Books – Thoughts From The Passenger Seat

2026, Books

Heavy Heavy

Posted on August 21, 2026 by nancyb422

This has been a heavy week.

We picked the book, Heft by Liz Moore, for our September book club meeting. I finished the book and, of course, told the group that just to be “punny”. But it was heavy. Two individuals, a middle-aged man and a 18 year old boy, connected by the same person, but yet, alone in the world. One encumbered by physical weight and the other encumbered by emotional weight.

With that said, I enjoyed the book. I had a cousin, second I think, who was heavy his whole life. Even in first grade, he looked like a teddy bear. So round and cute. He was so outgoing and had many friends through the years, had a beautiful singing voice. As time went by, he continued to gain weight and had health issues until he was housebound. He lost his foot to diabetes, and passed away last year. He would leave messages of him singing to me and other friends through Facebook. While I read the book, I thought of him.

My heart went out to the boy in the story because his heaviness was the loss of his mother after many years of alcohol abuse. He literally had no one but her. The man he thought was his father, who had “moved to Arizona” long ago, was not actually his father. And not in Arizona but in the next town for years.

Both found the support they needed and as the book ended were on the path to meet each other and, I hope, form a relationship to lean on each other. I think they got there.

What book have you read that you felt was heavy, but hopeful?

2025, Books, Memories

Cheaper By The Dozen

Posted on December 4, 2025December 3, 2025 by nancyb422

One of my favorite books growing up was “Cheaper by the Dozen”. It was a memoir published in 1948 by the children of Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth of New Jersey and takes place from the early 1900s through 1924.

Frank and Lillian were Time and Motion Study and Efficiency experts and they worked with companies to show how employees could be more efficient in their jobs. They had 12 children (actually 11 because one daughter died from diphtheria when she was 5).

The book shares stories of growing up in such a large family with a larger than life father in Frank.

I remembered this book when I was in the shower this morning – isn’t that where we all do our best thinking? One of the scenes in the book is Frank the father, showing his children, and then a larger audience, how to efficiently take a bath! He sits in a tub, or on the floor and describes as he goes through the motion of moving the soap from one side to the other, up the arms, down the legs and everywhere in between. His children were horrified!

The title of the book came from the times they would be driving down the road in the large, custom car they had to fit all the kids (this was the 1910s-20s), and someone would yell out, “Hey mister, how come you got all those kids?” He’d reply “Because they’re Cheaper by the Dozen!”.

The book was turned into a movie two years later and starred Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy, and a sequel called, “Belles on their Toes” was published which talks of the families life after Frank dies and Lillian continues the time and motion study company.

You might only know of the 2003 remake that stars Steve Martin. I’ve never watched it and likely never will! I think I will add the two books to my “Read again” list for some pleasant reading because my heavy books.

Have you ever read either book or seen either movie?

2025, Books, history, life

Our First Public Servant

Posted on July 20, 2025July 19, 2025 by nancyb422

Since Hamilton, I’ve had a fascination with George Washington.

I take that back. My fascination began when I could read the markers to commemorate his stops in my town, Wallingford Connecticut to gather provisions for his troops in 1775 and after his election on a New England tour in 1789.

*One of the many markers along the route*

Years later, there was Hamilton and the dreamy Christopher Jackson in the role of our leader which prompted a visit to Mount Vernon on our trip last year to Washington DC.

I never read Hamilton and I’ve never read Ron Chernow’s biography of Washington. I have read “You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington” by Alexis Coe, published in 2020. It is a lighter biography and although she does spent a little time in the beginning bashing the men-centric biographies written about him, I appreciated the timeline, list of family, friends, enemies, likes, and dislikes, and even diseases survived. All that, the biography, and index come in at 261 pages compared to 900+ for Chernow’s version.

Since I have visited Mount Vernon and read a biography, I’m now reading “Travels with George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy“ by Nathaniel Philbrick. He’s the author of quite a few books, and one sitting on my shelf, “Mayflower”, that I might have to dig into after this.

Although I’m not far in, I like an author who gets into the story – He’s traveling the routes Washington took for four tours! The first is his Inauguration route from Mount Vernon to New York City. Second is his New England Tour, which will take him through Wallingford on his way to Boston. Visiting the states that ratified the Constitution. He was using his popularity to talk to farmers and others along the route to create a feeling of unity. The third trip was to Rhode Island after they ratified the Constitution in 1790. The last, and the longest was the Southern Tour going as far south as Savannah Georgia and back north through Augusta.

I was surprised to read that Rhode Island was a hold out but I also didn’t realize that Rhode Island was a major hub in the transatlantic salve trade during the 1700s. This was both because of numerous natural harbors conducive to trading, the shipbuilding industry, and economic incentives. Maybe I had learned this, but forgot it over time.

Back to George!

One of the stops he made on his way through Wallingford was to the Nehemiah Royce house, constructed in 1672 where George address the townspeople in front of the house in 1789.

I have a feeling as I read this book, I will have more to say about George, and I know I’m not done telling you about the Royce House and its restoration. Stay Tuned!

What historical figure has been your favorite to read about? Let me know and I may add it to my list.

Books, family, Home, life, Memories, thoughts, Writing

My Road to Motherhood

Posted on May 11, 2025 by nancyb422

It wasn’t a smooth path. There were bumps, and potholes, and, what felt like, a mountain to climb.

But in the end, there he was.

“Motherhood is seeing your heart walking around outside your body and hoping the world is gentle with it” – Elizabeth Stone

I was not prepared for a boy. I thought “ugh, messy, muddy, eating everything in sight”. But he was not.

He was sweet, not messy/muddy, but still had a mind of his own. He would tell me how pretty I looked and ask, “is that a new dress?”

I’m now a mother of a 35 year old married man.

He is still sweet and thoughtful and I’m grateful to be his mother.

2025, Books, life, thoughts, Writing

Why Write?

Posted on May 4, 2025 by nancyb422

Why Bother
Because right now
there is someone
Out there with
a wound in the exact shape
of your words
— Sean Thomas Dougherty 2018

I heard this poem this past week while attending an author talk by Monica Woods for our town’s “One Book, One Wallingford”. The participants in the program read her book “How To Read A Book”.

She recited this poem when discussing her journey in writing. She had a manuscript for her book “The One-In-A-Million Boy” which was rejected in 2008 (or so). She tossed it in a drawer and her husband kept encouraging her to send it to another publisher. She didn’t, but in the meantime wrote a memoir, “When we were the Kennedys” and a play! Her husband kept encouraging her to re-submit it. But next she wrote “How To Read A Book”. Then, she submitted the cast-away manuscript and it was published.

I have no plan to write a book but her story and the poem she recited really struck me because I alternate between writing, and wondering why I write. Who cares what I have to say or feel? Who am I to feel like anything I say matters?

Reading that poem encourages me to continue to write and hope that someone out there nods in agreement or at least pauses to contemplate my words.

2024, Books, hobbies, Home, leisure time, life, Politics, thoughts

Wasting Time

Posted on November 16, 2024 by nancyb422

I had a story thought in my head and came to my computer to spend a(n) half hour writing. Instead, I went to the computer, saw my email account was up, thought I’d check those emails, and then remembered I wanted to order a couple of new bras, so I went to the email I received the other day, browsed through the site, and ordered a couple. Remembered the printer was out of paper so I had to ‘rassle the ream of paper from its illogical location and fill the tray. While waiting for the pages to print, I remembered my original intention was to write about my thoughts from my walk this afternoon.

Thursday afternoon, I watched an author talk with Javier Zamora, author of Solito. He is El Salvadoran and it is a memoir of his excursion from El Salvador to the United States when he was nine years old. Via a “coyote”. I haven’t read the book yet, but as I was listening to his story, I ordered the book through Barnes and Noble and picked it up the next day.

This was an enjoyable way to spend time on the computer. Something productive, something I didn’t have to talk in or answer any questions, and something that was NOT doomscrolling.

For months, my brain and emotions have been overloaded with this election season. Now that it’s over and the real fun begins, I’m not sure how much more I can take. I feel like the social media sites no longer serve their purpose of feeding me flowers, dogs, and friends and are now filled with the political sites I subscribed to over this time.

I’m trying to share fun things to stories along with items that might make you go “hmmmm”, and maybe if I do a little less hearting Instagram posts, my feed might get a little more fun.

2024, Books, leisure time, life, Politics, relaxing

A Book of Politics

Posted on August 24, 2024 by nancyb422

In the run up to the November election, I am reading “Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate” by Bob Woodward.

Obviously, since it ends with Clinton (his first term), it’s an older book, however, since I turned 18 during Carter’s reign, it’s all pretty new to me!

It tells of the various scandals of the presidencies, beginning with the end of Nixon, his resignation, and his pardon by Gerald Ford. That was very controversial and seemed to guarantee Ford would be a One and Done president.

It also brought about the ethics bill and the creation of independent councils and special prosecutors. This was due to Nixon firing his appointee to investigate Watergate. Of course the first time it was used was to investigate Hamilton Jordan, Carter’s chief of staff for his “alleged use of cocaine” at Studio 54 in New York! This was based on testimony by the 2 owners of the club who were charged with skimming millions of dollars off the top of the club’s profits and it was requested by Carter’s Attorney General. So odd and such a waste of time and energy to come to a No Probable Cause decision by a grand jury.

