If you prefer the physical book, you could ask a passenger, if there is one, to read the novel aloud for you. This can make the long drive more interesting and also give you a chance to discuss the story as it unfolds.
On the drive home, the wife in the backseat could have been occupied with some work she brought home. Maybe she was reading through some important documents, making notes on her tablet. Or she might have been on a call, discussing some urgent matters with a colleague, all while being on the way back home.
In some cases, it can be appropriate. If they are in a situation where there are no other options due to space constraints and it's a family - only environment, it may be okay. For example, if they are in a small camper van and all the seats are occupied with necessary items.
Playing car games is also fun. For example, the license plate game where you try to find license plates from different states or countries. Another one is the alphabet game where you look for words starting with each letter of the alphabet in order as you drive by signs and billboards.
I once went to a drive - in to see a romantic comedy. It was a warm summer night, and the stars were out. We had our car decked out with some comfy blankets. Before the movie started, we walked around the drive - in and saw all the different cars and people getting ready. During the movie, we laughed a lot and it was just a really enjoyable and laid - back experience.
One such novel could be 'The Eclipse Enigma' by an unknown author. It's filled with mystery elements centered around an eclipse. The characters are on a quest to solve a mystery that seems to be related to the strange events that occur during the eclipse.
There was a situation where Eclipse's autocomplete feature started suggesting completely wrong code. This led to a lot of confusion for the new developers on the team. They were using Eclipse as their main IDE and this made the learning curve much steeper than it should have been.
One funny eclipse story is when a group of friends planned a big 'eclipse party'. They all had their special eclipse glasses but one friend accidentally wore his 3D movie glasses instead. He was so excited looking up until someone noticed and had a big laugh. Then he quickly got the right glasses and joined in the proper viewing.
Once, during an eclipse, a man thought the world was ending. He ran around his yard shouting and trying to gather all his possessions. His neighbors were initially scared by his panic but then realized he just didn't understand eclipses. It was really funny to see him running around like a headless chicken while everyone else was calmly observing the amazing celestial event.
Another great story is about an astronomer who has seen over a dozen eclipses in his lifetime. He has witnessed different types of eclipses, from partial to total solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. He has a collection of sketches and notes from each of these experiences, which he uses to educate the public about the beauty and importance of eclipses. His passion for eclipses has inspired many young people to take an interest in astronomy.