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At Wit's End
"America's irrepressible doyenne of domestic satire."THE BOSTON GLOBEMadcap, 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?"From the Paperback edition.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1965
187 people are currently reading
1037 people want to read
About the author
Erma Bombeck
102 books536 followersErma Louise Bombeck, born Erma Fiste, was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for a newspaper column that depicted suburban home life humorously, in the second half of the 20th century.
For 31 years since 1965, Erma Bombeck published 4,000 newspaper articles. Already in the 1970s, her witty columns were read, twice weekly, by thirty million readers of 900 newspapers of USA and Canada. Besides, the majority of her 15 books became instant best sellers.
For 31 years since 1965, Erma Bombeck published 4,000 newspaper articles. Already in the 1970s, her witty columns were read, twice weekly, by thirty million readers of 900 newspapers of USA and Canada. Besides, the majority of her 15 books became instant best sellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
October 28, 2018
I’d had a bad day. As in B-A-D. We’d decided that a little grounding in history and heritage would do wonders for our nearly-five-year-old and so had taken her off on a trip to Humayun’s Tomb. Over the next hour, our child asked us embarrassing questions—in a ringing voice that echoed all over the mausoleum—about why people were buried when they died, why Isa Khan was not Jesus, why, why, why, why…. A bird pooped on my husband’s shirt, and because we’d run out of wipes, said he’d just have to clean it up later… and proceeded to forget about it. Our car got jammed in the parking lot.
I was too tired to cook, so we stopped at some shops on the way home and—exhibiting a penchant for planning that surprised even us—bought hummus and baba ghanoush for dinner, and then couldn’t find pita bread. Anywhere. The kid went berserk with a stirrer at Starbucks and nearly put out my eye and her father’s and her own before I was able to palm it. The kid jumped, with her clog-like shoes (I swear, they weigh a ton) on my bare toes. By the time we got home, I was depressed. I sat down to dinner (we had to substitute regular bread for the pita) and wept into the hummus. After dinner, a search for an after-dinner liqueur—I was in dire need of some—yielded up nothing. I had to content myself with a little wedge of cheese (out of which the kid ate a big chunk) and a square of chocolate which I’d been saving up in the hope of offloading it on a Halloween trick-or-treater.
Some Erma Bombeck seemed not just in order, but desperately needed.
And how brilliant she is, this woman who sets out to write about the American housewife. From quarrels between husbands and wives, to going camping (and on vacations crowded with souvenir shops), from clubs and schools and grandmothers to impulse purchases, Christmas shopping, Santa Claus, resolutions to lose weight… it’s all there, and it’s hilarious.
We’re firm believers that at least once a year a family ought to get away from it all so they can appreciate good food, plush lodgings, convenience stores, and breathtaking scenery—upon their return home after two grim weeks of togetherness.
Bombeck has the ability to make me laugh by describing something that even I, half a world away and half a century later, can identify with. There is exaggeration, of course, but one can’t help but think that a lot of that can’t be all exaggeration. Because something uncannily similar has happened to me. Barring the few things she mentions that are quintessentially American (and even those, on some level or the other, I can relate to, because they translate into something similar here), nearly all is so universal for people who’re middle-aged, married, parents, grandparents, urban and suburban dwellers…
And yet, Bombeck is not all just funny. A lot of what she writes is insightful, if you stop to think about it. It often displays a fine observation of (and an empathy for) human nature. Plus, the way she writes about grandmothers, or the first day of sending a child off to school, or of the Christmas gifts made by children for their mothers—that was so poignant and so lovely, it actually brought a lump to my throat.
A big smile on my face and a lump in my throat: that’s a really great book, as far as I’m concerned.
