The Egg and I

My family has read and re-read and quoted this semi-autobiographical book for decades. I believe it is the funniest book ever written. Although it takes place in the 1920's, the witty author's humor, descriptions, and outlook on life are as current as ever. At once cynical, enthusiastic, appreciative, critical, spirited, and desperate, the author's account of her life on a chicken farm in the Olympic Mountains of Washington, as a naive sheltered newlywed, is priceless. Nobody can turn a phrase like Betty McDonald. She immortalized wonderful characters like Ma and Pa Kettle and their huge family, "church-lady" neighbor Birdie Hicks, McDonald's eccentric grandmother "Gammy," and colorful handymen Peter Moses and "Good Customer." McDonald was sued after the book became a success, by the Bishop family who believed they were the model for the Kettles, and by a Native American man who believed himself the model for the Native American friend of her husband she entitled "Crowbar." Be warned - the book is screamingly politically incorrect, shamelessly disparaging country people, Native Americans, farmers, Irish, and other groups, but at the time of its original publication, this was much more common and accepted by the general public, if not the segment being stereotyped. Other classics written decades ago suffer from the same shortcoming; even the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder books talk candidly about "Ma" hating Indians. If you can chill and love the book for what it has to offer, while accepting that it was written almost 90 years ago in a very different world, you will fall in love with it. Also, if you read between the lines, you will find that McDonald had great affection for most of the individuals she wrote about, even while criticizing others of their ethnic or socioeconomic group. All in all, the book is a joy and will give you a glimpse of a world we will never see again, when there were still large amounts of unsettled land out West, and a time when family farms could still be profitable and offer a rewarding way of life, and you will almost surely come to love Betty McDonald as a funny and most entertaining friend.

I read this book or at least a version of it when I was young. I enjoyed it so much at that time that I bought it as an adult. It seemed very funny to me at the time, with all the chicken rearing antics together with the child rearing ups and downs. But when I read it as an adult, it did not seem as fun. Not sure if I did not understand it as a child or if I lost my sense of humor but either way, I could not give it 5 stars in all fairness.

The Egg and I, written by Betty MacDonald, is entertaining, witty, heartening, and uplifting. Ms. MacDonald took difficult times in her life and made them appear fun by utilizing witty and dry humor throughout. The good, the bad, and the ugly of married life on a chicken farm in the late 1920’s is written with such flare that even today I think some people will relate to some of the situations. The Egg and I is narrated by Heather Henderson and she performed the story so well that I thought Betty MacDonald herself was sitting in my living room telling the story. Henderson’s voice is soothing and hypnotic and took an already great book to an utterly outstanding book! The ‘voice’ of Pa Kettle was perhaps my favorite, but the ‘voices’ of all the characters were distinctive and enjoyable to listen to. Ms. Henderson is a new narrator for me, but I will definitely search out more titles narrated by her in the future - especially the other books written by Betty MacDonald. Overall, this was a fun book to listen to and I found myself laughing out loud throughout. The Egg and I is extremely well-written with charming and delightful characters and is one audio book that I will listen to again and again. Story – 4 stars Performance – 5 stars Overall – 4.5 stars

I loved Betty MacDonald's way of describing things. For example, her is her description of the town they moved near, a town that had been unstrategically placed and became not the profitable, bustling center of commerce, but instead, a remnant of hope: "Poor little Town never recovered from the blow. She pulled down her blinds, pulled up her welcome mat and gave herself over to sorrow. Her main street became a dreary thing of empty buildings, pocked by falling bricks and tenanted only by rats and the wind . . . She wore her massive courthouse like an enormous brooch on a delicate bosom and the faded and peeling wedding houses grew clumsy and heavy with shrubbery and disappointment." With descriptions like this, the book was a delight to read. So why not four or five stars? Her descriptions of her neighbors were harsh and acerbic, with little sympathy or empathy. At times, I felt very sorry for the people she was describing. While the descriptions were funny at times, they were funny in the cruel way of a middle school Queen Bee whispering to her court of followers. So this took away from the overall book. It was, perhaps, a product of her times, but not one I could more stars to.

An almost biographical account about living and working a chicken farm, among other things, on an out of the way place in the rainy forests of WA. It's told in a comical way and is one of my favorite books. In fact I have read all the books by this author

Loved the movie but wanted to read the book to find out more. Really enjoyed it and it is so different than the movie. But still enjoy watching the movie. I found out she she wrote 2 more books and then there was a book on her life that I purchased too. She had a hard life but still wrote some funny stuff. Great author and found out how life was early in the 1940’s and 50’s. Very interesting

This book defies description. I just finished a modern-day book about a woman on a chicken farm, and she had a rough life, but her life was child's play compared with MacDonald's experiences. So many reviewers have stated that they got belly laughs from every page. Apparently they aren't easily disturbed by the bizarre. I tend to be the type of person who doesn't find child neglect, heavy drinking, and all types of unsanitary habits to be laugh-out-loud funny although, grant you, I did laugh aloud in places. When Betty and her husband Bob are invited to the home of a new acquaintance who was starved for some "culture" as she puts it, I cracked up. Just don't invite me for wine and fruitcake--my stomach would rebel--sorry to say. Ma and Pa Kettle are over-the-top weird and Ma did crack me up at times. This is the type of book which will make you count your blessings. If you live in a house with electricity and tap water, you're ahead of the game. If you have a spouse who talks with you and doesn't treat you like a farm hand, thank the Lord again. If you never get so starved for company that you have to hobnob with the wild, the drunken, and the boorish, put it in your gratitude journal. This is an amazing book which covers a lot of territory and has many details which were tedious for me. The backwoods logging "industry" for example, unbelievably dangerous and crazy, and also too much for this reader. Many details she provided about all types of operations were more than I needed to know. The characters, however, are priceless. I could have read an entire book of stories about Ma and Pa Kettle or the Hicks or the lady with the wine and the fruitcake. Also, her weather descriptions are priceless. When it's dark and stormy and winter is just beginning, you'll understand why she feels so incredibly isolated. I think MacDonald gives us the impression of incredibly hard work with very few rewards. It's not Little House on the Prairie. Her husband's no Michael Landon! This book is worth reading because it will make you feel grateful for the modern conveniences we take for granted and for some of the more evolved men in the world.

Excellent condition.

There is nothing as cozy as a piece of candy and a book" Mrs P.Wiggle - this book just match this quote. Lovely summer reading

I found this book a great and humours read right from the start. I grew up watching the movies of Ma and Pa Kettle and loved them.

The book is a classic. I remember reading it at school (back in the 60's) and found it real fun at the time. I wanted to read it again for the descriptions of life on the North Pacific Coast. The comparison between Spring's arrival in Butte (Montana) and the Olympic Mountains is so short and so devastatingly precise. I got my wife to read it. We'll be visiting th Olympic Mountain and Butte next Summer.

I loved this book. What a hard life being a chicken farmer in the mountains is. Betty is one of my favourite authors and she makes me laugh out loud. She’s witty and feisty and this is the second time I’ve read The Egg and I. My next read is going to be the Plague and I, also my second reading of it. Thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more of her. Gotta love Betty. Xx

Colourful creative descriptions of characters, life running a chicken farm .. her writing is unique and lightly amusing all the way through.