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How Not To Vanagon: A Memoir of Late-Life Love, Van Life Adventures, and Lessons on the Road
A seventy-eight year old romance writer, after living alone for twenty years, re-connects with an old (younger, 65,) email writing pal, and she and Fred move in together. But living in a house with a man twenty four-seven starts to make poisoning him sound viable. In a last ditch effort at saving the relationship and her so-called sanity, she agrees to the purchase of a Vanagon, an old Westfalia hippy van, and together they go on a long, meandering camping trip across the United States and Canada. Each chapter is filled with humor, tragedy and many life lessons. Whoever has the mistaken idea that life for a woman is pretty much over at 80 needs to read this book. Book One in the How Not To Series is HOW NOT TO RUN A B&B
- GenresFiction
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2020
47 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 9, 2022
Bobby's Bad Boys keep getting older, but not better.
If you're a die-hard romance reader, you're probably familiar with this author, who's been a successful, prolific writer of romance novels for decades. That's "successful" as in "publishers want her books." Not as in "rich." Never reading romances, I first met her in 2014 when I read her wonderful book "How Not to Run a B&B." I'd rather live in a tent than run a B&B, but I loved that book and its author. She's intelligent, hilarious, enthusiastic, and attracts strange characters like black pants attract cat fur. What's not to love?
With two failed marriages behind her and three grown sons, she started the Vancouver B&B to supplement her writing income. After several years, she moved back to her isolated home town , bought and renovated a large house, and opened another B&B. Running a B&B is hard work, but she's a hard worker. And she likes people and enjoys meeting them and has a boundless tolerance for their quirks. She's close to her siblings and their children, as well as her sons and their families. Enough to keep a 77-year-old woman happy and occupied, right?
Not Bobby. She's still looking for romance and companionship of the male variety. I like the woman. I admire the woman. She's someone I'd like to be friends or neighbors with. But (honestly) she just doesn't have any sense when it comes to picking men.
Her latest effort was a widower and fellow writer. She'd known him for years and allowed him to move in with her after his wife died. Mistake #1. She expected sex without checking his capabilities in advance. Mistake #2. She thought sharing their lives as writers would give them a basis for a comfortable, sympathetic companionship. Mistake #3. Then since she was going crazy living with him in a large house, she went halfsies on an ancient Volkswagon van and they started down the Canadian West Coast into the U.S. on a trip that was supposed to be relaxing, mentally stimulating, and spontaneous. Mistakes #4, #5, and #6.
The van turned out to be old and cranky and so did her companion. The stress of honeymoon traveling leaves many a marriage in shreds and those are young folks who don't have to go to the bathroom every thirty minutes. As mature people we SHOULD (theoretically) be kinder, wiser, more patient, and more appreciative of each other. But how often does it work out that way?
Frankly, I think this woman's unique talent is wasted on writing romance novels. She has a positive genius for telling hilarious stories about incidents which would have most of us screaming in rage and frustration. Not that she doesn't do that some, too, but she always sees the funny side of life. And along the way, we learn more about her life as a child and young woman. She's still (at 80!) trying to figure herself out and understand how her combination of optimism and need to please leads her into relationships with physically and/or emotionally abusive men and KEEPS her in those relationships long after most women would have cut and run.
Reading about her childhood, I'm reminded that the childhoods of my contemporaries who grew up in Western Canada always sound more like my parents' childhoods in the 1920's and 30's. Western Canada didn't experience the post-WWII economic boom that made American Boomers' childhoods relatively easy and luxurious. Her gritty, working class background produced a woman who was prepared to work hard to achieve, but who had no role models for women succeeding on their own. Women were wives and mothers who took care of others, not themselves. Educational and economic opportunities opened up for American Boomer girls and many of us took advantage of them. In Canada, that wouldn't happen for another generation.
It sounds like a downer, but it's not. She's a very entertaining woman, even when she's screwed up and has to find a way out. The devotion of her sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren is proof that she's cheerful, independent, and feisty. It's a funny book and any reader past a certain age will chuckle frequently and howl with laughter more than once. It's rare to find such a likable writer who writes so openly and honestly about her life and hard times. I'm glad I found her books. I hope she writes more.
If you're a die-hard romance reader, you're probably familiar with this author, who's been a successful, prolific writer of romance novels for decades. That's "successful" as in "publishers want her books." Not as in "rich." Never reading romances, I first met her in 2014 when I read her wonderful book "How Not to Run a B&B." I'd rather live in a tent than run a B&B, but I loved that book and its author. She's intelligent, hilarious, enthusiastic, and attracts strange characters like black pants attract cat fur. What's not to love?
With two failed marriages behind her and three grown sons, she started the Vancouver B&B to supplement her writing income. After several years, she moved back to her isolated home town , bought and renovated a large house, and opened another B&B. Running a B&B is hard work, but she's a hard worker. And she likes people and enjoys meeting them and has a boundless tolerance for their quirks. She's close to her siblings and their children, as well as her sons and their families. Enough to keep a 77-year-old woman happy and occupied, right?
