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NPR Driveway Moments

NPR Driveway Moments Moms: Radio Stories That Won't Let You Go

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Stories from the National Public Radio archives celebrate moms and motherhood. Stories so compelling you'll stay in your car to hear them through--even if you're sitting in your own driveway. "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! "host Peter Sagal captures your attention with colorful tales for and about moms. Heard in "All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, News & Notes," and other NPR programs, these stories and more are for moms, moms-to-be, and anyone who has ever known or had a mother.

120 pages, Audio CD

First published January 3, 2009

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National Public Radio

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Community Reviews

5 stars
34 (18%)
4 stars
68 (37%)
3 stars
60 (32%)
2 stars
18 (9%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for ChapterOne.
95 reviews2 followers
July 19, 2015
This is why I love NPR! I love love love it when I'm driving to work and something like this happens to be on on NPR radio. I stay on the parking lot and wish it was not 8:30 yet.

This is a heartwarming collection of stories about motherhood. Some will make you smile and some will make you tear up a little. Lord knows I am not a perfect mother. I make many mistakes. But I feel so freaking blessed and honored that I am one.

5 stars
Profile Image for C.
2,398 reviews
October 29, 2009
Amy Borkowsky's mother's messages were the FUNNIEST answering machine messages I've ever heard. Her mother is such a nutty worrywort, and it had me rolling. This was so much better than I thought it would be. Some of the essays were extremely touching and inspiring.
Profile Image for Rose Rosetree.
Author 15 books471 followers
November 15, 2024
Sweetly encouraging to listeners. In this collection, the subject is mothers, motherhood, mothering.

Suppose that you're driving in nasty traffic and wish to uplift yourself. Dependably!

Here's a CD set for you.

FIVE STARS for an excellent collection of stories, smoothly narrated.

PERSONALLY, I WOULDN'T CALL THIS COLLECTION OF "DRIVEWAY MOMENTS" GREAT

But it is a crowd pleaser.

The storytellers had varying degrees of skill, as I noted wryly.

More than anything, this audiobook made me appreciate more than ever the elegant-and-meticulous storytelling of Nina Totenberg. Especially I think of her memoir,"Dinners with Ruth."
Profile Image for Heather.
250 reviews
July 8, 2025
I enjoyed this compilation, especially the first story about the phone messages the mother leave her daughter. I will have to read her book.

Here are a few moments I loved:

"I allow in my life the possibility of unexplainable things to happen, like premonitions, dreams that are very powerful and that somehow clear the way for a lot of stuff. ....Why stick to what we think is real? We think that reality is what we can control, that's reality. But there's a lot that we can't explain or control that also happens on many levels. I'm interested in that, as a writer and a woman." ~Isabelle Allende



This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Theresa Jehlik.
1,573 reviews10 followers
August 23, 2017
This collection of vignettes from NPR covers the mom experience from absurdity to conflict to tears. The stories range from Isabel Allende talking about her late daughter to a mother remembering her trip to China to pick up her newly adopted 6-year-old son to a grown daughter sharing answering machine messages that dispensed wildly funny and often confusing advice. There's something for everyone in these essays devoted to moms.
Profile Image for Jenn.
132 reviews1 follower
February 21, 2024
I always love NPR in their gift of collecting diverse and rich storytelling. This was no exception brining takes from Oliver Sachs and Isabel Allende, among many others. There were sweet stories of tamale recipes, grief and love filled stories of loss, and a few pieces that had me laughing out loud. I appreciated that this told some of the stories of the challenges of motherhood but feel that there is often a hole for those with absent (emotionally or physically) mothers.
Profile Image for Don.
308 reviews1 follower
October 26, 2017
This was a short audio collection of NPR stories relating to mothers and highlighting the love, care, and sacrifices that are involved in all that they do for their children. Definitely a heartwarming and sometimes humorous set of stories that will make you appreciate anew the mother(s) in your life!
Profile Image for Marie Horning.
484 reviews23 followers
September 7, 2017
A compilation of short stories about motherhood. Told by mothers, grandmothers, sons and daughters. It was heartfelt, funny, sometimes sad, very touching.
Profile Image for ErinJ.
224 reviews
May 1, 2018
I love NPR. But this was only okay. A few really good ones and a few really “meh” ones.
Profile Image for Cheri Flake.
Author 1 book11 followers
December 19, 2018
The beginning is a pants wetter. I cried at the end, with the soldiers mommies.
Profile Image for Kim.
1,380 reviews30 followers
June 27, 2013
This was a fun, short audio adventure. It was great to hear all of the various story tellers whether it was about someone's mom or being a mom. The voices were not all easy to hear, but the heartfelt and funny moments came through clearly.
Profile Image for Bayneeta.
2,389 reviews19 followers
November 26, 2009
I liked these more than the National Parks one--more human interest. Funny stories, sad stories, all pretty short. And this one was two disks, where the Parks one was only one.
Profile Image for Meredith.
165 reviews16 followers
December 9, 2012
Very entertaining audio book. Some stories are hilarious, some very moving and got me pchlempt.
Profile Image for Beth E.
443 reviews10 followers
June 13, 2013
An enjoyable and lighthearted set of recordings about moms. What more can you say? Some stories made me laugh. Some made me cry. And all made me happy to be in the club. A mom.
Profile Image for Patricia.
373 reviews
May 14, 2016
Funny, sweet and sometimes sad. Great listen for Mother's Day.
497 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2012
As expected, a good mix from NPR that ranged from funny to heartbreaking.
669 reviews5 followers
June 30, 2016
Fun vignettes, stories about mothers
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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