Area Woman Blows Gasket: And Other Tales from the Domestic Frontier (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The other day, I bought some organic maple syrup, because I'd read something alarming in the paper about lead being present in ordinary maple syrup..." (more)
Key Phrases: Doreen Virtue, Learning Annex, Mexico City (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Amusing." (Kirkus Reviews )

"[Pearson's] attempts to deal with her anxieties, phobias, neuroses and addictions touch a mysterious universal chord that is most endearing and hilarious and inspiring." (Nancy Lemann, author of Malaise )

"You''ll laugh along with her on every page of this smart, irreverent, and best of all funny, funny book." (Bruce McCall )

"Not only did I giggle to myself throughout this book.I came out on the other end knowing one thing for certain: I want to be more like her." (Muffy Mead-Ferro, author of Confessions of a Slacker Mom )

"Area Woman has . exposed the emperor of contemporary culture for being the nudist we all suspect he is. Read it and sob with laughter." (Karen Karbo, author of The Stuff of Life )

"Screamingly funny.No aspect of modern American life escapes Pearson''s inquiring mind." (Los Angeles Times )

"Pearson''s writing is side-splittingly funny. amid the debris of the near-disasters perpetrated by her children, there''s a tender mother hanging on to her identity at all costs." (Albany Times Union )

"Pearson.shows just how complicated (and laugh-generating) the pursuit of the simple life can be." (Hartford Courant )

Product Description

Area Women Unite! In this sharp and sophisticated collection of essays, columnist Patricia Pearson takes us on a hilarious tour of our twenty-first-century obsessions and distractions.

Patricia Pearson is a working woman, wife, and mother on the verge. Whether it’s being humiliated by the "Beauty Bullies" at the Lancome counter or failing to live up to the "Serene Mother" ideal, Pearson has had enough of negotiating our present-day myths and fads. In fact, she’s formed a few opinions on the matter and can’t wait to share them with you.

In Area Woman Blows Gasket, Pearson plumbs every facet of modern life, marriage, and motherhood, from choosing the right vegan-bran-hemp diet for your family to confronting your husband’s irrational fear of mayonnaise to finding a way to return to work and not turn your child into a contract killer. Adult education classes, therapy, $100 haircuts, the latest news on what causes cancer, Christmas shopping—all come into sharp focus with the help of Pearson’s comic eye. Her wry brand of wisdom is a refreshing and long-awaited release from our confusing and often contradictory world.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582345368
• ISBN-13: 978-1582345369
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,357,321 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a riot!, August 14, 2006

By	Peony (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Area Woman Blows Gasket: And Other Tales from the Domestic Frontier (Paperback)

This book of essays is one of the most entertaining musings on family life (with several great side trips -- such as a hilarious piece on quitting smoking) that I've ever read. Several of the essays were so funny, that I was crying while laughing. I had to read several of them aloud to my husband because he felt so left out of the jokes.

High marks to this absolutely hysterical collection of tales from the domestic frontier!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Area Woman Blows Gasket : And Other Tales from the Domestic , May 9, 2005

By	GetBookReviews.com (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

Patricia Pearson's outlook on life and daily events are expressed in this series of essays written on such topics as fast food, therapists, haircuts, social dos and don'ts and much much more. Take a look at the lighter, funnier sometimes sad side of life through the eyes and thoughts of Pearson, a columnist and writer for publications across the nation. This satirical look will leave you wanting the next installment from this brilliant author. You will never look at life the same, which may not be a good thing, if you aren't ready for change. A Must Read!!!! ****