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Eight Is Enough
The story of a family with 8 children.
173 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 5, 2017
3.5 stars. A good family memoir written from the father's POV of the 1970's (and earlier) that was the basis for the TV show EIGHT IS ENOUGH. Anecdotes of his memories of raising 8 kids in a 2 career family back then, the challenges and craziness. Made me think about the TV show when it used to be on. Funny and heartfelt, a bit old-fashioned at times, but that was the way that generation was raised, with manners and a great work ethic.
(My thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.)
(My thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.)
December 4, 2017
This book provides a snapshot of a large upper-class (but not necessarily rich) family with permissive parents in the 1970s. The author's attitudes, while undoubtedly liberal for the time, are nevertheless dated. Braden at times appears to be held hostage by his unruly children, but the book is heartfelt, etc. The author's prose style if very clear and easy to read. I suspect he recycled much of the material from his newspaper columns. I don't regret reading the book, but I can't really recommend it unless you were a fan of the TV show.
June 25, 2017
Eight Is Enough by Tom Braden has been re-released by Open Road Media in the eBook format. This is a highly recommended, nostalgic look-back at parenting in the early 70's. Although many things in the book are dated now, the original book was published in the mid-seventies, it still provides many amusing anecdotes and practical parenting advice, as well as some personal opinions. Just as the TV show, Braden does address some serious concerns he had at the time, including drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex, along with more amusing stories. Admittedly, there is a lot of name dropping in the book. It's hard to say if this was intentional or simply a reflection of the life the Braden's lived.
Many people will recall the popular TV show of the same title and loosely based on Braden's book. Parents are Tom and Joan (only in the TV show stepmother Abby appeared very quickly since the original actress playing Joan died after 4 episodes). The eight children are: David, Mary, Joannie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. Tom Braden actually lived a rather colorful, interesting life, but was played, as I recall, as a rather affable and agreeable advice-giver on the TV show. The show did tackle some tough, timely issues but naturally things were solved quickly.
There were several interesting quotes, but I'll only share three.
The first was Mother's Rule, meaning Braden's mother: "The 'good' books we force upon the young in contravention of our knowledge that the purpose of the young is to contravene. Therefore, learning must be secret and illegal. If you really want a child to read something, there is only one way: Hide it." My mother insisted that nobody had ever tried her rule. But I have. It works. I hide the 'good' books, or I put them on the highest shelves.
"I think the deans of our colleges have yielded too easily. Respect, consideration, thoughtfulness and kindness, privacy and forbearance are still virtues worth inculcating. And when they fall before the strength of the new sexual morality, style loses meaning and, I should think, college dormitories become barns. I’m sure I sound old-fashioned."
"There is a time in the life of a man and a woman, between childhood and adulthood, between dependence and responsibility, between desire and the ability to cope with it, between wanting something and deciding to earn it, when the human being, physically grown and emotionally childish, is a very dangerous animal."
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Open Road Media.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/0...
Many people will recall the popular TV show of the same title and loosely based on Braden's book. Parents are Tom and Joan (only in the TV show stepmother Abby appeared very quickly since the original actress playing Joan died after 4 episodes). The eight children are: David, Mary, Joannie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. Tom Braden actually lived a rather colorful, interesting life, but was played, as I recall, as a rather affable and agreeable advice-giver on the TV show. The show did tackle some tough, timely issues but naturally things were solved quickly.
There were several interesting quotes, but I'll only share three.
The first was Mother's Rule, meaning Braden's mother: "The 'good' books we force upon the young in contravention of our knowledge that the purpose of the young is to contravene. Therefore, learning must be secret and illegal. If you really want a child to read something, there is only one way: Hide it." My mother insisted that nobody had ever tried her rule. But I have. It works. I hide the 'good' books, or I put them on the highest shelves.
"I think the deans of our colleges have yielded too easily. Respect, consideration, thoughtfulness and kindness, privacy and forbearance are still virtues worth inculcating. And when they fall before the strength of the new sexual morality, style loses meaning and, I should think, college dormitories become barns. I’m sure I sound old-fashioned."
"There is a time in the life of a man and a woman, between childhood and adulthood, between dependence and responsibility, between desire and the ability to cope with it, between wanting something and deciding to earn it, when the human being, physically grown and emotionally childish, is a very dangerous animal."
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Open Road Media.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/0...
June 21, 2017
This book was the basis of the tv show "Eight is Enough" which I loved and watched every week. It was the about the trials and tribulations of having eight kids. The show, according to this book, did a very good portraying this family.
There were some funny stories. I loved the telegram from RFK to Tom Braden that said "you win." meaning that Tom had eight kids and RFK only had seven at that time.
A fun, enjoyable read that had me on IMDB looking up the cast of characters and seeing what had become of all those kids. A real trip down memory lane.
Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
There were some funny stories. I loved the telegram from RFK to Tom Braden that said "you win." meaning that Tom had eight kids and RFK only had seven at that time.
A fun, enjoyable read that had me on IMDB looking up the cast of characters and seeing what had become of all those kids. A real trip down memory lane.
Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
June 22, 2017
Open Road Media and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Eight Is Enough: A Father's Memoir of Life with His Extra-Large Family. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Tom Braden's life with his wife Joan and their eight children was the subject of a very popular television show, a show that Tom doubted so greatly that he sold his story for one dollar. Having watched the show, I was very interested in reading about the real-life individuals that make up the Braden clan. With essays regarding different aspects of his children's lives, as well as stories that include some of the upper echelon of society, Eight Is Enough is just a small snapshot of life as a family of 10.
The television show neglected the man himself: Tom was a fascinating person with an exciting life. From running a newspaper to being friends with President Kennedy, no one could ever say that Tom Braden's life was dull. Through his essays, the author shows how his perspective changed as his children aged. I wish that the author had taken the reader through more of his fascinating background, as Eight Is Enough is more about the offspring than the man himself.
Tom Braden's life with his wife Joan and their eight children was the subject of a very popular television show, a show that Tom doubted so greatly that he sold his story for one dollar. Having watched the show, I was very interested in reading about the real-life individuals that make up the Braden clan. With essays regarding different aspects of his children's lives, as well as stories that include some of the upper echelon of society, Eight Is Enough is just a small snapshot of life as a family of 10.
The television show neglected the man himself: Tom was a fascinating person with an exciting life. From running a newspaper to being friends with President Kennedy, no one could ever say that Tom Braden's life was dull. Through his essays, the author shows how his perspective changed as his children aged. I wish that the author had taken the reader through more of his fascinating background, as Eight Is Enough is more about the offspring than the man himself.
June 26, 2017
A great reminder that, when it comes to parenting, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Tom Braden raised his eight children in a different time, but so many of his insights ring true to me today, especially around regrets and lessons learned after the children have begun to grow up and leave the nest (often returning as well).
June 19, 2017
Eight is Enough by Tom Braden is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in early June.
This is the author/father/CIA/British Army/newspaperman Braden's perspective on living with his wife, Joan, as well as David, Mary, Joannie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. His delivery is somewhat brusque and ranges from being mild to moderately sardonic when he talks about family pets, tips on domestic life, the use of discipline, money management, travelling as a group, and men dating his teenage daughters.
This is the author/father/CIA/British Army/newspaperman Braden's perspective on living with his wife, Joan, as well as David, Mary, Joannie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. His delivery is somewhat brusque and ranges from being mild to moderately sardonic when he talks about family pets, tips on domestic life, the use of discipline, money management, travelling as a group, and men dating his teenage daughters.
June 6, 2017
I thought I read this book years ago when I found out the tv show was based on a real family. But nothing about it was familiar.
I think this book is considered new because it's being released as an ebook in a couple of weeks.
I think this book is considered new because it's being released as an ebook in a couple of weeks.
March 30, 2011
"Then I got the call from the head of the treasury department...." "Henry Kissinger once told my wife..." "We were vacationing with the Kennedys when...."
Ok, so aside from the overdone name dropping, Braden’s book isn’t bad. He tells cute stories about his kids, many of which address subjects that make me sure that he did not get permission from said kids before telling said stories, but I digress. He doesn’t avoid poking gentle fun at himself, although he’s gentler with himself than with his kids, but again. Basically it’s a blog from before blogs existed. Not amazing; not bad. Worth a beach read (or reading between journal articles when your brain is fried from thesis research).
Ok, so aside from the overdone name dropping, Braden’s book isn’t bad. He tells cute stories about his kids, many of which address subjects that make me sure that he did not get permission from said kids before telling said stories, but I digress. He doesn’t avoid poking gentle fun at himself, although he’s gentler with himself than with his kids, but again. Basically it’s a blog from before blogs existed. Not amazing; not bad. Worth a beach read (or reading between journal articles when your brain is fried from thesis research).
July 3, 2017
Eight is Enough by Tom Braden seems to be a re-release of his book that was written years ago. While some of the information will seem dated, it is a reminder that no matter era you live in parenting is parenting. Braden smoothly and professionally writes about his adventures of raising a large family back in the 60s to 70s.
Braden himself lived an interesting life which he alludes to in his book when he mentions parachutes and weapons. Before Braden entered the newspaper business he served during WWII, worked in the OSS and CIA, and was a co-host for Crossfire on CNN.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
Braden himself lived an interesting life which he alludes to in his book when he mentions parachutes and weapons. Before Braden entered the newspaper business he served during WWII, worked in the OSS and CIA, and was a co-host for Crossfire on CNN.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
September 1, 2017
I thought I had already read this book as a younger teen when I read so many other big-family stories, but now I think I probably didn't, because there wasn't really anything I remember. I was expecting more humor than there was. What I wasn't expecting was the truly impressive amount of name-dropping. I wasn't as impressed by most of them as I was probably supposed to be, but when Alice Roosevelt Longworth walked in, I admit I was impressed. But it was the tale about staying at the Cavendish Hotel around WWII under the aegis of Rosa Lewis that really left me gobsmacked.
March 23, 2018
I wish I could give this book a rating of 1 and a half stars instead of 2. This is Tom Braden's story of how life is with his wife Joan and their eight kids. It was the basis for the tv show Eight is Enough. The book is written like Tom is observing how his family revolves around him day to day and then taking notes about his observation. There doesn't seem to be a lot of interaction or conversations between Tom and his kids, he also does a lot of complaining about his kids.
June 26, 2011
I am rereading this book for the third time I believe. The thing I like about this book is not only is it a quick read which I like but it is about a very close family who loved each other no matter what trial or tribulation came the families way.
March 13, 2008
Reawoke my love for the show. Beautifully written.
June 11, 2012
Although a little dated, I found it relevant & funny
September 20, 2012
it was quite interesting to hear the opinion of parents about raising children .....it was a nice book.
Read
March 14, 2018Have watched the TV show, enjoyed the book just as much. The TV show did a good job of casting the rolls of the 8 siblings. Good read. Wish Tom Braden had written more books about his family life.
Read
August 7, 2019Crossfires (TV show) Tom Braden writes about the "joys" of fatherhood.
September 16, 2022
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.
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.
August 30, 2021
Based on his Wikipedia entry and casual mentions in this book, Tom Braden was a man of great personal courage and conviction. An American citizen who during WWII volunteered to serve with the British armed forces, he joined the OSS upon the United States' entry into the war. As an OSS agent, he parachuted into France behind German lines. After the war, he worked for the CIA before becoming a journalist.
He and his wife were personal friends of the Kennedy family, Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller and other members of the ruling class. Nevertheless, he had trouble maintaining an upper-middle class lifestyle while rearing his large family. Nowadays, a person with his connections would, for instance, simply give a few well paid speeches, thus solving any money problems. That he did not use his social network to enrich himself is evidence of his personal integrity.
The book Eight Is Enough isn't really about Mr. Braden's large family. It's more about his thoughts about being a father to such a large family. The family stories that are related are disturbing more than they are heart warming. The kids use drugs, drink booze, trash the house, get hurt, ignore advice, steal from each other and their parents, and generally act like spoiled brats. There is little that is humorous and much that is depressing.
He and his wife were personal friends of the Kennedy family, Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller and other members of the ruling class. Nevertheless, he had trouble maintaining an upper-middle class lifestyle while rearing his large family. Nowadays, a person with his connections would, for instance, simply give a few well paid speeches, thus solving any money problems. That he did not use his social network to enrich himself is evidence of his personal integrity.
The book Eight Is Enough isn't really about Mr. Braden's large family. It's more about his thoughts about being a father to such a large family. The family stories that are related are disturbing more than they are heart warming. The kids use drugs, drink booze, trash the house, get hurt, ignore advice, steal from each other and their parents, and generally act like spoiled brats. There is little that is humorous and much that is depressing.
March 8, 2024
I was happy to read this book and I liked everything that reminded me of the 1970s television series. It tells the adventures of a father with a large family. The author expresses somewhat dated positions on some topics such as educational methods, relationships between parents and children, sex. He also tells some anecdotes from his life that are not exactly edifying. Let's say that Tom Bradford, a little insecure and clumsy, is much nicer than the real Tom Braden. However, it was nice to meet the real David, Mary, Susan, Joanie, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy and Nicholas and meet their mother who didn't exist in the television series (the actress who played her had died during the first season and therefore they had also killed the character).
October 20, 2022
View of a father in the sixties. A pathetic series of excuses and complaints in the form of memories and stories of his household and its particular members. I was embarrassed for him. He seemed so ignorant of the sort of principles and teachings needed to bring up principled and virtuous children. I hope his children grew up well in spite of him.
It’s not the happy family antics story the cover is selling. Not to be ranked with The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio, or Cheaper by the Dozen.
It’s not the happy family antics story the cover is selling. Not to be ranked with The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio, or Cheaper by the Dozen.
April 11, 2024
Yet another uncataloged book from the past. I remember being pulled in by the cover. I remember finding out not too much later that there was going to be a tv show made based on it, which was exciting. I'm sure I read it more than once - but I'm not sure why because reading it now, I don't remember it being so boring. He drops SO many names and a lot of it is more about himself than the kids. But it's okay. They made a great show out of it!
October 19, 2021
As one who viewed the TV show with the same name and based on the book it brought back wonderful memories. It was interesting to read some of the real life stories about the characters. A fun and interesting book to read.
April 23, 2020
Just a good feel good book to read.
November 13, 2022
Ohio Digital Library Copy
Definitely of its time, and not as amusing as the television series.
Definitely of its time, and not as amusing as the television series.
January 18, 2023
Interesting but not much like the show which was why my parents gave me the book.
February 4, 2023
Hilarious 😂
October 8, 2023
Fun easy read. Most enjoyable because having raised four children I could relate to much of the book. ( Not always but often enough to enjoy it)
February 11, 2024
Dated, but becomes aware of being dated.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews