Reissue of this immortal, hilarious, and heartwarming classic about working a chicken farm in the Northwest.
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reviews
Dec 17, 2009
Lynn
rated it: 
I have read Betty MacDonald's The Egg and I at least three times. The first
time I was about twelve, the second, maybe twenty-one
and the last time in the virtual dotage of sixty-two.
My ten year old self took this as a fabulous adventure
story and I wanted nothing more than to meet Gams and
the hyperactive grandma and eat a geoduck clam with
the MacDonalds.
At twenty-one, I laughed my head off. Being of an impractical
nature myself, I got anxi More...
time I was about twelve, the second, maybe twenty-one
and the last time in the virtual dotage of sixty-two.
My ten year old self took this as a fabulous adventure
story and I wanted nothing more than to meet Gams and
the hyperactive grandma and eat a geoduck clam with
the MacDonalds.
At twenty-one, I laughed my head off. Being of an impractical
nature myself, I got anxi More...
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Jul 13, 2008
Krista
rated it:
This is a book I'd recommend to anyone. I first read it when I was in those awkward pre-teen years, and I'm not sure why I picked it up. But I ended up loving it, and I'm pretty sure I begged my parents to let me keep chickens, afterward. (They first tried to discourage me by telling me how much work it would be, and then when that didn't work, flat-out told me I couldn't have any. It was a sad day for me, but a wise decision for them.) In the more than 10 years since I'd read it, only the basic
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Oct 30, 2007
Bonnie Gayle
rated it: 
Well, there are 2 groups of people I wouldn't recommend this book to: vegetarians/animal lovers, due to the realities written about of living on a farm, and especially a chicken farm, and people offended by racist Native American portrayals, due to the author's own racist opinions.
I can pretty much guarantee that if you don't fall into the first group, you most likely will fall into the second, so I'm not sure who to recommed it to. In fact, I myself threw down the book in disgust, and al More...
I can pretty much guarantee that if you don't fall into the first group, you most likely will fall into the second, so I'm not sure who to recommed it to. In fact, I myself threw down the book in disgust, and al More...
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Mar 06, 2008
Lee Anne
rated it: 
The author of the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series also wrote several memoirs, this being the most famous. It's the book that introduced Ma and Pa Kettle to the world. Read through today's eyes, it's so horribly racist regarding Native Americans that I can't recommend it in my job, but it's a funny and warm book regardless. I guess that's like saying, "It's a great story, minus the Klan meetings"--it's not that bad, but I can't set the racism aside, and...I don't know. I can't imagine fol
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Mar 24, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Thought this was hysterical. Autobiographical account of living on an egg farm in a hill-billy part of Washington. NOT PC. Humor a little down on self sometimes, like Charlie Brown. Funny and interesting snapshot of life in the 1920/1930's in the back woods.
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Sep 29, 2011
Vasha7
rated it:
Betty MacDonald grew up middle-class and urbanized, learning to play the piano, draw, and dance. She wished repeatedly for more practical skills after she married a man whose greatest dream was to start a chicken farm. But the social world she was plunged into after they moved to a remote area of the Pacific Northwest, during the 1930s, was an even greater shock.
This book seems to be something of an outgrowth of the letters MacDonald wrote home to her family -- the reading audience wo More...
This book seems to be something of an outgrowth of the letters MacDonald wrote home to her family -- the reading audience wo More...
Mar 19, 2011
Susan
rated it:
For years when I was young and bored during summer vacation, my mother tried to get me to read her copy of The Egg and I. I turned my nose up and went outdoors. Such is life when you live near a lake.
I love simple books that talk about every day life challenges written with a clever voice and great humor. In the book, Betty talks about her adventures as a novice farmer who moved into the mountains of Washington state to eek out a living during the Depression years. If you love anim More...
I love simple books that talk about every day life challenges written with a clever voice and great humor. In the book, Betty talks about her adventures as a novice farmer who moved into the mountains of Washington state to eek out a living during the Depression years. If you love anim More...
Jul 07, 2010
Nancy
rated it:
ne 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 wr
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Apr 15, 2010
Tony
rated it:
MacDonald, Betty. THE EGG AND I. (1945). ****. A friend of mine let me know that he had just read the second volume of this memoir, this title being part one. I didn’t know that there was a second volume (and even a third). In fact, although I know I have seen the film made from the book starring Claudet Colbert and Fred MacMurray, I wasn’t sure that I had ever read the book. (I should also mention that Ma and Pa Kettle, who appear in the book, were played by – who else – Marjorie Main an
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May 21, 2009
Steve
rated it:
As far as I'm concerned, this is the best book ever written. By anybody. And, go figure, it's non-fiction, a rarity for me anyway. MacDonald, as a bride in the 1920s, fell prey to her new husband's long-cherished dream of owning a chicken ranch, so off they went to the wilderness of Washington to raise chickens in a remote mountain location, where the nearest neighbors were a two-mile walk away. Frankly, living in the wilderness without electricity or indoor plumbing (she carried water from
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Apr 29, 2009
Linda
rated it:
There are books that stay with you all your life. My mother read this to my sisters and brother and I when we were sick with the flu in England in the early 50's. I believe I have read this book about 30 times.
Betty Macdonald's early biography, she wasn't someone really famous, but she had a way with words. (the book is no where near as shallow and trivial as the movie of the same name with Claudette Colbert as a ridiculous woman dressed up at a county fair) Her description of More...
Betty Macdonald's early biography, she wasn't someone really famous, but she had a way with words. (the book is no where near as shallow and trivial as the movie of the same name with Claudette Colbert as a ridiculous woman dressed up at a county fair) Her description of More...
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Aug 17, 2010
amelia
rated it:
So, here's the thing. This book is wildly racist, to the point where there's one chapter I would advocate skipping entirely. That said, I really loved the rest of it and do think it's very worth reading (provided you can accept the aforementioned bit as outdated, rather than simply hateful). While those bits feel incredibly backwards and outdated, they are juxtaposed with surprisingly modern feeling writing (which makes up the majority of the book) like:
"Until I moved to the More...
"Until I moved to the More...
Jun 11, 2011
Gail
rated it: 
Well, this is considered a classic and I had heard good things about it, so I selected it for a book group I belong to. I simply could not read it word-for-word, because the author included SO much detail in her writing. The parts I didn't read thoroughly I did skim, though. I think the other members of the group enjoyed it more than I did. Although there were certainly humorous parts, I felt sorry for the author and found many of the characters unsympathetic. In particular, the male charac
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Apr 27, 2010
MAP
rated it:
This book was written in 1945 and follows Betty MacDonald's adventures in the 1920s living on a chicken farm with her new husband in Washington State. The book is based in reality, but characters have been melded, warped, squished together, and changed for humor's sake.
The book is, first and foremost, and humor book, and I will admit there were several laugh out loud moments, especially near the beginning. MacDonald certainly has a sly wit about her and since this was her first try More...
The book is, first and foremost, and humor book, and I will admit there were several laugh out loud moments, especially near the beginning. MacDonald certainly has a sly wit about her and since this was her first try More...
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Feb 15, 2010
Christine
rated it:
Oh, this book.
I would give 90% of it 5 stars, but the other 10% gets negative stars. So whatever that evens out to is anyone's guess...The author is so talented and her prose so sprightly in parts and poetic in others that there can be no doubt as to the quality of the writing. Much if not most of it is fantastic.
My biggest problem with this book is the author's deeply ingrained snobbery and worse, racism. She's dismissive of all her neighbors, drawing blood with her pen More...
I would give 90% of it 5 stars, but the other 10% gets negative stars. So whatever that evens out to is anyone's guess...The author is so talented and her prose so sprightly in parts and poetic in others that there can be no doubt as to the quality of the writing. Much if not most of it is fantastic.
My biggest problem with this book is the author's deeply ingrained snobbery and worse, racism. She's dismissive of all her neighbors, drawing blood with her pen More...
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Jan 28, 2011
Paul
rated it:
Sometime we forget about the benefits of browsing the stacks at the library. I stumbled upon this while looking for some books about gardening and composting, and while it wasn't exactly what I was looking for, I decided to give it a try.
In case you didn't know, I live on a farm. While we don't tend the land, it is leased out to a local family who farms a lot of acreage in our part of North Carolina. Living on this much open land has given rise to thoughts of raising a few chickens More...
In case you didn't know, I live on a farm. While we don't tend the land, it is leased out to a local family who farms a lot of acreage in our part of North Carolina. Living on this much open land has given rise to thoughts of raising a few chickens More...
Jun 29, 2010
Felisa
rated it:
A memoir of rural life that lit up the best-seller lists in 1945, The Egg and I is the story of a young bride in the late 1920s who gets dragged to the woods of Washington by her enthusiastic and unsympathetic husband. Like Shirley Jackson's Life Among the Savages, which I just read, MacDonald's memoir captures the life of an overwhelmed housewife with a keen mind, a sharp sense of humor, and an unusual and subversive vision of her time. These were women who were trying to be good wives and moth
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Mar 12, 2011
Mary
rated it:
I have to say, this is my favorite book of all time. First introduced to Betty's semi-fictionalized memoirs in the late 60s (via my mother's book collection), I've since made it a point to search out
the vintage printings of all her works.
I tend to read this book once a year or so, usually during the winter months, because there is something
familiar and cozy about The Egg and I - like a pair of well worn slippers. It's a trusted friend I turn to now & then, to bask in the More...
the vintage printings of all her works.
I tend to read this book once a year or so, usually during the winter months, because there is something
familiar and cozy about The Egg and I - like a pair of well worn slippers. It's a trusted friend I turn to now & then, to bask in the More...
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Feb 13, 2011
Eve
rated it:
The story of the author's "adventure" starting a chicken farm near Seattle, Washington, with her husband. I found this interesting because of her wit, although there is racism with her way of referring to Indians. I really enjoy learning how people of other eras of time lived and this was interesting because it was set in the 1940's or 50's. I laughed at how differently she described her experience from her husband's (he loved it, she muddled through) and I honestly counted my blessing
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Apr 22, 2010
Tracy
rated it:
The funny parts are very, very funny. MacDonald gives such personality and character to the farm and the mountains. She is at her best when discussing her battles with the natural elements, the quirkiness of her home, and her own demeanor. However, her pen also stabs sharply at her neighbors, and while I'm sure she used broad strokes for comedic effect, at times I felt a little bit uncomfortable with her almost snobby observations. She is also an absolute racist towards Native Americans. Bu
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Apr 15, 2009
Mary Anne
rated it:
This is a funny memoir by the author of the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books written for children. Betty MacDonald has a wry sense of humor and keen powers if observation as she chronicles her days as a newlywed after WWI running a poultry farm in the Pacific Northwest. She loves to cook and describes delicious meals she concocts out of the unusual ingredients found in that region. She also describes the quirky people in that rural community. Of particular note are Ma and Pa Kettle who run a neighboring
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Apr 04, 2009
Erik
rated it:
When I arrived with Mother and little brother Fin Einar at her parents' home on Prestigaardsveien 1 in Oslo at the beginning of the summer of 1962 I'd pretty much gone through all the books brought along with us. Fortunately, her step-father, Fin Graff, had been born and raised in EuClaire, Wisconsin until the suicide of Dr. Harald Graff, father of both my paternal and maternal grandfathers. He'd retained his English and had a considerable number of English-language books in his library which
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Jul 31, 2011
Ronald
rated it:
A book I'd heard about all my childhood but didn't get around to reading until a friend gave me a copy around 1984. My grandmother's family sued the author in response to this book and the subsequent movie, claiming that the Kettles had been based on them, and as a result they had been made a laughing stock in their community. I mention this on my personal web page and have received many questions from members of the Betty MacDonald Fan Club. During this reading I was much more aware of her deta
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Aug 29, 2009
Debbie
rated it:
I had first read this 35 years ago, on my mother's recommendation. It was not as funny as I remembered or expected it to be, but still had many charms. I found the most affecting portions to be those in which she bonds with Mrs. Kettle, especially the night of the storm when Mrs. Kettle has her brought to their farm. Much of the books reads in a very modern way, but there are unpleasant and unreflective comments about Indians and it was hard to tell how much she was fond of some of their neig
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Jan 09, 2010
Connie
rated it:
I have read all Betty MacDonald's books written for adults, as well as most of the ones she wrote for children.
The Egg and I, which I have read at least a dozen times, beginning
at age 8, was her first in the series of 4. All are wonderful, TRUE tales of her life in Washington State. She is extremely funny, and it is not a good idea to read her works when silence is required, as you will likely not be able to keep your giggles and guffaws silent.
After having been ou More...
The Egg and I, which I have read at least a dozen times, beginning
at age 8, was her first in the series of 4. All are wonderful, TRUE tales of her life in Washington State. She is extremely funny, and it is not a good idea to read her works when silence is required, as you will likely not be able to keep your giggles and guffaws silent.
After having been ou More...
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Aug 06, 2010
Jgknobler
rated it:
I was delighted to find this book at a library sale, as it was written by the author of one of my favorite series, "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle." This was apparently her first book, and was a best-seller when it appeared in 1945. It is a memoir about a young newly-wed in who moves with her husband to rural Washington state to build and live on a chicken farm. It is funny and oddly relevant in this modern era of local foods and sustainable agriculture. It is marred by the author's dislike and di
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Jul 25, 2011
Mary
rated it:
Steve and I started watching this movie on TCM one evening and thought it was very funny. Then we found out it was based on this book. Back in the 1920s a WWI vet decided that he wanted to raise chickens so he takes his new wife to a remote wilderness with no electricity or running water to begin a chicken ranch. Lots of colorful characters, and the introduction of Ma and Paw Kettle who then had many movies based on their exploits. This book is like a step back in time. The author is very f
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Feb 13, 2011
Jen
rated it:
This woman didn't seem to enjoy the country life, though she lived it and gave such wonderful insights into her husbands egg business. I love how she never admits to loving it, or even enjoying very much of it, though she goes on and on about little details. She is somewhat lonely living in the woods, and her STOVE even is given humanly characteristics.
Very fun to read, gives good insight into really depending on your neighbors cause they are all you have when you live in the woods. Ma More...
Very fun to read, gives good insight into really depending on your neighbors cause they are all you have when you live in the woods. Ma More...
Oct 30, 2011
Michele
rated it:
no doubt this author was way ahead of her time as a woman writer. she was truly funny, entertaining and brave. she was also a product of her times in terms of the horribly insenstive, racist sentiments in the book. in a foreword by her daughters they note they they felt if she were alive today she wouldn't have said or felt those things. this may be so, nevertheless her attitudes toward non whites and also toward folks living in poverty (though she made allowances for white poor) made this boo
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Nov 04, 2011
Laura
rated it:
The Egg and I is a funny memoir about a woman who follows her husband on his quest to become a chicken farmer. It was originally written in 1945, became a bestseller, and has been reprinted several times. This was a book chosen for my book club read, and I was looking forward to some good laughs. I have to say there were some really good laugh-out-loud moments and the author is a good writer, but overall, the descriptions of farm life made it a tedious read for me.
The book has a slow s More...
The book has a slow s More...
