Whether the dapper dude behind the wheel of a stretch limo or stretching his counter-culture oratory skills in the corridors of City Hall and at political debates, Ethan Book had an unforgettable presence to those who knew him well or even those from a distance. He passed away on Saturday, according to his sons on the Facebook page of New England Limousine, Ethan’s company for 35 years. He was 74.
It is with sadness that we announce that Ethan Book passed away this morning, January 7, 2023. He made your trips and special moments all the more meaningful with his character and humor. We will continue to maintain New England Limousine at the present time.
~ His sons Aaron, Andrew, and Anthony
A contributor to the OIB comments section, Book was a strict Republican ideologist, be it contrasting the differences between the GOP and Democrats or taking on local leadership of his own party. He ran for multiple offices–mayor, Congress, state representative, city sheriff among them.
If Ethan disagreed with a politician he did not settle things with inflammatory insults. Name calling was not his calling card. His rhetoric could be tough but his mantra focused on wonkish policy, voting records, enthusiasm for the task, as he did in this commentary he wrote for OIB during his 2019 run for mayor.
Born in Pennsylvania, see Ethan’s background here, he served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Colombia, became fluent in Spanish, worked in international banking, then as a consultant seeking alternative energy sources. He was involved in Fairfield politics prior to moving to Bridgeport.
As a Republican, Ethan was well ahead of his time calling for justice reform. Prisons, he said, became illogical warehouses, backed by misplaced government priorities, for far too many black and brown men wasting taxpayer dollars. He also did not remind offenders of their past that can become convenient when there’s nothing else to argue. You did your time, you’re even with the house.
Ethan also loathed seeing things dangling on telephone lines. Several years ago, in his version of a high wire act, he cleaned up the East Side, rescuing shoe tosses–and even a Teddy Bear–from telephone lines.
Ethan poling for shoes.
From his Facebook page:
MORE CUTTING OF SNEAKERS FROM TELEPHONE LINES, ALSO A TEDDY BEAR !!
The weather was good this morning for another outing for cutting sneakers from telephone lines in Bridgeport!
I was able to get;
1 pair on Catherine Street near Hallett Avenue
1 pair at Milne Street near Hallett Avenue
2 pairs at East Washington Avenue across from Washington Park
2 pairs at intersection of Brooks Street and Berkshire Avenue and
1 Teddy Bear at corner of Shelton Street and Pembroke
I’m getting to the place that my extension tree limb cutter even with my step ladder isn’t quite enough to reach some of the higher hanging footware. If anyone has a pickup truck or a vehicle on which I can stand on the roof, I could get more of these eyesores !!
FOR ALL, HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR
And when you hired Ethan, you got Ethan. Special event? Call Ethan. Wedding? Call Ethan. Concert in Manhattan? Yup, call Ethan. He’d often suit up for the cause: white top hat, bow tie, black tuxedo.
When he picked you up, he made you feel special. There was no talk of partisan politics, this or that, just fun gift for gab.
Life is just something you do on your way to something else. Ethan Book has simply turned a new page.
Rest in Peace Ethan Book. I will miss those 20 page letters and those hearings. You had a bigger than life personality and you certainly made an impact. Always enjoyed sparring at Winthrop school and Thank you for making me realize why I became a Democrat. May your memory be a blessing to your family and friends.
R.I.P Ethan, I remember those days in Fairfield when you ran for first selectman.
Lennie it’s 2023 and Only in Bridgeport still doesn’t have an OIBituary section.
Ethan,
I already miss you, since you could turn up in so many ways at different times on one mission or another. I never met your family in the years I came to know you in Bridgeport. Though we spent earlier years in Fairfield we did not meet until the last 30 years, where I saw you as an articulate raiser of questions to our systems of justice, the courts and their actions.
You wrote extensively and at length to a variety of persons and agencies about laws and the manner in which they seemed to objectively produce results that are stacked against people, unless they were lawyers.
You campaigned for office on multiple occasions, knocked on doors, listened to people and could briefly explain why a vote for you was worthwhile.
You spoke to local gatherings often letting us know of your cause and how it might be of interest to other citizens.
I respected and enjoyed the passion and purpose of your public activity in recent years. You have been one of a scarce few operating in the public marketplace on behalf of the many and not mainly in pursuit of the personal. I hope you find that abounding peace of everlasting life where sneakers rarely get thrown on power lines. Time will tell (for all of us).
While I never met Ethan and don’t recall sparring with him on OIB, though I am sure I did, him being an R in all and a staunch position.
I do miss the sparring though. It’s how boxers harness and build up their skills. My comrades Ron and Day seem to have walked off stage. Maria banned-ish. TBK, Frank is on extended “moderation”, and Waldon resigns, so Joe has no one to harp about. The city has Steve on a short leash. 🙂
Many have taken a sabbatical, Lisa, Moses, Speedy, and Jim. Local, to a lesser extent, Even the lesser know Sparring partners, Marcus, Mojo, Harvey, and ripper, to name a few.
Can’t forget JML, you were my favorite sparing partner.
Though I did dig this one up. For recall. 🙂 Peace out, good luck, people.
http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/watch-ho-hum-mayoral-forum/
He was an unforgettable character full of passion and steadfast in his beliefs. Excellent tribute Lenny.