About This Book
It is never necessary to explain Cambridge, where it is or what it is. And if explanation is attempted, it falls short of telling the whole truth. Listeners hear the accent, "Pahk the cah in the Hahvahd Yahd," and mimic it with exaggerated glee. They sense the special ambience of Harvard Square and equate it with Picadilly or Trafalger Squares. It is neither of these, but the aura of Harvard Square is inescapable. Say "Cambridge" and people envision an ivy-covered colonial Harvard University grown to worldwide prestige or MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), alma mater of presidents, Nobel Prize winners, the rich and the famous. What happens at Harvard and MIT flows down the Charles River and touches every shore of the world. Finally, consider the cosmopolitan atmosphere created by the large mix of ethnic groups who are descendants of the thousands of immigrants who arrived in the mid to late 1800's. They were Irish, Italian, Polish, Jewish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Swedish, French, African, Greek, Armenian, German, Chinese and smaller groups of other nationalities. These early ethnic groups settled in areas of the city where double and triple-decker tenements abounded. There they established enclaves where they could speak their native language, buy their native foods, and build their own churches where services could be conducted in the dialect of their homeland. These enclaves still exist today. This fact alone adds a fascinating international appeal to the city and also draws a line of an explicit difference between the Cambridge worlds of "town and gown." CHAPTERS-1-5 Meg's near drowning-Tea leaf reader's prediction-Brother, Joe-Irish Ancestors-Hanging the horse-Nana drops dead- O'Mearas move-Prohibition-Beer at Fitz's Drug store-Depression-Making beer in cellar-March on Washington for veteran's bonus-Roosevelt elected- O'Mears move-Meg takes Protestant to Holy Communion-Meg's new friend, Barbara-Meg's first job in aunt's penny candy store-Girls bring fathers home from Paddy's Tavern-Meg gets second job as "numbers runner"-Girl Scout crisis CHAPTER 6-10 -- Political rally at O'Mearas nets Bill new job. Beverly's near drowning in Charles river-Christmas and Meg's figure skates-Cousin John walks, a miracle! Aunt Grace the matriarch- O'Meara's first vacation-Meg becomes a teenager-Gets first bicycle-Girls meet sophisticated, Jane-Learn facts of life-High School -Meg's skating career begins-War clouds over Europe-Joe joins Army Air Corps-Japs bomb Pearl Harbor-Joe missing in action. CHAPTERS 11-15 - Meg wins tryout for Ice Capades-Meg graduates from High School-Meg and Babs get jobs at bank-Meg in love-Betrayed-Meg joins home guard-Joe is Japanese POW-Survives Baatan Death March-Meg meets Naval officer, Jim Wright- Fall in love-Engaged CHAPTERS 16-20 --The wedding-One-day honeymoon-First home shared with Army couple-Meg back with parents-Meg pregnant-Jim at submarine school in New London-Meg joins him-One week at hotel-One night with Rabbi and wife-Two weeks with tyranical woman professor-Wrights rent Rm. with Kit. Priv. two weeks- One week at hotel-One month with Navy widow. (7th move in four months of marriage.)War in Europe ends-Atomic bombs on Japan-War is over-Move to four room apartment-Jim graduates sub school-Has appendicitis-Meg gives birth to son, Jimmy-Joe is freed from prison camp-Meg and Jimmy back to Cambridge.- Jim gets new sub, Pout-Meg and Jim share base housing-(11th move .) CHAPTERS 21-25-Pout commissioned in Philadelphia-Wrights share house again-Jim transfers to Regular Navy-30 day leave across the country in 1937 Ford-Meets Jim's family in Riverside-Visits Brother, Joe at Letterman hospital-Philadelphia, hotel for two months-Move to New London-Share base house-Pout on shakedown cruise-Meg and baby back to Cambridge-Meg takes first frightening air flight to Riverside(16th move) CHAPTERS 26-30 -Wives to Honolulu by ship-Strange shipmates-Jimmy missing from stateroom-Stay in hotel-Move to larger hotel-Sub off to Arctic-Two wives share house-Weird events-Apartment on Waikiki-Little Jimmy one year old-Wives take APA back to states-Meg back to Cambridge-Pout in New London-Move to base housing-Meg despairs over Navy life-Move to house in Waterford, Connecticut- Pout at sea for eight weeks-Jim tries to resign-Denied-Meg and Jimmy move to Cambridge. Pout dry-docked in Portsmouth, New Hampshire-Move to rental house-Wrights celebrate their 3rd wedding anniversary-Share house in Rye Beach-Rent house in Rye Beach-Sub ordered to Key West-Meg moves to Cambridge-Despondent about marriage and moving-Meg and girlfriend drive to Key West-Stay at hotel-President Truman, Secret Service men and newsmen become friends with the Wrights-Move to small apartment-Sub sent to England-Meg moves back to Cambridge-The marriage is at crisis level-( 34th move) CHAPTERS 31-33) -Meg Summer on Cape Cod-Jim at sea six months-Jim resigns from Navy-Move to California-Jim gets job in L.A.-Meg stays Riverside-Housing shortage severe-Meg's father seriously ill-Meg flies back to Cambridge-Has a miscarriage-The marriage has floundered-Her life is dismal-Unexpectedly, Jim comes to Cambridge-Job at MIT- They buy house in country- (38th move in five years of marriage)-A happier life appears on the horizon for the Wrights. The end.
