The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank

by Erma Bombeck and Bombeck

Book Overview

"She is marvelously funny, direct as a hypodermic, a virtuoso in the field of suburban living....Lovely stuff." VOGUE. It's the expose to end all exposes--the truth about the suburbs: where they planted trees and crabgrass came up, where they planted the schools and taxes came up, where they died of old age trying to merge onto the freeway and where they finally got sex out of the schools and back into the gutters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0070064504
• ISBN13: 9780070064508
• Release Date: January 1976
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 175 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Grass is Also Greener

My mother Lynne Griggs (1932-1993) loved Erma Bombeck's books. I was a teenager then so I did not care about it, but decided to buy it now.

A New Favourite

I have never heard of Erma Bombeck before, not until last month or the month before. When my mom mentioned "The Grass is Always Greener Over The Septic Tank", I was taken aback with intrigue. So of course I immediately bought it without a second thought. Now I, my mom, and my sister all have a book we can read and laugh at together. What could be better than? I can't wait to get "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Why Am I Always in The Pits?" I can't stop laughing

Love this book!!

I read this book many years ago when I was a young mother and thought it was an absolute scream, so I bought it for my daughter, who is now a mom herself. She said there were lots of things she could relate to in the book, even though it was set way before her time. Erma Bombeck remains one of the funniest authors out there. I miss her!

GREAT TALES!

I really like this book, she is a great american story teller. Stuff is real life, if you enjoy a good laugh, i reccomend this book at anyone!

a wonderful example of Bombeck's great brand of humor.....

This book diverges from Bombeck's usual subject matter--family--to take on other compelling topics, like diet and the self image of American women. One of the greatest stand-out examples, for me, of her warm humorous take on crash diets and extreme weight loss measures, is when she talks about a case study done with laboratory rats. As part of the experiment, the rats modelled different kinds of clothing. For example, if a rat wore vertical stripes, he was more likely to look longer and leaner than his counterparts. Also, if a rat was having a dialogue with another rat, he stood on the curb, or the stairs, so he was always on a higher platform from his friend. This gave the illusion that he was taller and skinnier. I remember the first time I read this. I was rolling with laughter. God bless Erma Bombeck. We are so lucky that her comedic gift lives on in her wonderful books. These books are best described as "slice of life" vignettes of the day-to-day experiences of American identity, through the eyes of one of the most influential people in the world---a mother.

The grass is always greener over the septic tank

I bought this book about ten years ago and it is nearly worn out. I had never heard of Irma Bombeck back when I purchased this book and I thought the American humour might not suit me (I'm an Aussie). I was soon to fall in love with Irma's wit and observations. It is a funny and painfully honest look at life in suburbia. If this book doesn't get you smiling....see your doctor!

Excuse any typos....I'm still laughing after 10 years

Yes, it's been ten years since I read it (I have the original version with the white cover and Erma mowing the lawn). I still laugh at the thought of some parts of it. Erma, I love you, I miss you, and I wish you could send us columns from heaven. About the book: you must read it and you will find something to relate to in it. Even though it has a 1970's tone (pre-microwaves and cell phones) you can still relate to it and laugh with it. Get it, and any other Bombeck Book you can snatch.