I was too tired to cook, so we stopped at some shops on the way home and—exhibiting a penchant for planning that surprised even us—bought hummus and baba ghanoush for dinner, and then couldn’t find pita bread. Anywhere. The kid went berserk with a stirrer at Starbucks and nearly put out my eye and her father’s and her own before I was able to palm it. The kid jumped, with her clog-like shoes (I swear, they weigh a ton) on my bare toes. By the time we got home, I was depressed. I sat down to dinner (we had to substitute regular bread for the pita) and wept into the hummus. After dinner, a search for an after-dinner liqueur—I was in dire need of some—yielded up nothing. I had to content myself with a little wedge of cheese (out of which the kid ate a big chunk) and a square of chocolate which I’d been saving up in the hope of offloading it on a Halloween trick-or-treater.
Some Erma Bombeck seemed not just in order, but desperately needed.
And how brilliant she is, this woman who sets out to write about the American housewife. From quarrels between husbands and wives, to going camping (and on vacations crowded with souvenir shops), from clubs and schools and grandmothers to impulse purchases, Christmas shopping, Santa Claus, resolutions to lose weight… it’s all there, and it’s hilarious.
We’re firm believers that at least once a year a family ought to get away from it all so they can appreciate good food, plush lodgings, convenience stores, and breathtaking scenery—upon their return home after two grim weeks of togetherness.
Bombeck has the ability to make me laugh by describing something that even I, half a world away and half a century later, can identify with. There is exaggeration, of course, but one can’t help but think that a lot of that can’t be all exaggeration. Because something uncannily similar has happened to me. Barring the few things she mentions that are quintessentially American (and even those, on some level or the other, I can relate to, because they translate into something similar here), nearly all is so universal for people who’re middle-aged, married, parents, grandparents, urban and suburban dwellers…
And yet, Bombeck is not all just funny. A lot of what she writes is insightful, if you stop to think about it. It often displays a fine observation of (and an empathy for) human nature. Plus, the way she writes about grandmothers, or the first day of sending a child off to school, or of the Christmas gifts made by children for their mothers—that was so poignant and so lovely, it actually brought a lump to my throat.
A big smile on my face and a lump in my throat: that’s a really great book, as far as I’m concerned.
January 16, 2019
At Wit's End / 0449211843
As a child, I picked up several of Erma Bombeck's books at a used bookstore and read them again and again. Picking up At Wit's End was like returning to the home of an old friend where everything is comforting and familiar, and you can laugh at old jokes together. I was delighted to see that this kindle edition retains the artwork from the paper version, all of which I remembered with fondness.
Most of the essays here are still very very funny. There are times when Erma dips more deeply into sentiment for me than I want from my humor books--the deep sorrow she feels as time passes and her children age hits too close to home and I read those parts very quickly to get through them--but obviously this comes down to personal taste. There's an undercurrent here that I didn't remember from childhood of, hmm, holding men to lower standards than I'm comfortable in my current feminist life, which just shows how far we've come (yay) but made me profoundly sorry to Erma for some of the stuff she felt she had to put up with (boo). If buying this for a young person, expect to have to explain a LOT about the outdated language, the setting, and the culture it was coming from.
I'm happy to have this in my collection, but it's hard to say if I'd ever read it again. Maybe I might just pull it out from time to time to give my 'old friend' a hug.
~ Ana Mardoll
As a child, I picked up several of Erma Bombeck's books at a used bookstore and read them again and again. Picking up At Wit's End was like returning to the home of an old friend where everything is comforting and familiar, and you can laugh at old jokes together. I was delighted to see that this kindle edition retains the artwork from the paper version, all of which I remembered with fondness.
Most of the essays here are still very very funny. There are times when Erma dips more deeply into sentiment for me than I want from my humor books--the deep sorrow she feels as time passes and her children age hits too close to home and I read those parts very quickly to get through them--but obviously this comes down to personal taste. There's an undercurrent here that I didn't remember from childhood of, hmm, holding men to lower standards than I'm comfortable in my current feminist life, which just shows how far we've come (yay) but made me profoundly sorry to Erma for some of the stuff she felt she had to put up with (boo). If buying this for a young person, expect to have to explain a LOT about the outdated language, the setting, and the culture it was coming from.
I'm happy to have this in my collection, but it's hard to say if I'd ever read it again. Maybe I might just pull it out from time to time to give my 'old friend' a hug.
~ Ana Mardoll
January 6, 2015
Lighthearted, humorous, and with some nuggets of wisdom. Exactly the sort of book I was needing to read.
May 18, 2023
I didn't realize how much I'd missed Bombeck's wit until I let 40 years pass before reading her work again! At Wit's End is a delightfully humorous and witty look at a year in the life of a housewife. Foibles, fits, fury, desperation, love, wisdom and heart all rolled into Bombeck's signature style. Perfect for anyone needing a lift to their day!
January 14, 2022
Erma at her freshest and funniest.
This author's books are humor classics and some of her fans may be surprised to learn that she got her start as a columnist. A columnist (for the benefit of younger folks) was a writer whose short, recurring essays appeared (daily or weekly) in a newspaper. If you don't know what a newspaper is, please look it up. All newspapers had local columnists, but a few were syndicated and picked up nationally.
So why did Bombeck's funny columns about the toils and troubles of being a housewife and mother end up in over 900 newspapers across the country while most stayed local? No answer, really, except that she seemed to speak with the voice of the frustrated woman doing the same mindless, repetitive tasks over and over for an unappreciative family. Feminism was in its infancy and hadn't made a real difference in the lives of most American women.
Her tone was light, but the pain was real. I remember my own mother smiling ruefully when Bombeck said she'd found herself looking at absurd ads ("Work From Home! Address Envelopes For Pay!") and wondering if she could possibly do that. This was a college graduate who'd written for a newspaper before she started a family. Being isolated at home with little contact except toddlers strips many women of all confidence.
Her columns started in 1965 and by 1967, she had enough fans to justify publishing a book. This one is her first and says it's "based on her award-winning columns." Wisely, she chose not to reprint columns, but to rearrange the material into a "one year in the life of a housewife" format. That avoids the repetition that dooms many book-length compilations of columns.
Bombeck was and wasn't a ground-breaker. In the 1950's, Shirley Jackson and Jean Kerr published popular books about their families. The difference was that Jackson was a best-selling novelist and Kerr was a successful playwright BEFORE those books appeared. Both had famous, successful husbands and large houses and (most importantly) their OWN incomes.)
Bombeck was a mid-westerner who LIVED the life she wrote about - in a tract house struggling to manage with three kids on her husband's small teacher's salary. She was the REAL DEAL and readers sensed it and related to her.
She was funny and uninhibited and unafraid to make fun of herself. That fearlessness and her tender love of children hit a cord with many women who WANTED children, but who were overwhelmed by the reality of being 24/7 care-givers.
As one of her original readers, I still find her books entertaining. And I think this one (the first) is the best of all. But will younger readers who scratch their heads at the idea of man-as-breadwinner-wife-as-drudge relate to her stories? I think so because I think good humor writing transcends time. You may not pick up on every reference (just as I miss some in more modern books) but her shrewd, exasperated view of human nature is bound to resonate with many readers.
If you're not a Bombeck fan, this book is the place to start.
This author's books are humor classics and some of her fans may be surprised to learn that she got her start as a columnist. A columnist (for the benefit of younger folks) was a writer whose short, recurring essays appeared (daily or weekly) in a newspaper. If you don't know what a newspaper is, please look it up. All newspapers had local columnists, but a few were syndicated and picked up nationally.
So why did Bombeck's funny columns about the toils and troubles of being a housewife and mother end up in over 900 newspapers across the country while most stayed local? No answer, really, except that she seemed to speak with the voice of the frustrated woman doing the same mindless, repetitive tasks over and over for an unappreciative family. Feminism was in its infancy and hadn't made a real difference in the lives of most American women.
Her tone was light, but the pain was real. I remember my own mother smiling ruefully when Bombeck said she'd found herself looking at absurd ads ("Work From Home! Address Envelopes For Pay!") and wondering if she could possibly do that. This was a college graduate who'd written for a newspaper before she started a family. Being isolated at home with little contact except toddlers strips many women of all confidence.
Her columns started in 1965 and by 1967, she had enough fans to justify publishing a book. This one is her first and says it's "based on her award-winning columns." Wisely, she chose not to reprint columns, but to rearrange the material into a "one year in the life of a housewife" format. That avoids the repetition that dooms many book-length compilations of columns.
Bombeck was and wasn't a ground-breaker. In the 1950's, Shirley Jackson and Jean Kerr published popular books about their families. The difference was that Jackson was a best-selling novelist and Kerr was a successful playwright BEFORE those books appeared. Both had famous, successful husbands and large houses and (most importantly) their OWN incomes.)
Bombeck was a mid-westerner who LIVED the life she wrote about - in a tract house struggling to manage with three kids on her husband's small teacher's salary. She was the REAL DEAL and readers sensed it and related to her.
She was funny and uninhibited and unafraid to make fun of herself. That fearlessness and her tender love of children hit a cord with many women who WANTED children, but who were overwhelmed by the reality of being 24/7 care-givers.
As one of her original readers, I still find her books entertaining. And I think this one (the first) is the best of all. But will younger readers who scratch their heads at the idea of man-as-breadwinner-wife-as-drudge relate to her stories? I think so because I think good humor writing transcends time. You may not pick up on every reference (just as I miss some in more modern books) but her shrewd, exasperated view of human nature is bound to resonate with many readers.
If you're not a Bombeck fan, this book is the place to start.
September 6, 2017
Maybe it was my head cold but Ms. Bombeck's first book, which was published in 1967, was not the pick-me-up I was hoping. I write this short review with trepidation. Being even slightly critical of Erma Bombeck here in the United States is comparable to whizzing on Mother Teresa's grave. The book mused about the lives of stay-at-home suburban moms while their husbands went off to work as the family's sole breadwinner. You will find no profanity nor blue comedy in 'At Wit's End'. That's fine. It wasn't Ms. Bombeck's style.
There were a handful of observations that made me smile but nothing that left me laughing out loud. The author described the less appealing aspects of being a stay-at-home mom. It is loaded with self-deprecation and exaggeration to drive home a point. Ms. Bombeck's book has evolved into a more nostalgic piece of work. She penned it during a time when going to the library was the norm, everybody had landlines, people collected trading stamps such as Green Stamps to redeem items, a milkman delivered goods to your doorstep, and no one wore seat belts. Some of the topics covered are vacationing and camping as a family, a husband's unfinished house projects, attempts at self-improvement, snow days, marital nagging, joining clubs, buying antiques, and raising children. Many of the cultural references used in the book will have the reader searching the Internet for answers. Alf Landon, William Powell, Myrna Loy, John Hall and Sabu, Bert Lahr, and a Jack Armstrong signet ring are examples of people gracing the pages of Ms. Bombeck's work who would likely give Jeopardy contestants flop sweat.
'At Wit's End' is a quick undemanding book and an enjoyable read for people who like to indulge in yesteryear. However, despite it being a nonpolitical book, it unintentionally kept reminding me that women had limited options back then. Ms. Bombeck mined much humor from the suburban housewife life, but I'm glad women have more choices today.
There were a handful of observations that made me smile but nothing that left me laughing out loud. The author described the less appealing aspects of being a stay-at-home mom. It is loaded with self-deprecation and exaggeration to drive home a point. Ms. Bombeck's book has evolved into a more nostalgic piece of work. She penned it during a time when going to the library was the norm, everybody had landlines, people collected trading stamps such as Green Stamps to redeem items, a milkman delivered goods to your doorstep, and no one wore seat belts. Some of the topics covered are vacationing and camping as a family, a husband's unfinished house projects, attempts at self-improvement, snow days, marital nagging, joining clubs, buying antiques, and raising children. Many of the cultural references used in the book will have the reader searching the Internet for answers. Alf Landon, William Powell, Myrna Loy, John Hall and Sabu, Bert Lahr, and a Jack Armstrong signet ring are examples of people gracing the pages of Ms. Bombeck's work who would likely give Jeopardy contestants flop sweat.
'At Wit's End' is a quick undemanding book and an enjoyable read for people who like to indulge in yesteryear. However, despite it being a nonpolitical book, it unintentionally kept reminding me that women had limited options back then. Ms. Bombeck mined much humor from the suburban housewife life, but I'm glad women have more choices today.
March 29, 2017
The writing is wonderful. The reflections are quirky, sarcastic, humorous and at times passionately divine. My favorite moments were the stamp collection… the golf game… and I squealed laughing on that part about ‘why the bass weren’t biting’. Men vs women on road trips gave me a good laugh, even if that one, sarcastic as it was, was kind of true. Bombeck’s memoir is definitely worth reading, given how initially I was at my wit’s end reading what started out mounting to the ‘boredom of housewifery,’ all to catch me by surprise culminating in truly redeeming testimonies ...and ending.
September 15, 2023
sorely needed, sadly missed
Erma Bombeck’s views are timeless. She could have written her books yesterday, or sixty years ago. I smile through my tears.
Erma Bombeck’s views are timeless. She could have written her books yesterday, or sixty years ago. I smile through my tears.
October 30, 2023
Always love Bombeck books. The funny twist on everyday life makes me smile through every chapter.
June 2, 2011
I love Erma Bombeck. Her stories sparkle with and insight and are perfect for reading aloud. Not only that, but she is laugh-out-loud funny! In this particular book, I enjoyed her struggles with the car that was a piece of junk that only understood German (how a car can understand human language is beyond me).
One thing I love about Erma's books is that I feel that I know the Bombecks personally. It's like I'm over at their house with the kids. Erma is everybody's mom- frazzled, cynical at times, always loving. She hits the insanity of daily life square on, with plenty of moments to really make you think.
One thing I love about Erma's books is that I feel that I know the Bombecks personally. It's like I'm over at their house with the kids. Erma is everybody's mom- frazzled, cynical at times, always loving. She hits the insanity of daily life square on, with plenty of moments to really make you think.
January 21, 2012
I love Erma's books! While other kids were sneakily reading the latest issue of Batman or Archie & Veronica comic books between the pages of their schoolbooks during class I was trying not to get caught laughing too loudly at the pages of the latest book by humorist author Erma Bombeck. Its safe to say that I grew up with her books and her name, and stories, just like V.C. Andrews', another author I grew up reading, brings back a lot of good reading memories. Erma, and her writing, will be dearly missed. We lucky that she left behind a treasure trove of very funny writing in her wake for generations to enjoy.
August 18, 2009
Erma Bombeck, a typical Ohio housewife and mother, first made a name for herself as a humour writer in the 1960's. In this, her first book, she guides us through the typical depression cycles that plague the modern housewife (and cover every day of the year). She rallies gamely to the challenges of husbands, children, housework, birth control and awkward social situations, and treats them with resignation and humour. Her wit and wisdom are just as warm, relevant and enjoyable today as they were over 40 years ago when she wrote them.
September 8, 2015
Although the book is one of her older ones, much of it is still relevant today. Parts of it made me get all teary-eyed and other parts had me laughing. This was the first Erma Bombeck book I've read and I look forward to reading more by her. One of my favorite quotes is when she talks about problems with getting one's midriff toned: "If I can’t tighten up the muscles in time for beach exposure perhaps I can use it for a snack tray."
did-not-actually-finish
October 8, 2011My first Kindle library book! The checkout procedure was incredibly easy. I'm so glad this is now an option!
As for the book itself, I was somewhat disappointed. I imagine that when it was written it was groundbreaking and hilarious. It's still somewhat funny, but the large number of snarky bloggers that Bombeck has inspired--whether they know it or not--are more current and, I think, funnier. Since I have limited reading time, I decided not to finish this.
As for the book itself, I was somewhat disappointed. I imagine that when it was written it was groundbreaking and hilarious. It's still somewhat funny, but the large number of snarky bloggers that Bombeck has inspired--whether they know it or not--are more current and, I think, funnier. Since I have limited reading time, I decided not to finish this.
December 9, 2020
At Wit's End is perhaps the humorous book that started the legendary Ms Erma Bombeck on the bumpy road to superstardom. Or is it "superstar dumb-di-dumdum"? Erma has a unique viewpoint on motherhood, wifehood and your basic neighborhood. It was the early 70s, Vietnam was on TV competing with pro football on weekends and Bradys bunching it on ABC TV. Erma survived this period, and when it comes to child rearing, bad PTA meetings, horticulture clubs with snooty ladies and husbands more focus on the Steelers dominating than on their wives complaining about switching from football to Peyton Place on the next channel, "survive" is the key phrase.
Bombeck bombs heck out of our false perceptions of what women might've been as seen on lousy soap operas using dry, sly and wry humor that sometimes borders on profound and sometimes touches the heart. One sequence especially is a moving passage of mother Erma's wish for her child to be safe in the world outside while the Vietnam War raged on, and this before the poor kid gets bored and runs off to play with his Action Jackson doll. Erma is perceptive and often feminist but well meaning and forgiving in the end, learning to slowly but surely accept the oldest standby in the book of Americana: life is as life is, and the best way to beat the system is not to beat it but to roll with the punch, albeit Hawaiian Punch minus the alcohol. Erma has inspired my own twisted humor in the past and it's great to read her again. She's gone now, but her Wit's End is not exactly in sight, and it's not the End that matters, it's the fun of the journey itself.
Four stars
At Wits End is the golden Rainbow of laughs!
Bombeck bombs heck out of our false perceptions of what women might've been as seen on lousy soap operas using dry, sly and wry humor that sometimes borders on profound and sometimes touches the heart. One sequence especially is a moving passage of mother Erma's wish for her child to be safe in the world outside while the Vietnam War raged on, and this before the poor kid gets bored and runs off to play with his Action Jackson doll. Erma is perceptive and often feminist but well meaning and forgiving in the end, learning to slowly but surely accept the oldest standby in the book of Americana: life is as life is, and the best way to beat the system is not to beat it but to roll with the punch, albeit Hawaiian Punch minus the alcohol. Erma has inspired my own twisted humor in the past and it's great to read her again. She's gone now, but her Wit's End is not exactly in sight, and it's not the End that matters, it's the fun of the journey itself.
Four stars
At Wits End is the golden Rainbow of laughs!
April 29, 2024
My mom just loved Erma Bombeck, so when I needed to read a book of essays I decided to read one of hers.
First published in 1965, At Wit's End is the book that started the legendary columnist on the road to humor superstardom. At a time when women had few options, Bombeck's funny columns about the toils and troubles of being a housewife and mother ended up in over 900 newspapers across the country. In the days when everyone subscribed to the daily newspaper, her twice weekly columns were the first thing my mom turned to.
Bombeck has the ability to make me laugh by describing something that I can still identify with. She has a wonderful way of displaying an incredible empathy and observation for human nature.
Yes, it's very dated and younger readers would never recognize half the things the author is describing. While I found this to be a witty and amusing nostalgic read, it won't be for readers who didn't grow up in the sixties and seventies. For me, personally, it was a little time capsule that took me back to some happy times and made me wish I could talk to my mom again.
First published in 1965, At Wit's End is the book that started the legendary columnist on the road to humor superstardom. At a time when women had few options, Bombeck's funny columns about the toils and troubles of being a housewife and mother ended up in over 900 newspapers across the country. In the days when everyone subscribed to the daily newspaper, her twice weekly columns were the first thing my mom turned to.
