Silly Woman, Big Rigs Are for Men

Third Edition

By: Mary Ellen Dempsey

Narrated by: Catherine Edwards

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Here's an eye-opening look at the world of truck driving from the driver's seat. This audiobook allows you to experience the reality of what it's like to drive one of those smoke-belching monstrous 18-wheelers while sitting safely in your recliner.

Mary Ellen doesn't realize in her quest for financial stability that she's stepping out of the box and squarely into the all-male bastion of trucking. Still, our female protagonist finds the strength to come out of every situation ready to face the next challenge. Her experiences include navigating endless unfamiliar cities, prior to GPS and cell phones, to backing her tractor-trailer into places she's sure a car wouldn't fit. But she overcomes it all.

The author takes you behind the wheel with her as you are swept from one adventure to the next, such as driving through a raging Wyoming blizzard to making deliveries at the infamous Hunts Point Market in New York City, where, for the first time, she considers carrying a gun. She shows the listener how this job is much more than just driving; it's a lifestyle. This is a story you'll find hard to pause.

©2011 Mary Ellen Dempsey (P)2015 Mary Ellen Dempsey

Captivating

The titled grabbed my attention, as a child I learned to drive on the 18 wheeler big rigs. The first thing I learned was how to back a trailer into a cattle loading dock. I drove lots of hay, cattle, sheep and water all over the ranch, the War was on and male ranch hands were in short supply so us kids and the women did all the work. I found that next to handling horse teams pulling wagons, I love to drive the trucks.

Dempsey tells about how she became a truck driver to support her family after a driving school bus for a number of years. She describes her good and bad points of learning to drive a big rig. The rest of the book consists of stories about obstacles and problems of driving both short and long hauls.

Dempsey writes with a delightful sense of humor, and an easy to read style. After listening for a bite I felt as if I was just visiting a friend and hearing about her day at work. The author does discuss the problems she had with sexual harassment on the job but she did note that if she did her job was good at it and did not complain most men accepted her as an equal. The book is full of tips and what to do and not do if you are going to drive truck, which includes the advantages and disadvantages of owing your own rig. Also included are a few tips for car driver’s safety when driving on the road with big rigs. Overall, the book was a fun and entertaining read. Catherine Edwards did an excellent job narrating the book.

This woman is a loser and a very poor writer

The author of this book loves to be victimized by her poor decision-making.
In one part of the book she actually criticizes the appearance of a six-year-old girl!
With two hours left I had to stop listening
If an autobiography about a lady who refuses to take responsibility for her poor decisions interests you, check this book out.