Review of If Life Is a Bowl Of Cherries...

If Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries What Am I Doing In The Pits

Erma Bombeck 

*This is a Net Galley Review. No promise of a good review was given. I was not, nor will I be, given compensation for this review.*

I first heard of Erma Bombeck when I was 13. My mom had gone to the doctor and came home with the news she was pregnant. I was the baby up until then so you can imagine her shock. My dad, being funny, brought home a pillow that said, " It's A Crying Shame," and a book by Erma Bombeck. That book was If Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries, What Am I doing In The Pits? My dad got hit by the pillow but the book cheered my mom up. 

When I saw this book on Net Galley I had to get it. But, I admit, that I was wondering if a book that my mom related to in the 70's is a book that would be relevant now. The answer to that is both yes and no. Family, motherhood, children, marriage changes all the time, yet in many ways stay the same. However there are some things in it that are dated. I did not think it took away from enjoying the book and relating to it. Actually I think it presents a funny slice of life from time gone by. Erma Bombeck was funny in the 70's and she is funny today. Her advice in the last part of the book was both touching and relevant. Erma had a gift and she shared it.

Part I related to the most:

"I've heard mothers go through ten or twelve names before they get lucky and hit the right one." 

Location 301 Kindle

This is so relevant to me. Ask my children. They will tell you that they would just keep doing whatever it was  that was annoying me because they were hoping I would blame whoever's name I stopped on. Eventually I caught on. After  so many names I would tell the offender, " you live in my house. I will find out who you are. Tell me your name now." Sometimes they gave me a wrong answer. I now get revenge. When my daughter says that to her children, I whisper a name in the child's ear. 

Part that was true in the 70's and is true today:

"One day, we were eating more and paying less and the next there were two hundred and seventy-eight products on the market to help out our hamburger."

Location 684 Kindle

Do I even need to explain this to anyone? Wouldn't Mrs Bombeck be shocked to know that all those helps for hamburger cost as much if not more than the hamburger it is helping? It is funny to think back at how products were made to make cooking for, and feeding, a family easier and here we are decades later trying to go back to home cooked foods without the helpers.

Most important part: 

When Did I  Become the Mother and the Mother Become the Child?

This part touched me the most out of the entire book. You must read this. Buy the book, ask a friend to loan it, borrow from the library. However you can, read this part. 

I loved this book. From start to finish it was fun reading. If Life Is a Bowl Of Cherries, What Am I Doing In The Pits tickled my funny bone and touched my heart. The new version for the kindle contains an added part. A Biography of Erma Bombeck. I enjoyed reading about her. She wrote from the heart. There are photographs included of Mrs Bombeck  and her family. They look very nice on the Kindle. What a beautiful bride she was. I recommend this book and am very happy to see it released in ebook form.

Erma Bombeck has an author page on Amazon where you can find all her books. 

Goodreads also has an author page for her.