HOW I GOT TO B PERFCT

by Jean Kerr

Book by Kerr, Jean

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Essays, Classics

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Jean Kerr was an American author and playwright, best known for her humorous bestseller, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, and the plays King of Hearts and Mary, Mary. She was married to drama critic Walter Kerr and was the mother of six children.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jean Kerr's way with words; her role in a water landing would be to "splash around and sob," she wants to be a mother-in-law to hand her children over to "an alternative sponsor," how she doesn't like to hear explicit language in plays because "I number among my acquaintance people of such candor and quick temper that, for me, the thrill is gone," her letters of protest never sent. . .sigh. She's not as well known as Erma Bombeck, but she should be.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that thing in Wet Hot American Summer where the camp director keeps referencing Ruth Buzzi, and you are like, whodat? And maybe eventually you are like, okay, fine, I will look her up, and you find out she was a comic from the 70s and you are like, huh, what else has dropped off from pop culture without a trace?

Jean Kerr, apparently. At one time she was on the cover of Time (Time?!) magazine. And very well-known, not just for the ridiculous (apparently) movie version of Please Don't Eat the Daisies. Apparently she was kind of Erma Bombeck-y, which, I have to say, I love!

This book was so good that when I started reading it, I totally dropped whatever else I was reading (and seriously, I have no idea what I was reading, because it was totally eclipsed.) It is pretty breezy, but it is also really brilliant. She does a parody of Lolita that kills me, and there were times that I was actually crying I was laughing so hard. Which is as it should be. The stories are varied and complicated and absurd. I enjoyed just following her wherever the writing took us. And the woman is just fascinating to me-- read that Time article, I implore you!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most clever and funny books ever written. Very, very vintage and authentic. Wish I was friends with Jean.

[Terrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old book but still funny, have read several times before. I started reading Jean Kerr because she is mentioned in the Karen books.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

RDC-M V 2 1979, 9/81. Humorous novel.

[Karen Twinem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book in 1978. After I read it, I decided to keep it to re-read someday. That someday came in 2023. I’m delighted to report that Jean Kerr is still laugh-out-loud funny. I may re-read it yet again!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny if a bit tedious. Reprints of most of her classics, with a few later stories thrown in.