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Two Lives
Reeve Lindbergh is the youngest daughter of Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, two of the most famous people of the twentieth century, who, ironically, both intensely cherished privacy. In her new book, Lindbergh reflects on her own 'two lives', navigating her role as the public face of her family while, at the same time, leading a very quiet existence in rural Vermont. After devoting years to keeping separate her 'Lindbergh life' and her everyday life on her farm, she now finds herself able to make peace with her two lives.
Lindbergh takes us into the National Air and Space Museum and her kitchen drawers with equal ease, discovering that the history-making items on display are, for her, like the memorabilia that most families keep in the attic. Two Lives reconciles the seemingly separate worlds of fame and privacy, even finding a 'certain sweetness' when they intersect.
“Two Lives is a beautiful essay collection: funny and wry some moments, wistful and wise at others. Lindbergh may be the daughter of two gifted aviators, but she soars in her own right. This book is insightful, astute, and - best of all - honest." ~ Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and The Sandcastle Girls
"Humor and elegance are just two of many words to describe Reeve Lindbergh’s Two Lives. She shares both her busy life on her beloved sheep farm and her public life, answering the questions Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh refused to entertain. She gives us hope for finding balance in our far too busy lives.” ~ Diane Rehm, Host, “On My Mind” WAMU/NPR
Lindbergh takes us into the National Air and Space Museum and her kitchen drawers with equal ease, discovering that the history-making items on display are, for her, like the memorabilia that most families keep in the attic. Two Lives reconciles the seemingly separate worlds of fame and privacy, even finding a 'certain sweetness' when they intersect.
“Two Lives is a beautiful essay collection: funny and wry some moments, wistful and wise at others. Lindbergh may be the daughter of two gifted aviators, but she soars in her own right. This book is insightful, astute, and - best of all - honest." ~ Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and The Sandcastle Girls
"Humor and elegance are just two of many words to describe Reeve Lindbergh’s Two Lives. She shares both her busy life on her beloved sheep farm and her public life, answering the questions Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh refused to entertain. She gives us hope for finding balance in our far too busy lives.” ~ Diane Rehm, Host, “On My Mind” WAMU/NPR
Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2018
95 people want to read
About the author
Reeve Lindbergh
64 books60 followersChildren's author, novelist, and poet Reeve Lindbergh is the daughter of world-renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, the talented writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 4, 2019
When I learned that Reeve Lindbergh had written another book I had to have it! Years ago, my fascination with this family began as I read the novel by Melanie Benjamin, The Aviator’s Wife. I immediately set about reading works by Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her daughter Reeve. As she explains on the opening page of this essay collection, Reeve has two lives – the one where she currently lives on a Vermont farm with her husband and assorted creatures, and the other a more public one where she shares thoughts and reflections about her famous parents.
Poignant, funny at times, and clearly from the heart, this latest work has bits to treasure. Her subjects vary widely, ranging from the quirky hens and roosters on their farm to memories of her mother and dad. I was interested to find a gentle acceptance of her father’s errant ways, even excusing them by saying that it was difficult for him to be married!
‘Daily life with a wife and five children could not have been easy for my father……. though we all tried hard to obey our father and follow his instructions, and my mother tried to make his life comfortable when he was home. I know from conversations with her during the years after his death that my mother, too, thought it was very hard for my father to be married at all.’
How strange, if he found marriage so difficult, that he managed to have two other families in Europe, all the while living out his charade with Anne!
Significant it seemed to me, that even Reeve, with the treasure trove of memorabilia documenting the lives of both parents, expressed regret at some gaps in the story of their lives. I certainly have unanswered questions with regard to my own family, with the opportunity to ask them long gone. How fortunate she is that they both wrote so prolifically, and that repeated access to their works was available! As experience shapes one’s perspective, ideas revisited over a lifetime tend to evolve.
‘Even though my father has been dead for more than forty years and my mother for fifteen, their written words continue to reverberate in my consciousness, and their lives still trail long tendrils across mine’.
I just loved the part about their lives still trailing tendrils! How well said!
Poignant, funny at times, and clearly from the heart, this latest work has bits to treasure. Her subjects vary widely, ranging from the quirky hens and roosters on their farm to memories of her mother and dad. I was interested to find a gentle acceptance of her father’s errant ways, even excusing them by saying that it was difficult for him to be married!
