The First Hundred Years Are the Hardest

The First Hundred Years Are the Hardest: A Memoir is a light-hearted look at life through the eyes of Barbara Bennett, an 87-year-old member of the Silent Generation. From childhood in the sandhills of West Texas to becoming a teacher in deep South Texas, she learned the importance of education and gained a respect for other cultures. In this memoir Barbara shares her wit and wisdom that come with living. She talks about teaching, children, politics, history, alzheimer's, and life in general.

The First Hundred Years Are the Hardest: A Memoir is the story of Barbara's life as a member of the Silent Generation. Highlights of getting through life and the high jinks along the way provide a look at what it was like to be a child of the Forties, a teen in the Fifties, an adult in the Sixties and, always, a woman struggling to make sense of life in a man's world. Barbara's journey began in a share cropper's shack on Texas' High Plains and ended at Texas' southernmost border with Mexico where she taught school. Through good times and rough times, the journey of Barbara's life carried her across years of growth and understanding. Through her childhood in a country store, as a teacher, a wife, mother, daughter, girl scout leader, Sunday school teacher, and freelance writer, she has had a lifetime of learning. Like all of us, Barbara's life has had its share of serious moments: that fork in the road, marriage, alzheimer's and, of course, death. But there has been lots of fun along the way. Teenaged girl scouts singing profane lyrics, check. Playing Gone With the Wind with Kimbal, check. Donkey basketball, check. Forrest Gump was right, you never know what you're gonna get. Barbara likes chocolate, too. If you laugh or cry and remember with fondness then you have made your own journey.

Barbara has seen many things in her eight decades. Here, she shares the hard earned wit and wisdom that come with having done a few things. She taught in a small country school, watched Apollo 11 land on the moon, and cried with a nation when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. She married her Prince Charming, raised children, and cared for an aging parent. She also volunteered to wrangle teenage girl scouts, check. Kept a drunk man from falling off the hay ride at the Baptist sing along, check. Rode a donkey for charity, check. Barbara could teach Forrest Gump a few things about life. She likes chocolates, too!