-0070064546
  2. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  3. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 2013
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    6943 KB
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A gifted writer blessed with the comic equivalent of perfect pitch.” —The Boston Globe “Erma Bombeck may be gone, but she’ll live on forever in her columns.” ­—Booklist “A historic figure of publishing and newspapering. It’s not just that she was the best; she was the only.” —Phil Donahue

From the Publisher

What kind of mother would...

...hang up on E.T.?

...tip the tooth fairy?

...wash a measuring cup with soap after it held only water?

...reply when asked what it was like to give birth to Erma Bombeck, "It was a rooten job, but someone had to do it."

Read Erma Bombeck's hilarious new book to find out...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00ARQXXF6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (January 15, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6943 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 422 ratings

About the author

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Erma Bombeck

Erma Bombeck

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Beloved for her wry yet warm look at family life, Erma Bombeck was America's favorite humorist at the time of her death in 1996. Ten of her 13 books, including Forever, Erma, appeared on the New York Times best-seller list. She claimed her first fiction writing was the weather forecast in the Dayton Herald. Her favorite food was pasta, and her hobby was dust.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
422 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Gayle Kirkman
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Just delightful. So witty, clever, funny, touching, tearful, so common and true. Every stage of a mothers life. She got it!
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GrandmaRoot
5.0 out of 5 stars Erma Bombeck equals laughs and tears
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2023
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The chapters were wonderful and on point. She was a wonderful writer. I read her first before anything else in the paper. Miss her😞
One person found this helpful
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Kate70
4.0 out of 5 stars But this series of essays allows a bit of insight as to what the author is like otherwise when she is not making us laugh out ..
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2014
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This is a more philosophical account of mothers than it is humorous, and I was caught off-guard since my expectations were to howl with laughter since the writer is Erma Bombeck. But this series of essays allows a bit of insight as to what the author was like otherwise when she was not making us laugh out loud. If you are a mother, or if you love your mother, then even if the text is somewhat dated, it is a nice volume to read and see a gentler side of the author. I miss her humor since she passed, and I enjoyed this tone as something different from her usual package.
8 people found this helpful
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Phyllis
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a lovely read
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
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It is Erma Bombeck-no more needs to be said!
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2021
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I have in print form a couple of her books. I will pick them up and just pick a random page and pretty soon I will be laughing. She knew how to make fun of herself and make everyone else happy. She helped us realize that we are normal even when our world was spinning like crazy.
3 people found this helpful
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Bill Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from Erma Bombeck I'd recommend for everyone
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2014
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Anyone who has ever read the first thing written by Erma Bombeck will open this book and realize what great a humorist she was. I began chuckling midway through the Introduction and didn't stop until I'd finished the book. Erma Bombeck may be the only writer who can have you laughing at the beginning of a story and wiping away tears by it's ending. If a man can enjoy this I would imagine women everywhere would stand and shout "Right on, Erma". My only regret is I got it on my Kindle and if I let my wife read it I'll be without my Kindle for awhile. Then again ... Christmas is coming soon, isn't it?
8 people found this helpful
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kori
3.0 out of 5 stars I HAVE LOVED ERMA BOMBECK SINCE I WAS YOUNG AND MY MOTHER ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2016
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I HAVE LOVED ERMA BOMBECK SINCE I WAS YOUNG AND MY MOTHER HAD HER BOOKS LYING AROUND! THIS BOOK IS VERY GOOD , BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNIER. IT DOES TOUCH ON THE MANY DIFFERENT MOMS OUT THERE, SUCH AS SPECIAL NEEDS MOMS AND MOMS WHO HAVE A HARD TIME CONCEIVING. IT WAS DISTURBING WHEN AN ACCOUNT OF A MOTHER WHO HAD KILLED HER CHILDREN AND WAS IN JAIL WAS INCLUDED IN THE BOOK AS SAYING THAT SHE WISHED SHE HAD READ ERMA'S BOOK BEFORE SHE HAD TAKEN HER CHILDREN'S LIVES. IT TOUCHES ON THE VERY SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES HEART BREAKING EXPERIANCES OF MOTHERHOOD. NOT WHAT I EXPECTED WHEN I SENT IT TO MY NIECE WHEN SHE LEARNED THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT. IT'S OUTDATED IN SOME INSTANCES. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD GIFT FOR A NEW MOM.
4 people found this helpful
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LP
4.0 out of 5 stars No one does it better
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2019
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No one does it better than Erma Bombeck. I remember my mom reading her newspaper column and having a good laugh. Then, I too started reading and laughing. There are just some things about being a mom that never will change, and only Erma could put her quick witted spin on it. There has never been, nor ever will be, another Erma.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I read this book when i had my son.
Reviewed in Canada on August 16, 2019
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I bought this for my daughter she is having her first baby and she likes the book.

Susan Rose
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Aparna Raman
5.0 out of 5 stars The ‘motherhood’ book that gets it right!
Reviewed in India on August 9, 2020
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Erma Bombeck’s sharp wit and wry humour is an absolute treat. This book paints motherhood in its true colours which are rainbow, mud and sprinkles. Don’t read in public unless you can choke down your laughter!
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Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Germany on February 3, 2017
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Great book! Really enjoyed reading it and laughed often. It describes what it really means to be a mother - not this "perfect motherhood" that you see on the TV or in magazines but real life experiences and examples :-)
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Iceey
5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous all the way through
Reviewed in Australia on June 26, 2019
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While it is tongue in cheek the realities and actual experiences resonate as happening to the reader. Recommended to all - men and women.
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mjsbunny
5.0 out of 5 stars As good as I remember...maybe even better!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2013
Verified Purchase
I first read this book when I was very young; I don't think I was even a teenager yet. But even back then, I found it hilarious and remember reading it a few times. So reading this a couple weeks ago brought back all sorts of memories. And it was even better this time around, because I realised that back then, I didn't 'get' a lot of what she was talking about, even though it made me laugh. But now that I'm older and can appreciate the references better (even though I don't have any children), it's even funnier.

A classic book, not just for mothers.
2 people found this helpful
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