The Egg and I

I moved to Vashon and decided to find books by local authors and I found this gem. It's very nice to read about place that is not the same as it was in the beginning of 20th century. Since then it became more artsy, liberal, etc., but the weather is still the same. And you can relate to this amazing woman author that helps you travel through time.

I have seen the movie with Claudette Colbert and Fred McMurray. I have hardback copies of the four books in this series that my mother gave me years ago. These are some of my favorite stories ever, from any genre. If you are feeling down in the dumps, read one of these stories. There are down times in there, but the humor and the people themselves lift you up and set you back on your feet. Almost makes me want to go out there and become a chicken farmer.

I can remember my mother reading this book fifty years ago, and even though she has long since passed away, to this day I can still hear her laughter while reading this book. The more years that pass and the more technologically driven we become, the more hilarious "The Egg and I" becomes. Moving from a city to "the boonies" to raise chickens on a chicken farm is quite a challenge, especially in the 1940's which is the setting for this book. No electricity and no indoor plumbing are quite a jump from modern civilization even in that era. Of course, in that day, women were expected to be obedient wives, prepared to follow their husband's wild and sometimes bizarre dreams no matter where they may lead. The author tells it all in a matter of fact way, with a spicy, witty sense of humour. Almost every page will keep the reader laughing out loud. It is easy to see why this book remains popular 61 years after it was first published! Betty MacDonald is no longer with us, but her memory lives on and still continues to bring us joy and laughter through her books. Also recommended is her book, "Onions in the Stew."

This book had me howling with laughter. It's the basis for the 1947 film, "The Egg and I," which stars Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray as the young city couple who take to chicken farming. It was written in 1945, and the portrayals of the neighbors and the locality are the highlights of the book, as the young couple struggles to raise chickens, produce, and a baby, while having to deal with the elements, primative living conditions (no electricity or running water), the stove that has a mind of its own, and the neighbors, including the infamous Kettle family (who later appeared in an entire series of films themselves). It's one of those books that had me laughing on nearly every page!

One of the funniest books ever written, The Egg and I is all the more remarkable because it sounds completely contemporary, even though it was written more than 50 years ago and describes events that took place more than 70 years ago. MacDonald had a relentlessly clear eye, a sharp, witty writing style and in her own way was as liberated as was possible for her time (she was divorced and a single mother when such things were considered heinous). And I'd like to say one thing: although she does write disparagingly of some Native Americans living in her area, I think this is more due to a specific dislike of certain people she met rather than a blanket prejudice (early in the book she talks about her love and admiration for the Plains Indians who lived near her childhood home). I think McDonald was a singularly unbiased person, something also unique for a white woman of her era; one only has to read about the close friendships she made with Japanese-American and African-American women in "The Plague and I" (her account of her stay in a tuberculosis sanitarium) to realize this. No misguided PC agenda should deter anyone from reading MacDonald's irreverent and hilarious stories. She was a terrific writer.

For three days I read this book with a grin on my face and laughter in my belly. Towards the end of the book I was actually laughing out loud, with no one around to hear my glee. Betty describes, in wonderful detail, life on a chicken ranch and life with neighbors and various animals. Since I grew up in the country and my parents on a farm, I could relate to her wonderful descriptions of the sunrise and wild animals. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend this delightful read to anyone. (And I learned a few things about chickens as well.)