Marcia Kester Doyle

The worst failing humor writing can have is not to be funny. Unfortunately, I found Doyle's essays, and her family's antics, more boring than amusing- to the point that I- usually a book completist- read the first few, skimmed a bunch more, and deleted it.

It's trying to be classic "women's humor"- filled with tales about horrible children and ineffectual husbands- cliches, all. The thing is, though, that these tales need to be funny! When it all just seems dismal and overwhelming, it's more depressing than heartwarming.

I remember reading Erma Bombeck as a kid, and even though I was not anything like her target audience, she had a wry outlook and great turns of phrase that had me giggling. Similarly, Dave Barry does domestic humor very well indeed, though his writing tracked my experiences more.

This was a disappointment. Doyle seems to be of an age with me- maybe a bit younger- and I was hoping to find giggles in dealing with menopause in particular. Alas, no. Instead, her anecdotes reminded me of the kind of mystery "cozies" that I cannot read anymore- ostensibly funny, but with a competent women trying heroically to deal with the chaos all her friends and family inflicts upon her. Now, Bombeck did some of that, too- but she was FUNNY, and not entirely a doormat.

Not recommended.… (meer)

Who Stole My Spandex? Life in the Hot Flash Lane is laugh out loud funny (and I have never used LOL in a sentence before right now), which short, sharp-witted antidotes that you can read when you’re waiting in line or don’t have much time. Along with the humorous essays, though, Marcia Kester Doyle shares personal serious topics. I’m excited to learn that Doyle is a blogger and I’ll be sure to check that out, as well as some of her other books.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.… (meer)