Guilty Pleasures: Indulgences, Addictions, Obsessions

By Sue Caba, Cathy Luh, Jane Holwerda, et al.

Eight Midwestern women satirize their on-and-off addiction to food, e-Bay, toenail polish, gossiping, buying beads, and more in this vault of information that exposes what women really like to do. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0740733397
• ISBN13: 9780740733390
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.9" x 0.8" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

good book club selection

My book discussion group read Guilty Pleasures this month. It was the first non-fiction book we ever selected. The book is a lot of fun, but it has serious parts, too, so it made for a good discussion.

abashed grins

These authors have tapped into a huge vein (keg?) of human experience. Each essay details a different furtive joy, and I could feel their pleasure even in the ones I couldn't identify with myself. There are no morals given; no helpfull hints; just honest enjoyment of many things that may not fit our public personas or enhance our professional images. Before I even finished the book, I found myself mentally starting to examine my own guilty pleasures. It's so nice to know that I'm not alone in admitting that I do get a thrill out of a few somewhat dubious activities. My daughter keeps dipping into this book, too. Obviously, it's appeal is multi-generational.

Awesome Guilt

All the confessions in this book are deliciously guilty and are expressed in the picturesque language of poets and the best of literary writers.

Luxuriating in Guilty Pleasures

Some books you read with a large double latte to make sure you are alert to the end. Some you rip through, gladly increasing your sleep deficit. Some books, though, you take with you to a hot bath, filled with oils or bubbles, a glass of wine on the floor next to you, a candle or two on the window sill, and you lock the door against the kids, the spouse, the phone, the world. That's "Guilty Pleasures." It's written by a gaggle of sharp witted women, hanging their undies for the world to see. My favorite essay is about taking antidepressants. The very talented and anonymous author takes us on a ride through her real life experience of better living through chemistry. All of the writers approach their various sins with clear-eyed honesty, exposing the kinds of things we do and think when we're alone in the car, in bed, at home. They let us into their private delights. And we love them for it.Order a copy and start the bath. Don't forget the $50 salts from London. And some Belgian chocolates. And an Egyptian cotton robe. On second thought, order a bunch and send them to all your women friends

A Cup of Tea and This Book = Perfect Combination

What a pleasure to find this book! Here we have regular women from the "fly-over-zone" with all the intrigue and angst of the hottest Hollywood celebrities, without all the hype. The book is laugh-out-loud funny in many places, but I was particularly struck by how much I learned. For example, you can learn where to find the best buys on eBay for beads and bargaining techniques that would take months to learn on your own. One essay deals with the exuberance of life when contrasted with a friend's impending death; that one will let you step out into your life with a greater appreciation for it. Another essay details strategies for getting money from your mother, including an imaginary catalogue of letters to garner sympathy from Mom: "Dear Mom, I learned today that when trash cans are labeled "inedible," that isn't always true..." More follow. The book makes a perfect "chick gift" for many laughs and much insight into ordinary lives.