‘Daily life with a wife and five children could not have been easy for my father……. though we all tried hard to obey our father and follow his instructions, and my mother tried to make his life comfortable when he was home. I know from conversations with her during the years after his death that my mother, too, thought it was very hard for my father to be married at all.’
How strange, if he found marriage so difficult, that he managed to have two other families in Europe, all the while living out his charade with Anne!
Significant it seemed to me, that even Reeve, with the treasure trove of memorabilia documenting the lives of both parents, expressed regret at some gaps in the story of their lives. I certainly have unanswered questions with regard to my own family, with the opportunity to ask them long gone. How fortunate she is that they both wrote so prolifically, and that repeated access to their works was available! As experience shapes one’s perspective, ideas revisited over a lifetime tend to evolve.
‘Even though my father has been dead for more than forty years and my mother for fifteen, their written words continue to reverberate in my consciousness, and their lives still trail long tendrils across mine’.
I just loved the part about their lives still trailing tendrils! How well said!
May 12, 2018
Soothing... And Then What Happened?
Like finding a real letter in the mailbox. To me, Lindbergh's writing has magic. It is catching up with a friend, her writing.
Like finding a real letter in the mailbox. To me, Lindbergh's writing has magic. It is catching up with a friend, her writing.
November 16, 2020
Two Lives in One
I recently read No More Words by the same author and wanted to follow with this book, having enjoyed the account of her mother's last years and Reeve's life on a small farm in Vermont peopled by now-familiar family and friends.
When I began I was a bit let down that the two lives would not be hers and that of her mother but her own writing life and the many other aspects of her existence.
By the time I got to the third page, delight replaced disappointment. This work absorbed me every bit as much as her other efforts and those of her mother. The apple, indeed, does not fall far from the tree.
I found ideas and attitudes which will help me when I put on my writing cap and find it's the only one I need.
Many thanks, dear Reeve.
I recently read No More Words by the same author and wanted to follow with this book, having enjoyed the account of her mother's last years and Reeve's life on a small farm in Vermont peopled by now-familiar family and friends.
When I began I was a bit let down that the two lives would not be hers and that of her mother but her own writing life and the many other aspects of her existence.
By the time I got to the third page, delight replaced disappointment. This work absorbed me every bit as much as her other efforts and those of her mother. The apple, indeed, does not fall far from the tree.
I found ideas and attitudes which will help me when I put on my writing cap and find it's the only one I need.
Many thanks, dear Reeve.
September 18, 2019
I always enjoy reading her books because there is usually something that rings true in my own life. Talk of her father (even though I don't like him much from what I've read of his politics) and his biographer Scott Berg led me to read (or at least skim) the biography Lindbergh. It was pretty revealing and I'm not sorry I took a look. Thank you, Reeve.
February 15, 2020
Lovely memoir from the daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She tells some of the history of her famous parents, intertwined with her daily writer's life at her Vermont sheep farm. Sometimes her musings about her life became a little boring, but mostly it was nice to read her thoughts about preserving nature and the memories of her parents.
August 30, 2018
I love Reeve's conversational style of writing. I feel like I'm sitting in the room listening to her tell these stories. Nuggets and tidbits about Charles and Anne Lindbergh are sprinkled throughout the book - woven into remembrances of daily life.
Want to read
January 31, 2020Mentioned in Victoria magazine - January/February 2020, Volume 14, Issue 1.
August 12, 2020
Truly enjoyed reading this memoir.
September 22, 2020
OUTSTANDING. INFORMATIVE.
April 5, 2021
A beautiful look at life
A beautiful reflection on life, Patty and present, the author's life, her parents' lives, and somehow, even our own lives
A beautiful reflection on life, Patty and present, the author's life, her parents' lives, and somehow, even our own lives
March 12, 2022
It was nice to get a glimpse in Reeve's life.
January 21, 2024
Reading a book by Reeve Lindbergh is like having a conversation with a good friend. Her writing is honest, humorous, and poignant. A book I will reread, and treasure for its wisdom.
May 16, 2024
Just an easy, homey read. For some reason, I can really relate to the author.
She gets asked What is it like being a Lindbergh? Well, I've never been anything else.
She gets asked What is it like being a Lindbergh? Well, I've never been anything else.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews