Erma Bombeck was a warm and funny person who was able to see the little pleasures of life that most of us take for granted while rushing through our busy daily lives. Always positive, she looked at things in a light and humorous way, almost a la "Seinfeld," but not quite as sarcastic or bitter.
When Erma Bombeck died last year, the world lost a powerful and beautiful voice. A voice that made us laugh. A voice that made us cry. A voice that made us realize that life was something that didn't need to be taken so seriously.
But even though that voice is gone forever, there is one last chance to relive the words that changed our outlook on life for the better.
In "Forever, Erma," Bombeck's legacy is carried on in this collection of her best works. The book is a treasury of more than 190 of her best-loved and most requested columns, written from the '60s to the '90s.
From her first column, "Children Cornering the Coin Market," written in January 1965, to her last one, titled "Let's Face It," from April 1996, Bombeck made herself a household name in articles filled with insight and humor.
"Forever, Erma" relives the memories and rediscovers the magic.
The book is organized by topics such as mothers, children and holidays, with the articles within each topic in chronological order.
With Erma, we learn about and experience the pains that come with raising children, such as what costume to come up with when your kid is a dangling participle in the school play, or how to deal with the emptiness that hits you when all of your children have grown up and left.
With Erma, we explore the little mysteries of life, like why washing machines have a tendency to prey on single socks, or what the deal is with shoulder pads. ("I always feel as if I'm Scarlett O'Hara wearing the draperies with the rods still in them.")
Though some of the articles were written decades ago and don't really apply to our lives today (does anyone still have Tupperware parties?), there is still a feeling created by "Forever, Erma" that people of all ages will appreciate.
Following the last article in the collection is a tribute section with remembrances from friends, fans, family members and admirers. This section is the most moving part of the book, illustrating just how many lives Bombeck touched.
As Phil Donahue put it at her memorial service, "She was real and she brought us all down to Earth - gently, generously and with brilliant humor. She is the twentieth-century political figure and when the scholars gather hundreds of years from now to learn about us, they can't know it all if they don't read Erma."
The world lost a wonderful person when Erma Bombeck passed away, but through "Forever, Erma" and the legacy she left behind, she will live forever in the hearts of millions.
No one will ever be able to sum up the lighter side of life with more wit and intelligence than Erma Bombeck.
- Julia Shih