Bombeck has the ability to make me laugh by describing something that I can still identify with. She has a wonderful way of displaying an incredible empathy and observation for human nature.
Yes, it's very dated and younger readers would never recognize half the things the author is describing. While I found this to be a witty and amusing nostalgic read, it won't be for readers who didn't grow up in the sixties and seventies. For me, personally, it was a little time capsule that took me back to some happy times and made me wish I could talk to my mom again.
May 5, 2023
Bombeck's knows how to take the everyday mundane and make it witty and entertaining. She also has many truths in this small book of wit.
I especially enjoyed the final section on men's inability to come up with a Christmas gift until the final hour. I mean after all it's not like they didn't have 364 other days to remember it might be a nice gesture to give their S.O. a thoughtful gift, if you can wait until the last second before the store closes and get some random thing they might have mentioned in passing while talking about the weather, ha! Yeah, that's not exactly how she worded it, but I think I've lived through enough of those and I gave up on that when the one year my miserable louse told me the day of while he tore into the gift I gave him; "I thought we weren't exchanging gifts this year". I've saved a lot of grief, I don't expect anything from him, I'll just buy what I want, he always did. Some say it's pessimism, I'm being optimistic - I know he won't buy it therefore, be happy and get what I need instead of waiting for being disappointed, LOL!
Now back to the book, she knows how to make you remember the time when it was you saying those things but now you can laugh at them while remembering!
I especially enjoyed the final section on men's inability to come up with a Christmas gift until the final hour. I mean after all it's not like they didn't have 364 other days to remember it might be a nice gesture to give their S.O. a thoughtful gift, if you can wait until the last second before the store closes and get some random thing they might have mentioned in passing while talking about the weather, ha! Yeah, that's not exactly how she worded it, but I think I've lived through enough of those and I gave up on that when the one year my miserable louse told me the day of while he tore into the gift I gave him; "I thought we weren't exchanging gifts this year". I've saved a lot of grief, I don't expect anything from him, I'll just buy what I want, he always did. Some say it's pessimism, I'm being optimistic - I know he won't buy it therefore, be happy and get what I need instead of waiting for being disappointed, LOL!
Now back to the book, she knows how to make you remember the time when it was you saying those things but now you can laugh at them while remembering!
May 14, 2025
THE MOST UNDERRATED AUTHOR OF ALL TIME! more people need to read her books. Found them in a whole in the wall secondhand bookstore in bandgalore on church street and have since bought almost all her books. Her commentary on the regularities and mundanely essence of life is so flawlessly accurate it makes you go back to the publishing date to remind yourself this woman’s existed in the fifties and wrote books like this. She’s the Julia Child of the writing world. I love her books !
Seriously Laugh Out Loud Funny !!! Like spit your coffee out through your nostrils hilarious! Like hold your belly and gasp for air coz you’re struggling to breathe coz you can’t stop laughing. Her wit is surely about her. Imagine laughing so hard from reading a book. That’s Erma Bombeck
Seriously Laugh Out Loud Funny !!! Like spit your coffee out through your nostrils hilarious! Like hold your belly and gasp for air coz you’re struggling to breathe coz you can’t stop laughing. Her wit is surely about her. Imagine laughing so hard from reading a book. That’s Erma Bombeck
August 7, 2019
Funny as always. Because At Wit’s End was published in 1965, some of the cultural references may be lost on younger readers; however, knowledge of cultural figures from the sixties is not need to enjoy the book. As an ‘older’ reader I was struck by how relevant the humour still was. Kids and husbands are still kids and husbands after all.
A collection of Bombeck’s more popular columns, At Wit’s End, leaves the reader laughing and thinking at the same time. A definite recommended read if humour writing is your cup of tea. I’ve been a fan for over forty years and haven’t been disappointed yet.
A collection of Bombeck’s more popular columns, At Wit’s End, leaves the reader laughing and thinking at the same time. A definite recommended read if humour writing is your cup of tea. I’ve been a fan for over forty years and haven’t been disappointed yet.