I read a biography a year or so ago on Jimmy Carter, “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life” by Jonathan Alter. It was very interesting and gave me a greater appreciation for him. He was out of his league in Washington and I think he could have done so much greater good if he hadn’t wasted his time there. Of course, he’s nearly 100 and had many, many fruitful years after 1980!

I was in college during the uprising in Tehran and the taking of hostages and my school was big on, and made most of their money with, their English as a Second Language program so we had many rich South American, Asian, and Middle East students there. I remember long nights of them watching the news in the recreation room. I remember hating that the hostages were freed after the exchange of the presidency between Carter and Reagan. I was not a fan of Reagan.

I’m currently on the Reagan Era, the Iran Arms Deals, the Contras, and Ollie North. There were a lot of powerful men hiding a lot of crazy shit – or were they really hiding it?

It’s a heavy book of 517 pages but close to 80 of those pages are notes and an index. I may have to have a few palate cleansers nearby because I fear some sections I may slam the book in aggravation!

Have you read it or anything similar? Do you enjoy non-fiction books?

2024, Books, family, life, Memories, Writing

Hearing Myself Talk

Posted on February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 by nancyb422

There’s an article today in the New York Times Wellness Section entitled “You’re Never Too Old for Story Time” that talks about why adults to read aloud to one another and how to get started. That brought back memories!

It must have been when Cody was still in elementary school, maybe middle school, that on a few occasions during long car rides I would read to him and my husband.

My two favorites were both by the same author, Richard Peck. A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. They were books I was introduced to while I was a library assistant in a K-5 school.

The first involves a brother and sister who go to their grandmother’s home one summer. It is described as short stories but they all blend right into one another.

The second, is about the sister who is living there on her own with her grandmother, her brother having joined the army.

I read them both on my own at first and, even now I’m tearing up thinking about the stories! I knew my husband and son would both enjoy them so on a trip I would bring along one of the books and read.

I clearly remember getting to a part and saying “ok, give me a minute to get weepy so I don’t do it while I’m reading!”. We usually managed to finish a book on the trip.

I still have those two books on my bookshelf. I think it’s time to read them again.

2023, Books, life, thoughts, Writing

To Replay Your Life

Posted on November 2, 2023November 2, 2023 by nancyb422

It was late 1987 and I had recently moved to California to live with my soon to be husband. I moved my belongings by UPS so there wasn’t a lot of extra stuff (books!) that came with me.

Always looking for something to read I surprisingly found a book on a shelf. It was “Replay” by Ken Grimwood published in 1986.

It was about an overweight, unhappy in his marriage 40-something man who has a heart attack at his desk. But…..he wakes up, in his dorm room at 19 years old.

It takes him a little while to realize where he is but then he does what would be expected – he DOESN’T get involved with the woman in his unhappy marriage, and he starts betting on all the major sports events!

It goes on from there and everything is great – until he “dies” again but comes back a little older, and a little older….. He realizes, he can live his life as crazy as he wants to because he’s “replaying” his life.

After a few times, he discovers that there are others who are doing the same.

I’ve read this book 3 or 4 times and It is a fascinating premise. Die and end up back in your early adulthood with the knowledge you left your existing life with. As they say “hindsight is 20/20”! What would you do? Would you want the ability to come back and right wrongs? Change behaviors? Go to the love of your life faster without dealing with all the dopes first?

I’ve contemplated it. I think about what I would do and how I would make sure I found my husband – just sooner!

2023, Books

Books on Repeat #1

Posted on July 2, 2023July 2, 2023 by nancyb422

I have so many books to read in my bookcase but that doesn’t stop me from buying more, or going to the library. Or, rereading one!

Since I just finished one I’ve read before, I’ll tell you about it and why I do.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society takes place mostly on the island of Guernsey, part of the British Channel Islands during 1946.

It is an epistolary novel which means it’s in the form of letters. Some short, some long between an author, her publisher, his sister, her suitor, and the people living in Guernsey after World War II that move the story along.

Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war before the Allies landed in Normandy. The letters weave the present days of 1946 with the stories of the townspeople during the occupation.

It’s heart warming and educational and now I would like to visit Guernsey. Since that won’t happen any time this year or next, I’m going to find books about the island and the occupation.

This book is a “palate cleanser” when you’ve just finished something fairly intense and just can’t jump into something else right away. That’s why it’s the perfect re-read!