Customer Reviews

How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook Featuring Over 50 Foolproof Ways to Win, Woo & Wow Your Wife

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Craig Boreth has done it yet again. First there was that other thing and now . . . this. Wow! What next? But, let's focus on this right now . . .

I must admit that I was immediately drawn to the hilariously strident tone of the title when I included the book in my Amazon guide "So You Want To Be Your Own Wife." But that is part of the brilliance of " . . . Damn Shirt . . ."'s concept: looks like a feminist screed, actually is a cleverly disguised spy manual for men to the secret and mysterious world of connubial bliss, nay, even concupiscience.

Ok, yes, my wife and I blithely disregarded the rules for reading (See "For Men Only" and "For Women Only") and read it selectively aloud together. We hooted again and again and agreed that it was not only funny but spot-on. Although we are surely not the target audience (my wife thinks farts are quite amusing and I find ironing meditative . . . go figure!), we loved the book and ordered a few more copies as gifts for friends.

On one level, the book's short chapter bites and Jay Mazhar's great illustrations make for the quintessential "coffee table/bathroom book." But it is much more. Each chapter---with great titles like "How To Eliminate Gas" and "How To Walk Slowly Through a Museum"---has a witty and humorous lead-in that then manages to segue into very real useful and well-researched information for, not just wife-pleasing and appearance-of-sophistication, but things that all self-respecting, socially-mobile adult males should take personal pride in doing. Things like being considerate of others in one's environment, listening to others (or at least appearing to), tying a bow tie, keeping your body fit, and, my personal favorite, "How To Have a Reasonable Midlife Crisis". The best thing is that Boreth slips all these important things in while you are chuckling over his humorous presentation so nothing has any kind of a preachy feel ("I'm happy, fabulous, hunky, sensitive, and evolved and here's how you can be, too!").

This book is many things for most people. Would-be metrosexuals will eat it up as a starter guide. Young married (and impending matrimony) couples will benefit mightily. I predict, in fact, that this will become the hot shower gift of the next generation. Older couples may pick up pointers. The clueless will find clues and the clued will become yet more clueful. Skunkish boors will be predictably unchanged and unchangable but their wives will get some brownie points with friends and family for having tried something, anything. As well, we showed it to our gay friends (in fact, one couple just got married) and they loved it for the kitsch factor, the studly voice, and the retro illustrations. The general gay literary critique: "Craig Boreth is hot."

All said and done, "winning, wooing, and wowing" is, as the author so succinctly put it, "a journey, not a destination." "How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt . . ." is one hilarious and well-written roadmap to the ultimate satisfaction, seemingly scarce in today's world, of happily bonding with your life partner, and to that most enigmatic of human institutions, marriage. Buy copies for your friends and laugh and learn together!

Since my husband irons his own shirt every morning, the title caught my attention. I've always been impressed by his ironing abilities especially if it allows me to sleep a little longer. I loved the chapter on finding the perfect gift, breakfast in bed and grocery shopping, not to mention the recipes for Crème Brūlée and making Stir-Fry.

I'll agree that men who can cook and clean are very sexy. Just tell a woman you do these things and she will probably forget all other men exist. Imagine how she will be bragging about you to her friends and relatives. There is also a chapter on how to Win Over Her Parents, Enjoy a Chick Flick and Grow the Perfect Lawn. Each task has a difficulty rating and a reward rating.

The main concept in this book seems to be about showing a woman you care about making her life a little less stressful and much more romantic. Even the smallest effort will not go unnoticed and I can almost guarantee a woman will be most appreciative and plan romantic situations to reward such kindness. Plus, with all the time she saves not having to iron shirts, imagine the possibilities.

Craig Boreth is a truly talented writer who has written for major publications. He also has quite the varied life experience as a landscape architect, chef, electrician and carpenter. He joins the ranks of authors like W. Bruce Cameron, Steven Andrew Guerrero and Mike Dugan who provide humorous insight into the male psyche and also love women and take pride in making a woman's life more enjoyable.

I look forward to reading any book Craig Boreth writes because he also completely understands the female psyche and his wit and comedic timing is perfect.

~The Rebecca Review

My review heading pretty much sums this book up. It provides some genuinely good advice while being funny at the same time. You'll get some good tips and have a good time reading it and I think women will enjoy it too.

After hearing the author on the Howard Stern show, I had to check out this book. I'm glad I did, as the book actually presents loads of useful ideas and tips for all of us husbands looking for that 'edge'. The book is a very easy read, and can be read cover-to-cover or individual chapters as needed. Although the book has a tongue-in-cheek veneer, this is a sincere book with useful ideas in every chapter, presented in a funny way where you find yourself saying, "I've been in that EXACT situation." No preaching or talking-down in this book...
My favorite chapter is the last one, where Boreth relates a brief story where one of his friends is in Vegas and proceeds to max out the daily limit on his ATM card...and later that day his wife is unable to buy food for their daughter...classic example of what NOT to do as a husband...he even then names the offender, Gary Lipshutz of Metuchen NJ, in hopes of shaming him out of future similar behavior.
In short, the tips in this book have enabled me to parlay my 'good husbandness' into not only an annual Vegas trip, but also an annual 4-day golf outing with the guys plus multiple random nights out during the year. In turn, I have also encouraged my wife to take a weekend trip with her mother and sister, or her friends...

Thank you Craig Boreth, for making me a more perfect husband!

I got this book as a gift and it's definitely one of the most entertaining reads I've had in a while. The author demonstrates that it's actually possible to present some really useful knowledge in a laugh-out-loud format. Usually books of this ilk are neither funny nor practical, presenting instead a compendium of vaguely humorous asides and useless, half-baked, and poorly researched solutions to everyday problems. But this book is different. Boreth has clearly done his homework and his strategies, while often hilarious, are all based on authoritative sources, and/or his own experience. I initially thought I'd just flip through it, but I ended up reading it cover-to-cover in one sitting and literally couldn't put it down.

I read How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook from cover to cover in almost a single sitting. I couldn't put it down! Mr. Boreth's prose is so engaging and giggle producing that I felt as if he were having a conversation with me--I laughed with every turn of the page. His instructions are easy to follow and seem to make the evolution toward perfect husbandhood painless, and even fun.

It's true that for eons women have thought they had men figured out (I mean, come on, there's a reason why their buttons are on the OTHER side, right?), but How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt fills in those few remaining blanks for the ladies, and reveals a thing or two that THEY need to know about US (sweet!). As Mr. Boreth so eloquently points out, it's not that we women want the PERFECT husband, we want our friends and family to THINK he's perfect, thereby making the in-laws happy and the world a more harmonious place for us all in the bargain.

I would recommend this book to everyone, male or female--whether you're single and hoping to find that perfect mate, preparing to celebrate your 25th wedding anniversary, young or old, gay or straight--this book has it all!

I bought this book after hearing the author on a radio show. I slipped it in with the magazines in our bathroom -- where my husband does most of his reading -- and he devoured it from cover to cover. He's already working on the six-pack abs and has plans to make tiramisu this weekend. If I can get him to stay awake after sex, I'll know I've hit the jackpot. I highly recommend this book!

"How to Iron your own Damn Shirt" is a great read. In general, it is a very entertaining work, with solid practical advice layered between the jokes. The author's insight into the inner workings of the male and female minds is the stuff of stand-up comedy. Just reading the chapter titles alone had me laughing out loud. "How to Not Look Like a Stalker in Victoria's Secret", "How to Appear Calm While She's Driving" and "How to Apologize Convincingly" are a few examples of my personal favorites. There is also an amusing ranking system for each chapter comparing difficulty of task vs. reward of task. For example, "How to Apologize Convincingly" is low on the difficulty scale, but high on the rewards whereas "How to Explain Football" is high on the difficulty scale, but low on the rewards.

The chapters are concise (2-3 pages) and easy to follow, making it suitable for all types of readers. Because of this I would highly recommend the book for your own library and as a gift idea for any suitable occasion, such as the upcoming Father's Day. I have already purchased a few myself as I fully expect the book to be a hit with family and friends.

For all the insight and interpretation it's debriefing on Mission Impossible Number 1 provides, this book is funny, charming, and accessible to any married person, (former, current, or future.) The author narrates with an intelligence and personality that makes this an irresistible read and sincerely puts this fantastic of dreams within reach.

The terms "cool" and "perfect husband" rarely go together, because taking wedding vows and starting a family often require a man to compromise his hip, macho dignity in the service of his marriage (think "Bridget Jones' Diary" and poopy diapers). Amazingly, Boreth's come up with simple, straightforward formulas that describe how to maintain and enhance natural male dignity while improving the marriage bond. For example, did you know it's possible to kick some guy's ass in front of your wife and have her hug, kiss, and applaud you for it? Did you know that you can still look at other women's butts when you're on the town with your wife, and even boost her self esteem in the process? Read the book.