Educated and Cheaper by the Dozen - February CC Book Club Selection

For our next selection, we will be venturing into non-fiction with a duo of very different memoirs: Educated by Tara Westover and Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. We’ll compare a dysfunctional family with a highly functional one (maybe a little too functional!) and immerse ourselves in both drama and comedy.

In Educated, Tara Westover recounts her difficult and unconventional childhood as the daughter of survivalist parents, growing up with a father opposed to public education. She was 17 when she first entered a classroom, and from that point on, she began a transformative quest for education.

Cheaper by the Dozen tells the story of time and motion study experts Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth, living with their 12 children in New Jersey in the early 20th century. Per Wikipedia, “Gilbreth’s home doubled as a sort of real-world laboratory” that tested Frank and Lillian’s ideas about efficiency. The memoir, published in 1948, was immensely popular and has been translated into more than 53 languages.

Discussion begins February 1st. Please join us!

Cheaper by the Dozen was one of my favorite books growing up!

So happy, I now have both books and audiobook or Educated as well in my home. Thanks, public libraries! Guess I will be making a donation this year!

My copy of Educated just came in at the library and I remember Cheaper by the Dozen fondly from my childhood - looking forward to reading it with a new perspective. So happy to be joining the conversation as a new participant in the book club!

Welcome, @stradmom!

Cheaper by the Dozen was on TV last evening. I,was surprised how many of the child actors went on to become stars.

Wow—just finished both books and highly recommend them. They were very fast-paced.

May borrow Bells on their Toes, sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen. I’m glad it was decided we read both books as a contrast—really does make one think.

I know I own Cheaper by the Dozen, but I cannot figure out where it is. My fiction is in alphabetical order, but the non-fiction is more or less by category all over the house. I got to the library 15 minutes too late on Christmas eve, but will pick it up tomorrow.

If your library participates in Hoopla you an download Cheaper by the Dozen.

Any suggestions on getting free Bells on their Toes? If all else fails I may buy and then donate to my library so they’ll have a copy in their system.

You should be able to get an eBook from your library. I checked and can get it that way (OverDrive). Ask your friendly librarian for help, if needed.

Watch your spelling of the title: Belles - not Bells. That may be where you’re running into trouble.

Thanks—just reserved with corrected spelling!

I just finished Cheaper by the Dozen last night. I had read it years ago. The similarities and differences between CBTD and Educated are fascinating. Whose idea was it to pair them? A brilliant idea, IMO. I can’t wait to discuss them.

Yes, love the pairing as well and finished both.

Finished “Educated” and expect robust discussion.

For those of you who have finished “Cheaper by the Dozen” here is a link to More books about their lives. I know some of you like to read many related books, waving to you @ignatius.

@Mary13 if all this early interest indicates the participation in next discussion, kudos to selecting the right books,

http://gilbrethnetwork.tripod.com/dozen.html

[quote]
Read More About Them

For those of you who want to read more about the Dozen, or their individual lives, there are a number of books which might be available through your library, inter-library loan or at used book sellers.

Rings Around Us, By Ernestine G. Cary, tells of her early years of marriage.

Innside Nantucket, By Frank Gilbreth, Jr., tells the humorous story of Bob Gilbreth and his wife buying and running Nantucket’s Anchor Inn.

Time Out For Happiness, By Frank Gilbreth, Jr., is the final chapter of Lillian Gilbreth’s life with her grown children, her many retirements, and the background stories about Cheaper and Belles.

As I Remember, By Lillian M. Gilbreth, is a recently published manuscript telling about her childhood years and of raising her family. You can still purchase this book–see our web site for details.

Living With Our Children and A Homemaker and Her Job, both by Lillian M. Gilbreth, were published in the late 1920s. While they were meant to be books about how to raise a family and manage a home, there are many stories about the family. You may still be lucky enough to find a copy of these books, but they’ve been out of print a long time.

Ancestors of the Dozen, By Frank Gilbreth, Jr., was actually a privately published book intended for the family. However, if you check the Internet book sites, you may find a copy or two available. This book tells about the family trees of the Gilbreths and the Mollers.

Of course, Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes are still available from new and used book sellers and in every good library.

In addition to all the fun we can have reading about the Gilbreth family, there was a very important side to the story. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth made very important contributions in management, engineering and Motion Study. You can read about the serious side of their lives in the following books.

Quest for the One Best Way, By Lillian Gilbreth, is Frank’s biography. It is available through libraries or for purchase from the Society of Women Engineers.

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth: Partners for Life, By Edna Yost, may be a little difficult to find, but is well worth the effort. It tells the story of Frank’s and Lillian’s life together and their business.

Managing on Her Own, By Dr. Laurel Graham, tells of Lillian Gilbreth’s life and work in the 1930s and '40s.

If you are interested in management books written by the Gilbreths, we have a list on our web site.

[Web editor’s note: Since this article was published, two of the Gilbreth “dozen,” Frank, Jr. and Lillian, have passed away.]

I wasn’t sure I’d be doing these books since I’m not much of a nonfiction reader. But Educated came in as an ebook from the library and I am enthralled. I know I read Cheaper decades ago but will track it down next.

I’m not much of a non-fiction reader either, but so far Educated just sweeps along. I can see why so many people liked it.

Good selections for Feb—was just notified Belles on Their Toes (sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen) is on hold for me at our library. Yay!

This is not related to Educated/Cheaper by the Dozen, but just because I know you will all appreciate it:

DH and I have tickets to see To Kill a Mockingbird in March, so I re-read the book. Just finished it. It’s magnificent!! I’m sure I read it in high school but I remembered very little about it – just the trial scene. It is so well structured, so sweet, so well put together. Just brilliant.

I plan to watch the Gregory Peck movie over the next few weeks.

Just finished Belles on their Toes—really makes me admire the mom, Lillian!