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Good Moanin: The Best of Bob Talbert
Detroit Free Press
Paperback
Published January 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 2, 2023
I always loved the daily columns by Detroit Free Press columnist Bob Talbert, who wrote them from 1968 until his death in 1999. This book is a "best-of" collection covering the years 1968-1984. It;s divided into sections such as "things that make me mad", "humor", "family" and so on.
Talbert was a native of Spartanburg, SC, but Detroit became his and his family's second home. he wrote about every day things, opinions, and concerns which ranged from the trivial (but always interesting and relatable) to weightier subjects like the loss of a loved one. Bob seems to me to have been a kind of endlessly curious Everyman who genuinely enjoyed people, and he wrote about about the larger world, the local world of Detroit and Michigan, and his own personal world.
Often, his words made me laugh while reading this, or nod my head in agreement or recognition. Since I am from the area and these columns are of a certain age--as am I--they reminded me of names and places which have now vanished from the scene, and I enjoyed being reminded of them. Other times, his musings are timeless. For example, he writes in one column about how angry people seem to be, in another about how hard it is becoming to get by, and in another about how divided the country seems to be. Any of these could have been written this morning.
I didn't care for his antiquated views on women and "women's lib" even allowing for when he wrote about it. That said, his columns are full of heart, such as when he writes about his daughter or his mother. Bob Talbert was a robust, curious soul who wrote some wonderful stuff, particularly his "out of my mind on Monday moanin' " list-type random observations. The Free Press has no one like him anymore, and I miss that. Highly recommended.
Talbert was a native of Spartanburg, SC, but Detroit became his and his family's second home. he wrote about every day things, opinions, and concerns which ranged from the trivial (but always interesting and relatable) to weightier subjects like the loss of a loved one. Bob seems to me to have been a kind of endlessly curious Everyman who genuinely enjoyed people, and he wrote about about the larger world, the local world of Detroit and Michigan, and his own personal world.
Often, his words made me laugh while reading this, or nod my head in agreement or recognition. Since I am from the area and these columns are of a certain age--as am I--they reminded me of names and places which have now vanished from the scene, and I enjoyed being reminded of them. Other times, his musings are timeless. For example, he writes in one column about how angry people seem to be, in another about how hard it is becoming to get by, and in another about how divided the country seems to be. Any of these could have been written this morning.
I didn't care for his antiquated views on women and "women's lib" even allowing for when he wrote about it. That said, his columns are full of heart, such as when he writes about his daughter or his mother. Bob Talbert was a robust, curious soul who wrote some wonderful stuff, particularly his "out of my mind on Monday moanin' " list-type random observations. The Free Press has no one like him anymore, and I miss that. Highly recommended.
March 24, 2026
Nice reminiscing.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews