Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Slacker Wife

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

Although I did enjoy the book and found it entaining and ringing true with its anecdotes, I felt that it could have been summed up and shortened into a magazine article-- it lacked substance for a 200 page plus book.

This book is just one long rant about what are now completely obvious pressures that society places on a female in a family. There is nothing in there that is not known to every working woman and the author simply goes on and on about them and how she privately rebels and doesn't wash laundry every day or how she and her husband share chores. There is nothing new or interesting here, skip it.

Following on from Confessions of a Slacker Mom, one of the most sensible parenting books I've read, this is the book about consciously NOT doing it all.

Coming from an obviously intelligent and relatively self-confident working woman, mom and wife, this is an interesting and well backed-up take on why our expectations regarding cleanliness, being the perfect hostess / wife / mother, etc. have escalated out of all proportion, and gives good reasons for taking the pressure to live up to these unrealistic and over-rated standards off ourselves.

Read it, and see if the attitude fits. If it does, you'll have done yourself a huge favor. If not, you can always pass it on to someone who will appreciate it.

Instead of beating you over the head with feminist rhetoric, Muffy Mead-Ferro sprinkles her tales of domestic "failure" with the wisest offerings to come out of feminism. She honestly approaches the ideas of what is expected of a wife and what is absolutely necessary, why men don't have the same expectations of themselves that women do, and whether expectations of women are culturally imposed, self-imposed, or both. Mead-Ferro puts these expectations to the reality test, and manages to entertain at the same time.

I disagree with other reviews that the book is not funny, not to say that it is a laugh riot. I also disagree that Mead-Ferro is rationalizing laziness; instead, she questions the necessity of performing the myriad tasks that television commercials and other wives put pressure on us to do.

All in all, a good read, but I got mine from the library!

Maybe I liked Confessions of a Slacker Mom better because because I read this one second or because I couldn't connect as well with the author's perspective. Either way, you should read "Confessions of a Slacker Mom", it is funny, insightful and very relatable.

I read this book on my honeymoon and laughed out loud at several points. At one point, I was trying to read it out loud to my husband and I just couldn't go on because the tears of laughter were blurring my vision. Needless to say, three years into our marriage, HE does most of the housework ;) I think women everywhere, single or married should read this and start giving ourselves REALISTIC expectations.

I love her style, and I love her wit. You can't help grinning as you read her honest and poignant thoughts on modern day marriage. Kudos again!