What On Earth Have I Done?: Stories, Observations, and Affirmations [Hardcover]

Robert Fulghum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2007

Robert Fulghum's new book begins with a question we've all asked ourselves: "What on Earth have I done?"  As Fulghum finds out, the answer is never easy and, almost always, surprising.  For the last couple of years, Fulghum has been traveling the world - from Seattle to the Moab Desert to Crete - looking for a few fellow travelers interested in thinking along with him as he delights in the unexpected: trick-or-treating with your grandchildren dressed like a large rabbit, pots of daffodils blooming in mid-November, a view of the earth from outer space, the mysterious night sounds of the desert, every man's trip to a department store to buy socks, the raucous all-night long feast that is Easter in Greece, the trials and tribulations of plumbing problems and the friendship one can strike up with someone who doesn't share the same language. What on Earth Have I Done? is an armchair tour of everyday life as seen by Robert Fulghum, one of America's great essayists, a man who has two feet planted firmly on the earth, one eye on the heavens and, at times, a tongue planted firmly in his cheek. Fulghum writes to his fellow travelers, with a sometimes light heart, about the deep and vexing mysteries of being alive and says, "This is my way of bringing the small boat of my life within speaking distance of yours.  Hello…" 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Twenty years after his All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten became a record-breaking bestseller, Fulghum's authorial voice is still distinctive and his tone welcomingly upbeat, but this new collection of short pieces suffers from self-indulgence, roping in too many vague and inconsequential essays. The majority of the book falls into three sections, one for each of Fulghum's homes-Seattle, Moab, Utah and the island of Crete-and the strongest section is the Cretan, containing some lovely, incisive essays on his indomitable Greek housekeeper, "The Invincible Ioannoulla." Elsewhere his writing is well-meaning but feather-light while taking on topics like holidays, history, "players" and the conversations of strangers; even in the midst of terminal naivety, however, Fulghum's able to land an unexpected, resonant thought: "I walked on with the dog of my imagination running unleashed through the bushes of my brain, looking for a place to unload." Though these worthwhile passages and brief, shining moments make Fulghum's dissolution into wispy koans ("Go on. Escape over the walls of your asylum.") all the more disappointing, fans of Fulghum's storytelling will find much to savor.
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About the Author

ROBERT FULGHUM is the bestselling author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and numerous other books. He grew up in Waco, TX. He now divides his time among Seattle, Utah, and Crete.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312365497
• ISBN-13: 978-0312365493
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #894,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Fulghum is the bestselling author of "All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten," "It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It," "Uh-Oh," "Maybe (Maybe Not)," "From Beginning To End," "Words I Wish I Wrote," "True Love," and "What On Earth Have I Done?"

"Third Wish" is his first novel, published originally in Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian. He lives in Seattle, Washington and on the Greek island of Crete.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Fulghum, October 16, 2007

By 

Michael Murray "Information Security Blogger ... (Chicago IL, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What On Earth Have I Done?: Stories, Observations, and Affirmations (Hardcover)

I've long been a fan of Fulghum's work, and I can't believe that the other reviewer here would only rate this one a "one-star" effort. This book is vintage Fulghum - essays on a huge number of topics, most of which were profound, funny and touching.

This one's worth the purchase if only for Fulghum's idea of "converstaion lifeboats" - brilliant. Or the update to the story of the mirror.

Fulghum, as usual, shines light into darkened places, and makes the lives of his readers a little better than he found them.

That's 5 stars for me.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Fulghum, December 4, 2007

By 

Kamarulzaman Ishak (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MALAYSIA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What On Earth Have I Done?: Stories, Observations, and Affirmations (Hardcover)

Once again Fulghum has demonstrated his innate ability to observe life as it unfolds. I love reading his books because he could relate to the ordinary and make it funny. I particularly like the first chapter on Mother Questions when he mentioned, "Most of the time a kid doesn't think about what he's doing or why. That is the privilege of childhood." Then he mentioned about the perks of seniority in chapter 22 as he gorged on sweets in the aftermath of Halloween, "I do not eat candy around them because their mother is around. I take the candy surplus, as a favor to their parents, and eat it alone whenever I want."
Classic Fulghum.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of spirituality cleverly disguised as cute essays, August 16, 2008

By 

Jean E. Pouliot (Newburyport, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What On Earth Have I Done?: Stories, Observations, and Affirmations (Hardcover)

Robert Fulghum's "What on Earth Have I Done?" collects dozens of his essays about ordinary life. He tells us about street crossing guards, corner beggars, little kids swinging, bug races, watching the moon, the obsessions of his cleaning lady and asking for directions in Crete. Taken individually, the essays are little bits of nothing. But together, they portray the soul of man profoundly at peace with himself and with the world. Fulghum is a big kid at heart, and his playfulness is endearing and refreshing. He takes very little seriously -- certainly not the pomposities of human nature, including his own. To Fulghum, the most spiritual experience is not solemn liturgy, but a belly laugh shared with friends over wine and good food. After reading the book, it's hard not to wish for the serenity that he seems to enjoy.

Fulghum bases his book on the three classic "Mother" questions often asked of misbehaving kids -- "What in the world have you done?" "Who do you think you are?" and "What will you do next?" As is typical, Fulghum turns these questions on their heads to probe the deeper meaning of what we do, who we are and how we plan to live our lives.

I highly recommend listening to Fulghum in the audio book. His voice is like Garrison Keillor's -- gentle, warm, full of insight and wisdom -- but without the lingering sadness. He takes us from Seattle to Moab, Utah to his getaway on Crete. Everywhere he goes, magic happens. Fiery brooms flash through the New Year's sky; angry men learn to waltz; people eat, drink and are happy to be alive. A wonderful book that brings to life the essence of great spirituality -- not a heavy theological search for truth, but a search for love and companionship -- a theology probably far closer to the heart of the Creator.