I’ve read the humor column of Lost in Suburbia: How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs author Tracy Beckerman for a long time. She’s a hoot to read and a hoot to talk to in person. The (extended) title of the book pretty much sums up the content, and it’s told in quick bites with vivid pictures that frequently made me giggle while reading.
I adore the prologue, in which Tracy is pulled over for making an illegal left turn out of the school with her three year old in the back… while wearing her ducky bathrobe. It is a promising and entertaining start to a book that keeps it up pretty much throughout. Though the book is filled with humor, there are situations far too many of us can relate to with real issues many moms face.
Tracy has defined herself by her job, but that is now gone. She moves to an area where she knows no one and struggles to figure out how to fit in. She is no longer comfortable with the body she’s in during and after children, and she decides to do something about it. For part of the book, I want to shake her and sit her down and tell her to chill, but she’s obviously so past that at this point in her life – thankfully, I’m sure.
She deals with the majority of the topics with grace and a constant self-deprecating humor. I absolutely adored how she dealt with mean-mom Cheryl who has apparently made up a peanut allergy to get her child into the preschool she wants. When Cheryl’s spoiled child tells Tracy she can’t sit in her chair because she’s too fat and Cheryl does nothing but smile, Tracy exacts the perfect revenge by suggesting that she and Cheryl trade places. It’s only when the child refuses because her mom is also too fat that Cheryl begins intoning the lesson about how it isn’t nice to call people fat. Score one for the nice guys!
Throughout the book there are little things that resonated with me, from the horror of grandparents accidentally introducing a Hello, Kitty pacifier to their son Josh to “someone’s unrealistic expectations” when searching for a larger house – an issue I had while spending eighteen months (no joke) looking for my current house. Her continual creativity and entertaining stories meant that the few times in the book that she deviated from this really fell flat for me. When she talked about how so many pregnant women look like they’ve simply swallowed a basketball, she comments that she (turn the page – fill in the blank with a groan for the old joke before you read it) looks like she swallowed the whole team. There were only two or three tired jokes like this in the entire book, but because the rest of it was so creative and so her, they really stood out in the reading.
So do I have my cool back? Not nearly as well as Tracy does. She’s found her friends, she’s found her calling, and she’s found her way to show her personality and be cool even as she’s pressured to buy a mini-van (a battle I’ve also successfully fought). Through all the humor, Tracy imparts some valuable lessons for moms who feel like they’ve lost it all. It isn’t a self-help blueprint, but there are so many concrete steps that Tracy took to get her cool back that it’s easy to see where others can do the same, even if their paths look a little different. And if they use this as their plan, they’ll get a few giggles on the way.
Check out Tracy’s Lost in Suburbia blog for more.
Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below if you’d like to win your own copy. We’ll announce the winner in our book giveaway column on April 29. Our giveaway for another great mother’s memoir Bloom is still open for another week.
Michelle still hasn’t fully gotten her cool back, given that she’s still growing out her mom bob into something… else. Fortunately, she’s pretty cool with her life, and you can read about why on her blog Honest & Truly! or follow along with her on Twitter where she is also @HonestAndTruly.
Honestly, I find it to be a little dark. But, like they say to each his own! If I were her though, I would have not ran off to Jersey. She should of just kept her home in the suburbs and bought houses all over the world. You should never feel like you do not fit in anywhere. So many people feel they got to change their ways to be accepted. God works in mysterious ways you leave it to God everything has its way of working out and moving out or not 😉
Definitely a good little read! Inspired me to take a walk around the neighborhood which is in suburbs. Wow! What a trip!
I am not familiar with Tracy’s blog but I would like to learn more
I wasn’t familiar before, but now I’m interested!
– Beth Ann Erwin facebook/rafflecopter
I am not familiar with it but i will definitely be going to check it out!
no i am not familiar but i will check them out now that i have heard about her!
I have heard about it but have not seen any blogs about it.
I’m not familiar at all, but after reading this I am very curious.
She sounds like a HOOT! I’ll check out her blog!
I’m not familiar, but am curious!
I had never heard of this blog before.
i’m not familiar – but i’m curious to find out more!
Not familiar, but definitely intrigued. 🙂
I would definitely love to find out more!
Would love to find out more!
I m curious to find out more
i am not familiar with the blog
Would like to learn more.
I am not familiar with Tracy’s blog or column. But I would love to read this book. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I don’t know her blog but this does sound interesting.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I am not familiar with it but after reading some posts I subscribed. Thank you for the review.
Please enter me in your giveaway.
It would be great to win a copy of
Lost in Suburbia:How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs By Tracy Beckerman.
In response to your questions of
Are you familiar with Tracy’s blog or column? Or curious to find out more?
No i am not familiar with Tracy’s blog or column but i will check it out.
Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!
Not familiar with her or her blog but I really love humor!!!
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
New to me, so thanks.
nope not familiar
I’m not but will check it out!
I’m familiar and I love her blog!
Not familiar, but curious to find out more.
I’ve never read Tracy’s blog or column but am interested in doing so now that I’m aware of them. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
I’m not familiar, but now I’m interested.
I am not familiar with her, but the book looks entertaining!
A great book. Thanks.
I’m not familiar but now I’d like to learn more.
I am not familiar with it and would LOVE to…it sounds great!
Not familiar at all…but looks interesting!