| Synopsis Brimming with the author's signature frankness and humor, a
no-holds-barred account of what you can really expect when you're
expecting.
Oh, the joys of pregnancy! There's the gasiness, constipation,
queasiness, and exhaustion; the forgetfulness, crankiness, and the
constant worry. Of course, no woman is spared these discomforts and
humiliations, but most are too polite to complain or too embarrassed to
talk about them. Not Jenny McCarthy! In Belly Laughs, the
actress and new mother reveals the naked truth about the tremendous
mood swings, the excruciating pains, and the unseemly disfigurement
that go along with pregnancy. Never shy, frequently crude, and always
laugh-out-loud funny, McCarthy covers it all in the grittiest of
girlfriend detail. With tips and hilarious musings on morning sickness
and hormonal rage, hemorrhoids, pregnant sex, and the torture and sweet
relief that is delivery, Belly Laughs is must-read comic relief for
anyone who is pregnant, who has ever been pregnant, is trying to get
pregnant or indeed, has ever been born!
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
McCarthy, 1994 Playmate of the Year, actress (Scream 3; Baywatch; etc.) and former host of MTV's Singled Out,
gave birth to her first child in 2002. Her pregnancy wasn't pretty—and
she wants to tell readers all about it. At the outset, she tells them,
"If you bought this book, you are already aware of my frankness when it
comes to certain things—anatomy and bodily functions among them. If
someone gave this book to you as a gift and you've never heard of me,
apologies to you!" She goes on to recount the nitty-gritty of pregnancy
in all its gory detail, covering morning sickness, hormonal rage,
cravings, hemorrhoids, "engorged" breasts, gas, hot flashes, fainting
spells, weight gain, acne, water retention and, finally, labor.
McCarthy is undeniably crass but funny, and her candor and
self-deprecation are refreshing. Each brief, chatty chapter focuses on
a different—and awful—facet of pregnancy, with McCarthy relating
personal anecdotes and usually winding down by reassuring women they're
not alone. McCarthy's tales are, for the most part, a hoot, though they
may offend more uptight readers. For example, in the beginning of
McCarthy's pregnancy, she was constipated, so she visited a specialist.
In the waiting room, the assistant called her name, and "everyone...
looked up in surprise, and I knew what they were thinking: 'Jenny
McCarthy has butt hole problems?' I was so embarrassed, until I
realized that they had no right to be smirking: Those assholes were
also there because of their own assholes. I felt better already."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
McCarthy applies her in-your-face manner and blue humor to the subject
of pregnancy and childbirth in this little piece of fun. The former Playboy
centerfold and all-around bad girl recounts her journey to motherhood
with utter abandon, discussing topics that those other wholesome books
tend to treat too gently, such as enemas, pubic hair growth, and sex in
the ninth month. What's noble about this book (yes, noble) is that
women who find these topics too embarrassing to bring up now have a
place to read about them in a frank and open discussion.^B After all,
they're as real as morning sickness, and McCarthy treats them with a
candor that borders on crude but that is refreshing, and, ultimately,
necessary. Not to mention funny. Like a gossipy girlfriend, McCarthy
brings you in and makes you laugh; there's a certain comfort in knowing
that even a sex symbol gets stretch marks and balloons to 200 pounds
during pregnancy. A must-have for any childbirth collection. An
aggressive marketing campaign suggests libraries ought to stock up. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
McKenzie Westmore Soap Opera Digest 1/24/06
"A great pregnancy book...It helps me really understand what's going on and makes me laugh."
Los Angeles Family March 2004
"A no-holds-barred account...Ideal for anyone who is pregnant, plans to become pregnant or has ever been pregnant."
Gotham May 2004
"[McCarthy] is quite funny...this is a celebration of motherhood."
Times Herald Record 4/28/04
"This girl is funny...If you need a good laugh, then pick this one up."
Carolina Parent July, 2004
"Brutally honest and funny in a way the other pregnancy books wouldn't dare."
Miami Herald 5/11/04
"Frank and humorous."
eDiets.com > 5/6/04
"Prepare yourself for more than a few laugh-out-loud moments when Jenny serves up the insights you rarely read about."
Playboy January 2005
"Hilarious."
About the Author
Jenny McCarthy is the former host of the enormously popular MTV dating
show "Singled Out." She has starred in many films, including Dirty Love, the Sundance 2005 film that she also wrote. In 2002, McCarthy and her director husband John Asher had their first child, Evan.
Product Details Paperback: 165 pages
Carton Size: 40 books
Publisher: Perseus Books Group (January 30, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738210072
ISBN-13: 978-0738210070
Product Dimensions: 7.98 x 5.12 x 0.45 inches
Shipping Weight: 0.39 pounds |
View Cart |
comical, funny, and mostly true 