Not Bobby. She's still looking for romance and companionship of the male variety. I like the woman. I admire the woman. She's someone I'd like to be friends or neighbors with. But (honestly) she just doesn't have any sense when it comes to picking men.
Her latest effort was a widower and fellow writer. She'd known him for years and allowed him to move in with her after his wife died. Mistake #1. She expected sex without checking his capabilities in advance. Mistake #2. She thought sharing their lives as writers would give them a basis for a comfortable, sympathetic companionship. Mistake #3. Then since she was going crazy living with him in a large house, she went halfsies on an ancient Volkswagon van and they started down the Canadian West Coast into the U.S. on a trip that was supposed to be relaxing, mentally stimulating, and spontaneous. Mistakes #4, #5, and #6.
The van turned out to be old and cranky and so did her companion. The stress of honeymoon traveling leaves many a marriage in shreds and those are young folks who don't have to go to the bathroom every thirty minutes. As mature people we SHOULD (theoretically) be kinder, wiser, more patient, and more appreciative of each other. But how often does it work out that way?
Frankly, I think this woman's unique talent is wasted on writing romance novels. She has a positive genius for telling hilarious stories about incidents which would have most of us screaming in rage and frustration. Not that she doesn't do that some, too, but she always sees the funny side of life. And along the way, we learn more about her life as a child and young woman. She's still (at 80!) trying to figure herself out and understand how her combination of optimism and need to please leads her into relationships with physically and/or emotionally abusive men and KEEPS her in those relationships long after most women would have cut and run.
Reading about her childhood, I'm reminded that the childhoods of my contemporaries who grew up in Western Canada always sound more like my parents' childhoods in the 1920's and 30's. Western Canada didn't experience the post-WWII economic boom that made American Boomers' childhoods relatively easy and luxurious. Her gritty, working class background produced a woman who was prepared to work hard to achieve, but who had no role models for women succeeding on their own. Women were wives and mothers who took care of others, not themselves. Educational and economic opportunities opened up for American Boomer girls and many of us took advantage of them. In Canada, that wouldn't happen for another generation.
It sounds like a downer, but it's not. She's a very entertaining woman, even when she's screwed up and has to find a way out. The devotion of her sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren is proof that she's cheerful, independent, and feisty. It's a funny book and any reader past a certain age will chuckle frequently and howl with laughter more than once. It's rare to find such a likable writer who writes so openly and honestly about her life and hard times. I'm glad I found her books. I hope she writes more.
October 26, 2020
I received a free electronic copy of this excellent memoir as a gift from the author, Bobby Hutchinson. Thank you so much for sharing your hard work with me. I have read How Not to Vanagon of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Bobby Hutchinson is one of those writers who can catch your interest and compel you to finish her work before you can involve yourself in mundane life duties required of you. She is an author I enjoy in every genre.
How Not to Vanagon is an interesting and intimate look into Bobby's life as she finds herself pushing 80. I'm already dreading it, at just 72. And I see myself suffering as she did with the decisions I make and those I should not have made at all - it's nice to know there are fellow sufferers out there. For several years my friend Julia and I talked of the RV life after our husbands retired - Julia is living it, and I eventually understood that my stuff is pretty important to me, and I would have to kill my husband about 10 days into our first solo jaunt down the highway. Vacations over the years we were able to handle - we had the kids to distract and center us, focusing all our attention on keeping the little monkeys alive. I never knew just how bored I was until the kids got lives of their own. Thank you, Bobby, for reminding me of all the reasons I want to confine my camping trips to within a 150-mile radius of my very well-cluttered abode. New Mexico offers so very many options when it comes to camping, hiking, exploring, and if we don't start now we will miss out. And in a mere three hours, we can be back home, he in his recliner, I in my gardens, tolerating one another...
Reviewed on Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and BookBub. Not available for review on B&N, Kobo, or GoopglePlay.
How Not to Vanagon is an interesting and intimate look into Bobby's life as she finds herself pushing 80. I'm already dreading it, at just 72. And I see myself suffering as she did with the decisions I make and those I should not have made at all - it's nice to know there are fellow sufferers out there. For several years my friend Julia and I talked of the RV life after our husbands retired - Julia is living it, and I eventually understood that my stuff is pretty important to me, and I would have to kill my husband about 10 days into our first solo jaunt down the highway. Vacations over the years we were able to handle - we had the kids to distract and center us, focusing all our attention on keeping the little monkeys alive. I never knew just how bored I was until the kids got lives of their own. Thank you, Bobby, for reminding me of all the reasons I want to confine my camping trips to within a 150-mile radius of my very well-cluttered abode. New Mexico offers so very many options when it comes to camping, hiking, exploring, and if we don't start now we will miss out. And in a mere three hours, we can be back home, he in his recliner, I in my gardens, tolerating one another...
Reviewed on Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and BookBub. Not available for review on B&N, Kobo, or GoopglePlay.
January 21, 2022
Bobby is a woman in her senior years who, hoping for romance, prematurely allows a fellow writer to move in with her in this ostensibly true tale. They are a mismatch temperamentally, so she is constantly and frustratingly dealing with their incompatible tastes, goals and lifestyles. Plus, she realizes she enjoys being independent, and she craves peace and solitude.
We all have friends and family members who have been though relationships like this, so Bobby seems like the old pal with whom we’re having coffee while studiously refraining from saying, “I told you so.”
The poignant moments that improved my opinion of the book concerned the routine unwillingness of women to offer aid, comfort or assistance to other women who were potentially – or obviously – in dangerous situations.
This was an enjoyable, though not terribly polished, read. It will be especially enjoyed by those who like to travel and camp.
We all have friends and family members who have been though relationships like this, so Bobby seems like the old pal with whom we’re having coffee while studiously refraining from saying, “I told you so.”
The poignant moments that improved my opinion of the book concerned the routine unwillingness of women to offer aid, comfort or assistance to other women who were potentially – or obviously – in dangerous situations.
This was an enjoyable, though not terribly polished, read. It will be especially enjoyed by those who like to travel and camp.
August 6, 2020
This was a really great adventure for an older woman who learned how to camp and travel by actually doing it. It all began when she met Frank and invited him to live with her. From there it grew in adventure as she purchased a Vanagon and wanted to find out what it would be like to travel and camp along the way. It was a great adventure with plenty of exploring back roads, including some getting lost, adventures with the vehicle breaking down and needing a specialist's care, adventures with not so nice camping areas, adventures with getting lost and finding new places to explore and more. The story was at times hilariously funny, and at times a little sad, but true to life. It is a fantastic adventure filled trip that taught our leader a lot about herself along the way of learning to camp. I loved reading it, there was lots of adventure and never a dull moment. Great read.
November 5, 2021
Learning and Yearning as Companions
It is rare to learn of. Woman of a certain age taking her life in her hands, listening to her body and spiritual center and acting upon the messages she receives. Bobby’s story is familiar to me-and to the other Boomer Women who lived through the transition from Good Girl to the quiet roar of Self. Although she is much more Birkenstock and vegan than I, we share hearing aids, curiosity and the desire to take a path of one’s own. Writing a book review is new to me, as is this genre. Both have been been instructive and part of a mini bucket list I hadn’t known I possessed. Thanks for sitting in my room with me and chatting, Bobby!.
It is rare to learn of. Woman of a certain age taking her life in her hands, listening to her body and spiritual center and acting upon the messages she receives. Bobby’s story is familiar to me-and to the other Boomer Women who lived through the transition from Good Girl to the quiet roar of Self. Although she is much more Birkenstock and vegan than I, we share hearing aids, curiosity and the desire to take a path of one’s own. Writing a book review is new to me, as is this genre. Both have been been instructive and part of a mini bucket list I hadn’t known I possessed. Thanks for sitting in my room with me and chatting, Bobby!.
August 3, 2020
Relationship chaos
The title of this delight caught my eye and the review sounded interesting. The rest, however, I read half in disbelief this intelligent woman was so duped and the other half giggling and the other half - whoops, that makes more than a whole! The wisdom of this vanagon experience hit home ! Wonderful lesson in life and how relationships can highjack our health. Truly an enjoyable, quick read.
The title of this delight caught my eye and the review sounded interesting. The rest, however, I read half in disbelief this intelligent woman was so duped and the other half giggling and the other half - whoops, that makes more than a whole! The wisdom of this vanagon experience hit home ! Wonderful lesson in life and how relationships can highjack our health. Truly an enjoyable, quick read.
April 29, 2022
Fun read
Bobby is a woman my age (senior citizen) and decides to move in with a fellow writer and buy an old vanagon and take the trip of her dreams. Unfortunately her traveling companion turns out to be a total jerk and the van a disaster but a love of camping is kindled.
Bobby is a woman my age (senior citizen) and decides to move in with a fellow writer and buy an old vanagon and take the trip of her dreams. Unfortunately her traveling companion turns out to be a total jerk and the van a disaster but a love of camping is kindled.
November 30, 2022
Inspiring Tale
The cutest frank open honest real book on life as an active senior. Things don't always turn out like we hoped or planned, there are misses and near misses yet good can prevail if you slow down, think, and follow your heart. I loved this book! Did I say REAL?
The cutest frank open honest real book on life as an active senior. Things don't always turn out like we hoped or planned, there are misses and near misses yet good can prevail if you slow down, think, and follow your heart. I loved this book! Did I say REAL?
August 12, 2020
Omg funny but true
Fast easy read that made me laugh out loud. I loved this book and would love to meet the woman who wrote it.
Fast easy read that made me laugh out loud. I loved this book and would love to meet the woman who wrote it.
September 8, 2020
Loved it!
I so enjoyed going back to reading this fun book every evening. Bobby's writing style is real and easy to understand. Can't wait to open another one of her stories.
I so enjoyed going back to reading this fun book every evening. Bobby's writing style is real and easy to understand. Can't wait to open another one of her stories.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews