House of Testosterone: One Mom's Survival in a Household of Males [Paperback]

Sharon O'Donnell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2008

Every woman has asked herself the question What was he thinking? at least once in her life. When you are the mother of boys, it seems like this question is on a continuous tape loop in your head. Humor columnist Sharon O’Donnell knows this feeling. In House of Testosterone, she chronicles her adventures raising three sons and reining in her über-male, forgetful husband, Kevin. She shares her stories of welcoming her third son into the world, resisting the gravitational pull of the “guy zone,” and running a household immersed in a world of sports, bathroom humor, and laundry. O’Donnell’s spirit shines through as she struggles to find some “me time” or survive another comical family vacation.

These entertaining episodes of child- (and husband-) rearing lovingly illustrate why Sharon calls herself “Lady of the House of Testosterone.”

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A witty, intelligent primer on how to survive and succeed in a houseful of male hormones." -- Missy Chase Lapine

About the Author

SHARON O'DONNELL is a freelance writer and an award-winning newspaper columnist. Her website, www.momsofboys.org, is an information and support site for mothers of boys. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, three sons, and their male dog.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; Reprint edition (April 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 054700592X
• ISBN-13: 978-0547005928
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kathy R. (New York, New York), January 10, 2007

By 

Kathy R. (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: House of Testosterone: One Mom's Survival in a Household of Males (Hardcover)

As a single woman whose major contact with men is in the dating scene, I found this book to have smart, funny and illuminating insights into the male mind and male behavior. Whatever the age of the male, the differences between the sexes provide for poignant, heartfelt and hilarious moments. While the author's incidents are located within the realm of one specific family, I couldn't help smiling or laughing at how much it strikes a chord with my own, very different life. Whether you're a mom or not, women will appreciate her honest and humorous look at one woman's struggles with mankind!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and honest, January 9, 2007

By 

Melissa M. (Newbury, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: House of Testosterone: One Mom's Survival in a Household of Males (Hardcover)

I'm not a mother, but I really enjoyed this book's funny, rueful take on the travails of raising a passel of boys-- including boy numero uno-- the author's husband. House of Testosterone may exagerate a bit for laughs, but it never distorts the difficulties and rewards of family, nor does it fall prey to the kind of saccharine platitudes of the so-called "family values" crew. Families are our support systems and give our lives meaning, but boy can they also be a big ol' pain in the butt. Anyone who pretends otherwise is a prude or simply kidding themselves. Fortunately from this reader's viewpoint, Sharon O'Donnell is neither.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She Knows Her Territory, January 2, 2007

By 

Paula Spencer "mother of Momfidence!" (Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House of Testosterone: One Mom's Survival in a Household of Males (Hardcover)

Though only one of my four kids is a boy, I could relate to (and laugh out loud at) these finely-observed tales of life among menfolk. (This author has three sons, plus a husband and I think a male dog, too.) With this book mothers of boys will have something to entertain them on the sidelines of endless sports practices, while also finding kinship in a world of stinky socks, burp contests, toilet seats left up, etc. In other hands it might be cliched material but ihere it reads like, well, all-too-real life among the (sweet) savages.