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Motherhood Made a Man Out of Me
A novel of babies and friendship, mothers and fathers, and the havoc of procreation.
Brooke and Mary Rose are best friends. Brooke is the mother of a six-month-old. Mary Rose is pregnant. Brooke is married to Lyle, though, at times, she wonders why. Mary Rose would be married if Ward, the father of her child, weren't already. Ward and Brooke are cousins... A comedy of manners and biology, Karbo gives us a laugh-out-loud look at the wonders of pregnancy and motherhood. It is a world where the women are fierce and strong and the men duck and cover; a world that is turned upside down when the expecting mother turns out a most unexpected child. Motherhood Made a Man Out of Me celebrates the courage and strength of women and the bonds that join them "in the motherhood."
Brooke and Mary Rose are best friends. Brooke is the mother of a six-month-old. Mary Rose is pregnant. Brooke is married to Lyle, though, at times, she wonders why. Mary Rose would be married if Ward, the father of her child, weren't already. Ward and Brooke are cousins... A comedy of manners and biology, Karbo gives us a laugh-out-loud look at the wonders of pregnancy and motherhood. It is a world where the women are fierce and strong and the men duck and cover; a world that is turned upside down when the expecting mother turns out a most unexpected child. Motherhood Made a Man Out of Me celebrates the courage and strength of women and the bonds that join them "in the motherhood."
212 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2000
3 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Karen Karbo
34 books225 followersKaren Karbo's first novel, Trespassers Welcome Here, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a Village Voice Top Ten Book of the Year. Her other two adult novels, The Diamond Lane and Motherhood Made a Man Out of Me, were also named New York Times Notable Books. The Stuff of Life, about the last year she spent with her father before his death, was an NYT Notable Book, a People Magazine Critics' Choice, a Books for a Better Life Award finalist, and a winner of the Oregon Book Award for Creative Non-fiction.
Karbo is most well known for her international best-selling Kick Ass Women series, which examines the lives of a quartet of iconic 20th century women. Julia Child Rules (2013), How Georgia Became O'Keeffe (2011), The Gospel According to Coco Chanel (2009), and How to Hepburn (2007)
Her short stories, essays, articles and reviews have appeared in Elle, Vogue, Esquire, Outside, O, More, The New Republic, The New York Times, salon.com and other magazines. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction, was a winner of the General Electric Younger Writer Award, and was one of 24 writers chosen for the inaugural Amtrak Writers residency.
In addition, Karbo penned three books in the Minerva Clark mystery series for children: Minerva Clark Gets A Clue, Minerva Clark Goes to the Dogs, and Minerva Clark Gives Up the Ghost.
She is the co-author, with Gabrielle Reece, of Big Girl in the Middle, and the New York Times bestselling, My Foot is Too Big for the Glass Slipper: A Guide to the Less than Perfect Life.
Karbo also contributed to the anthologies, The Bitch is Back and What My Mother Gave Me: Thirty-one Women on the Gifts That Mattered Most.
Karen grew up in Los Angeles, California and lives in Portland, Oregon where she continues to kick ass.
Karbo is most well known for her international best-selling Kick Ass Women series, which examines the lives of a quartet of iconic 20th century women. Julia Child Rules (2013), How Georgia Became O'Keeffe (2011), The Gospel According to Coco Chanel (2009), and How to Hepburn (2007)
Her short stories, essays, articles and reviews have appeared in Elle, Vogue, Esquire, Outside, O, More, The New Republic, The New York Times, salon.com and other magazines. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction, was a winner of the General Electric Younger Writer Award, and was one of 24 writers chosen for the inaugural Amtrak Writers residency.
In addition, Karbo penned three books in the Minerva Clark mystery series for children: Minerva Clark Gets A Clue, Minerva Clark Goes to the Dogs, and Minerva Clark Gives Up the Ghost.
She is the co-author, with Gabrielle Reece, of Big Girl in the Middle, and the New York Times bestselling, My Foot is Too Big for the Glass Slipper: A Guide to the Less than Perfect Life.
Karbo also contributed to the anthologies, The Bitch is Back and What My Mother Gave Me: Thirty-one Women on the Gifts That Mattered Most.
Karen grew up in Los Angeles, California and lives in Portland, Oregon where she continues to kick ass.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 9, 2008
I was a young mother when I read this book and laughed and laughed. Brooke is the new mother of six-month-old Stella and is trying to reclaim an identity beyond "Brooke Stellamom." Meanwhile, her single best friend, Mary Rose, gets pregnant and Brooke tries to help her, despite feeling that her own hold on motherhood is shaky at best. Surprise ending, and lots of funny thoughts on the way there (such as Brooke's assertion that the great thing about being married is not that you have a willing sex partner, but that you always have someone willing to listen to the latest "debriefing" on all the crazy stuff that happens to you). PG-13 -- nothing explicit, but you do have what the MPAA would call "adult themes," such as Mary Rose's out-of-wedlock pregnancy, or Brooke's above reflection on the true value of marriage.
I've also read Karbo's The Diamond Lane, but found it a real yawn, too long, and not at all funny.
I've also read Karbo's The Diamond Lane, but found it a real yawn, too long, and not at all funny.
October 27, 2010
This book made me laugh outloud countless times. She is such a funny writer. Just her description of getting a toddler in a car seat in a two door car (I've been there!) made me laugh until I cried.
might-finish-later
November 2, 2017Might finish this later.. might not, but it's due to the library today.
It's about two friends who navigate the struggles of pregnancy and motherhood. It was a bit slow for me, but maybe I'll pick this up and try again at another time.
It's about two friends who navigate the struggles of pregnancy and motherhood. It was a bit slow for me, but maybe I'll pick this up and try again at another time.
November 10, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It was beautifully written and funny, it conveys the true experience of pregnancy and the first year of motherhood, the story is engaging and the narrator is someone you can relate to.
May 28, 2010
I was expecting a chick-lit type book, which this truly wasn't. I actually found the story pretty interesting and a quick read. The author makes some relatable comments on pregnany/motherhood that I can tell came from experience. Some of my favorites:
"Your old self is of course just that: your old self. You are at the brink. You are at the shores of motherhood. You are about to hit the beach. You think you will die. And you will. You will never be yourself again. Motherhood for women is what war is for men. When they had more wars, more men knew what it was like to be a woman on the verge of being a mother, to be at an absolute point of no return."
"Mary Rose's belly was no longer balloonlike, but looked more like a piano covered by a blanket; the baby all knees, elbows, heels and head."
"For a woman, the true advantage of marriage is not having regular sex, but having an on-site partner with whom to debrief. In this day and age anyone can get laid, try finding someone who'll listen to dish at midnight."
"Your old self is of course just that: your old self. You are at the brink. You are at the shores of motherhood. You are about to hit the beach. You think you will die. And you will. You will never be yourself again. Motherhood for women is what war is for men. When they had more wars, more men knew what it was like to be a woman on the verge of being a mother, to be at an absolute point of no return."
"Mary Rose's belly was no longer balloonlike, but looked more like a piano covered by a blanket; the baby all knees, elbows, heels and head."
"For a woman, the true advantage of marriage is not having regular sex, but having an on-site partner with whom to debrief. In this day and age anyone can get laid, try finding someone who'll listen to dish at midnight."
August 8, 2016
Picked this up on a whim because of the intriguing title. This book is short at just over 200 pages. And yet it seems like it was even shorter and the author went back in and added some side stories just to beef it up. That seemed to add some confusion. (Wait, they're cousins? They worked together?) It wasn't an unpleasant read, just nothing special. And I never did see how the title related to the story.
May 14, 2015
Humorous and dramatic, witty and ironic; so much of what is written in this book mirrors my own life, right down to the constantly online hubby. Some parts ring so true to me that I laughed out loud.
Although I didn't get into the Hollywood/film production/rabid NBA fan parts of the story, overall I really enjoyed it. A quick read and the perfect book to read at the beach.
Although I didn't get into the Hollywood/film production/rabid NBA fan parts of the story, overall I really enjoyed it. A quick read and the perfect book to read at the beach.
November 18, 2009
I had a huge stack of books to return to the library and I accidentally returned this when I was about half way through. I'm not the least bit upset about it or remotely curious about what happens next. Cliche, cliche, cliche, now with extra bitter. It had funny moments but I'd heard all the jokes before. NEXT!
August 11, 2013
Set in Portland, OR. Brooke has a 6 month old girl. Her friend Mary Rose gets pregnant, but Ward is married. When the baby is born, the child is 1/2 black! Had an affair with a Trailblazer player!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2008
full of cliches and stereotypes like the "crazy pregnany woman" and "the uninvolved, clueless father-to-be"; not worth the time it took to read
March 14, 2008
A surprisingly plain but not dull novel. The writing style is just uncannily simple and direct, also funny and apt. I'd read this writer again.
April 12, 2008
Gotta love that title!!
Fun read about motherhood and the class system.
Fun read about motherhood and the class system.
June 8, 2008
Forget about it. The beginning was so incredibly boring, I gave up and moved on.
July 23, 2008
I liked it. Not a favorite, but pretty good.
April 17, 2009
Silly fun!
November 28, 2009
This was a fun read for new moms or moms-to-be, or anyone really.
March 28, 2010
Entertaining
Read
July 29, 2011what do i expect from drivel, but drivel?
December 18, 2013
A bit of a struggle yo tead.. A few good insights into motherhood and it Sid get a bit intresting toward the end. I was happy to read the last page and move on.
February 6, 2015
The writing style is pretty assertive, which took me a bit to get used to, but I thought the story was humorous, relate-able and well written.
October 23, 2009
A cute light-hearted story.
February 6, 2010
Cute book with a few gems.
July 25, 2010
had some good lines but didn't flow very well for me.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews