113. Eight is Enough

Eight is Enough: A Father's Memoir of Life with His Extra Large Family. Tom Braden. 1975. 173 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 First sentence: When I was a boy in Iowa, my ambition was "to become a pullman conductor and see the world." I know that because I wrote it in a diary I kept when I was seven.

Premise/plot: The book calls itself a memoir and who am I to disagree? I see each chapter as more of a vignette or essay. But again, who am I to disagree with the subtitle? Tom Braden was many things--soldier, spy, politician, journalist, husband, and father. He doesn't really recount much of anything besides husband-and-father in this memoir. I had no idea he worked for the CIA (or is it in the CIA???) until I read the afterword; that he was a soldier in World War II, I'm not surprised. Regardless, this book recounts his raising his family in the 1960s and 1970s. Expect anecdotes and some name dropping--as to both husband and wife moved in high circles.

My thoughts: I have very vague memories of catching the TV show in reruns. Very vague. (I think it was before we got the VCR.) But I remember just enough to be interested/intrigued in reading this one. I had no expectations. I didn't know if it would be sincere/sentimental or if it would be more like Erma Bombeck. (Don't laugh, remember I had no idea what to expect.) Some chapters do read like straight up comedy. Others read more like commentary of the times. There were a very few places that I found a bit creepy. But that could just be me not understanding the 60s and 70s.

 

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