Confessions of a Slacker Wife [Paperback]

Muffy Mead-ferro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2005

“I often thought to myself, ‘If I really want to compete with these guys, I need a wife,’” begins Muffy Mead-Ferro in this ode to the women everywhere who are trying to take care of husbands, children, houses, jobs, bosses, clients, customers—and, oh yes, themselves! In lieu of that much-needed wife of her own, Mead-Ferro finds solace, sanity, and even success by embracing her famous tendency toward slackerdom. Full of personal anecdotes and real-wife wisdom, her latest Confessions offers precious comic relief and an invitation for wives everywhere to join the ranks!A slacker wife has the wisdom to accept the following: that a little dirt on her kitchen floor doesn’t hurt anyone, that wrinkles on her husband’s shirt and on her face are perfectly natural and not worth worrying about, that party guests can be just as happy with a bowl of chips as an elaborate salmon mousse, and that over-scheduled equals under-happy. Above all, a slacker wife lets herself have fun being a wife. She has girls’ weekends, orders take-out, and takes leisurely walks. And as a result, she, her husband, and her family are happier and healthier—even with a dirty kitchen floor and a wrinkled shirt.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Being a slacker wife isn't all fun and games. For one thing, she still has to do the grocery shopping, buy the birthday presents and coordinate the family's schedule. But she does get to ignore dirt on the floor, focus on her career and enjoy a girls-only weekend from time to time. Mead-Ferro charmed readers with her Confessions of a Slacker Mom last year, and she's just as terrific in this follow-up as she dispenses comforting advice while still being one of the girls. She adroitly addresses many of the issues confronting modern wives today, from the "thankless if not completely invisible chores... on my list simply because I am the wife," to the covers of certain women's magazines at the checkout line, which "make forty-four-year-old women like myself want to hang ourselves from the rafters with a thong." Mead-Ferro's witty remarks and her book's lighthearted title belie her seriousness as she speaks of the importance of letting go of society's unending pressure to maintain the immaculate lifestyle and letting yourself—and your kids—get dirty and enjoy life. Mead-Ferro's book is a refreshing complement to the hundreds of titles out there that explain how to do it all perfectly. (Apr. 15)
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Review

"Clearly, Mead-Ferro's books have hit a nerve with American women." -- Salt Lake Tribune6/6/05

"If you're looking for a justification to kick back...Mead-Ferro's sure to give you all the reassurance you need." -- Salt Lake City MagazineAugust, 2005

"It's sure to have tongues wagging on the real-life Wisteria Lanes." -- USA Today 5/4/05

"Mead-Ferro's indictment is humorous and encouraging." -- Boston Globe7/10/05

"Mead-Ferro's prose is light...she's a deft storyteller." -- Ruminator June/July 2005

"Witty and well written and serves as the perfect companion to the dozens of volumes dedicated to achieving domestic perfection." -- The Weekly Standard7/4/05

"Written with humor and honesty, this work deserves a place in most women's studies collections." -- Library Journal5/1/05

"[A] refreshing take on the role of the superwife." -- Oxygen Magazine July 2005

"[Mead-Ferro's] no-nonsense way of life encourages...A+" -- On-the-Town, September 2005

"[Mead-Ferro] tells it in a friendly, girlfriend-to-girlfriend way." -- Dallas Morning News8/21/05

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (March 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738210161
• ISBN-13: 978-0738210162
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down, April 4, 2005

By 

Anne - See all my reviews

This review is from: Confessions of a Slacker Wife (Paperback)

I didn't think I'd find a book as engaging as Confessions of a Slacker Mom, but Muffy Mead-Ferro has done it again. This time she takes on modern marriage.

Confessions of a Slacker Wife reminds women to give themselves a break. Despite what women's magazines would like us to think, a little dirt on the floor is okay, beer and potato chips can be just as good as salmon soufflé for a party, and there's really nothing wrong with women actually looking their age.

Part memoir, part commentary, Mead-Ferro's writing is engaging and thought-provoking, yet self-deprecating and laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. She candidly tackles issues ranging from household chores to plastic surgery to "wifely duties" in the bedroom with utter grace.

A fantastic book by a great author.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great observations!, May 9, 2005

By 

A reader (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Confessions of a Slacker Wife (Paperback)

The author's point is that the age-old dilemma

of what to do about cooking and housework when

both the man and the woman work is NOT to split

the chores more evenly but to question the

standards the media bombards us with, like thinking we are supposed to have a spotless home, gourmet meals, designer clothing, the body of a 20 year old, etc.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe You Have To Be There To Appreciate SLACKER WIFE, September 23, 2005

By 

Sherri Caldwell "RebelHousewifedotcom" (Atlanta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Confessions of a Slacker Wife (Paperback)

I came across CONFESSIONS OF A SLACKER WIFE in May, after reading a glowing review in USA Today (green with envy, of course). All unattractive fits of author-jealousy aside, I LOVE this book, and I am in full agreement with the basic tenets of the Slacker Wife. My favorites include:

1) Observations of The Visibility Factor in the `natural' division of labor between men and women: He hangs a light fixture, "and it's up there for everyone to see" and comment upon favorably:

"That sort of recognition is kind of a nice payoff for the person who hung the light fixture. Or planted the tree. Or built the fence. Or installed the new stereo. It would tend to make that person feel like they were valued and appreciated. That, I can only imagine, must be nice.

"But who's there to say how well my husband's clean underwear were folded?" (Or groceries re-supplied. Or everybody's clutter picked up. Or kitchen cleaned. Etc.)

2) The influence of advertising (from someone in the profession, as an advertising copywriter) on raising standards of cleanliness, organization and décor in our homes, and entertaining, among other things, to impossible standards, by which we have all been conned into judging ourselves--and we wonder why we come up lacking, and frazzled, every single time? Martha Stewart and women's magazines, that's why!

Muffy writes: "It seems like when it comes to all of these "women's" endeavors such as cooking, entertaining, and decorating, we're now supposed to adhere to performance standards that could only be achieved by outright professionals. So I shouldn't make an example of Martha Stewart, because making perfect pies from scratch, or more accurately, supervising a staff of people who make perfect pies from scratch, actually is her profession. The only thing I never liked about her is that she acts like I should do it too. The same way."

3) And what's really important: How to raise happy, healthy, well-adjusted kids (common sense and DON'T DO EVERYTHING FOR THEM); How to slow down and enjoy life ("free time needs to be a higher priority"); and, last but not least, Ladies: "...maybe now that we've managed to such a great extent to liberate ourselves from men, we need to liberate ourselves from ourselves..." and slack off a bit.

Excellent advice-and fun reading. Enjoy!