July 3, 2022
A book I decided to pick up because I was in a nostalgic mood, yet I found something that cemented my fear of marriage. The narrator uses this as an outlet for her day-to-day headaches, but all I read was why women’s divorce rate skyrocketed after the ‘60s. I can’t imagine my life being like this. Everyone is a burden onto her, though I don’t think that is the purpose of this book. All I see when I read this is a woman unhappy in her life, yet trying to make the best of it. It’s almost sad because I know this is the reality of so many women even today.
September 2, 2021
When I was young, I loved Erma Bombeck, long before I was even married (let alone had kids), and yet I found her funny and endearing. Now, at 55, I reread about a third of this, skipping around, a couple of evenings when waiting for sleep. While she has a very definite time and place, much of her experience is universal, and only a small fraction of her humor seems too dated for the current day. In short, she is very nearly timeless, and this book is highly recommended.
October 17, 2021
I've read other Bombeck books and really enjoyed them, but this book seemed a little too much, I thought. It was definitely funny, and I noted a few comments that really made me laugh, but there were way too many clever comments. Every single sentence contained at least one, and often more than one joke. I'm a big fan of wit and cleverness, but this book tried too hard. I'll still give it a 3-star rating since I spent a few enjoyable hours with it, and I will read more from this author.
August 2, 2020
American humor at it's best. The ups and downs, wins and loss of a housewife - the underrated professional job taken by a women, is much unnoticed or appreciated. Through this book Erma brings out the essential honor to a women through a well established cobwebs of enlighten experiences she follows in her life. Superb !!.
January 12, 2021
Erma Bombeck is so funny! Her humor transcends generations of women, although many of her references are dated now, the majority of her thoughts and reflections still hit home for the American housewife and mother- the woman who is "overkidsed and underpatienced with four years of college and chapped hands all year around."
February 16, 2023
My grandmother had every Erma Bombeck and I read them in middle school when staying with her. Not exactly the target demo but I liked them.
Now, when I saw this one on my library website, I thought I’d give it a nostalgic read. As a parent, I figured I’d be more likely to get the parenting jokes.
Unfortunately, it’s all VERY dated. Still, credit to her for bringing humor and joy to so many.
Now, when I saw this one on my library website, I thought I’d give it a nostalgic read. As a parent, I figured I’d be more likely to get the parenting jokes.
Unfortunately, it’s all VERY dated. Still, credit to her for bringing humor and joy to so many.
December 1, 2018
This book really opened up my eyes. It got to the core of my personal issues. The author was very insightful about writing this book. I loved how real she was with opening up and telling us our story. The book was very funny and amusing though, getting to see inside Erma's life.
December 29, 2021
A look back
I didn't read Erma Bombeck back in 1965 when this book first came out. I was only 3 years old.
The first half felt trapped and miserable. Very Pre-Women's Lib.
But, the rest of the book was much nicer, and I liked it a lot more.
I didn't read Erma Bombeck back in 1965 when this book first came out. I was only 3 years old.
The first half felt trapped and miserable. Very Pre-Women's Lib.
But, the rest of the book was much nicer, and I liked it a lot more.
March 3, 2023
I was hoping for laughs but I only got 4-5 at the most. It’s wildly satirical and very dated. Written in the mid 1960’s when I was in high school, there were a few moments of nostalgia for me. It is written for and about wives and mothers, so I am just the wrong gender…
July 10, 2024
A very entertaining, and witty read. Erma Bombeck makes of the ordinary and mundane situations in life hilariously funny and filled with a sardonic twist on almost everything. Highly recommended to anyone possessing a Funnybone!
October 1, 2024
Great read for housewives
While there are several references that are dated in this book, it's still a fabulous read. Erma is hilarious, insightful, and genuine in her writing. I look forward to reading more of her work.
While there are several references that are dated in this book, it's still a fabulous read. Erma is hilarious, insightful, and genuine in her writing. I look forward to reading more of her work.
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