Erma Bombeck books in order
American humorist and writer
- Lived
- 1927–1996
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 19
Erma Bombeck published 2 non-fiction books and 17 other books, beginning with The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1976). The best-known is If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (1978).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Erma Bombeck
Start here
If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?
Erma Bombeck's most-read book.
Non-fiction in order
I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise (1989)
When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home (1991)
Other books in order
The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1976)
At Wit's End (1977)
I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression (1977)
If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (1978)
Aunt Erma's Cope Book (1979)
"Just Wait Till You Have Children of Your Own!" (1981)
Erma Bombeck Giant Economy Size (1983)
Motherhood, the Second Oldest Profession (1983)
Motherhood (1984)
Four of a Kind (1985)
Family (1987)
The Best of Bombeck (1987)
A Marriage Made in Heaven--, Or, Too Tired for an Affair (1993)
All I Know About Animal Behavior I Learned in Loehmann's Dressing Room (1995)
Forever, Erma (1996)
If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries (2000)
Eat Less Cottage Cheese and More Ice Cream (2003)
About Erma Bombeck
Erma Louise Bombeck was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for her newspaper humor column describing suburban home life, syndicated from 1965 to 1996. Fifteen books of her humor have been published; most became bestsellers.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Erma Bombeck FAQ
- How many books has Erma Bombeck written?
- Erma Bombeck published 2 non-fiction books and 17 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Erma Bombeck's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?.
- What is Erma Bombeck's last book?
- When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home (1991).
- What is Erma Bombeck's most famous book?
- If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (1978) is Erma Bombeck's most widely read book.
Authors like Erma Bombeck
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.