My Sister Eileen

by Ruth McKenney

My Sister Eileen is a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney, originally published in The New Yorker, which eventually inspired many other works: her 1938 book My Sister Eileen, a play, a musical, a radio play (and an unproduced radio series), two motion pictures, and a CBS television series in the 1960–1961 season.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Biography Memoir, Plays, Classics, Womens

226 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

McKenney grew up in Cleveland and attended The Ohio State University. She worked for the Akron Beacon Journal before moving to New York and her job writing for the New York Post.

Her best-selling book My Sister Eileen was originally serialized in The New Yorker. The stories were so popular they were adapted to a play and a Broadway musical called Wonderful Town in 1940.

Reviews

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My relationship with Eileen began when I became obsessed with Jack Lemmon and looked him up in the library system. He was in a little-known (and rightly so) musical of the same name of this book. Cutesy, but blah. But he was good. In the process of a few years I discovered Rosalind Russell and Brian Aherne. When they released the original My Sister Eileen with the two of them, I just had to watch it (that one is much better). So, one day, wanting to remember if the Jack Lemmon version was just as mediocre as I remembered I looked it up in the system (again!) and found. . .

THIS!

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

This book is hilarious!
I couldn't put it down. I was up and laughing at it at midnight last night.
To be sure she certainly doesn't tone down her language and various stories are better than others (my favorite being the Elocution lessons), but this book brought me right back to those days when I had first discovered Cheaper by the Dozen. So much fun to read. I highly recommend it! And, although I will never be able to enjoy the movie quite so much again (because it pales so in comparison), Thank you, Jack Lemmon.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think of all those funny writers for the New Yorker - Andy Borowitz, Paul Rudnick, David Sedaris. Now picture their (literary) grandmother - that would be Ruth McKenney, who wrote these screamingly funny sketches of her life for the magazine in the 1930s. Her Hi-Wah camp adventures, cheating at bird-watching and getting bitten and punched in life-saving class had me in stitches. Of course the naughty letter from her French pen pal that she hands to a classmate for translation makes the scandalized rounds of her entire high school. "No understando," she says to the Brazilian navy as they sweep her off her feet in a dive bar on 8th St. Bring it on - this girl knows how to turn awkward into comic gold.

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last two chapters are the ones they used for the play and movie adaptations. In this, Ruth is as naive as her sister, and there are many more stories from their youth. It is an amusing collection of stories that give you an idea of what daily life was like in the Midwest in the pre-WWII era.

[Trin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, the danger of the pop culture reference in humor: it can make a book not just dated, but baffling. Reading this, there were times when I rejoiced in aspects of McKenney's dry wit, but also times when I knew I wasn't getting the joke because I didn't know a particular early-era cinema star who's now faded into obscurity, or the plot of a specific Noel Coward play. It's still quite charming in places, but unfortunately, large parts of this book have come to feel more of historical than literary interest.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly funny. I got this book at a book swap when I was in Middle school. It was written in the 1930's probably and is a collection of short stories written by the author about growing up with her sister. Very clever and well written, I can't count how many times I have read it, but I still laugh out loud every time I read it.

[Kelsey Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really did like this---it made me laugh often. Ruth McKenney had such a clever way of telling a story. But there was some strong language and a few innuendos that lessened my enjoyment. Despite that, it was a lot of fun. I wish there were more stories to this memoir. :)

[ShortShanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was so funny and had me laughing a lot! I especially liked the chapter that had Winston Churchill's son in it.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are cute and a glimpse into a time long passed. But they aren't the tale of how these two women made their way in New York. For that, you need the film. And frankly, I prefer the film.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Droll essays about Ruth and Eileen growing up in early 20th century Ohio. Father made me chuckle the most, especially in the easter egg dyeing scene.

[Elizabeth Lund]

Tone didn't really work for me--a little too "The Naughtiest Girl in the School."

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read My Sister Eileen because I love Leonard Bernstein's musical Wonderful Town. My Sister Eileen is a book of stories of two sisters from Ohio in the 1920s and 30s and the shenanigans they get into.

I appreciate McKenney's sense of humor most of the time. Ruth is, by her own account, a rather buxom young girl, to her sister's delicate beauty. Wonderful Town stays true to this dynamic and Ruth is indeed trying to make it as a newspaper reporter in the musical as in these stories. Then there's the Brazilian navy, the final story in the book, which makes an appearance in the musical as well. In truth, the book was a bit slow going. That said, if I stumbled upon another of McKenney's many books, I'd pick it up.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I've been reading a lot of serious stuff, and this was a nice breather. I think this book was referenced in a book I was reading about Shirley Jackson. Ruth McKinney wrote many articles for The New Yorker, and some of them were compiled in this book in 1938. The stories range from their childhood to young adulthood. And they are adorable. I didn't get all of the references which were current at the time. But I enjoyed reading about a different time, written in real time. The chapter about helping Churchill look for his lost sock in a hotel room is actually quite innocent and hilarious.

[Igolder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every piece in this book is a gem, perfect examples of what a New Yorker piece can be.

I only learned of Ruth McKenney when reading about her sister Eileen's death in 1940. At that time, McKenney was so famous that most of the reports focused on Ruth and her sister Eileen, ignoring Eileen's husband Nathaniel West, who caused the accident. In 2026, McKenney's book is out of print and West is taught in schools.

[Paolo Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

A cute read with some funny stories. My copy was the 1945 edition, and had some US military propaganda at the back (ironic since Eileen is a pacifist). Originally published in 1938. Quite a few stories have nothing to do with Eileen. And even when she is in the stories, she's a minor (at best) character. This should have been called The Story of Ruth.

[Becky Marietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely charming and hilarious. I'd never seen the movies; I happened to pick up an old copy of this at a library book sale, and the stories were great. Lots of laughs. I then watched the movie with Rosalind Russell (one of my favorites); next I'll watch the musical, I reckon.

Still, I'm sure the book is better. :)

[Sharon Healy-Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The film by the same name is based on the last two entries in this collection of essays by magazine writer Ruth McKenney. These tales of the childhood, teenage, and adult misadventures of two Midwestern gals is laugh out loud hilarious. The writing style is a wonderful match of wry and absurd. If you’re feeling down and need a pick-me-up, this is the book for you.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still have the title song from the movie stuck in my head. I have a beautiful little sister, so I identify with Ruth. It's a cute story about sisterly love and crazy adventures together in New York. I like it so much.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming! A series of short stories about two sisters named Ruth and Eileen. The movies Margie and My Sister Eileen (2 versions) are based on some of their adventures. It’s a throwback to a different time and perspective and you will thoroughly enjoy the adventures!

[Xanthe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because it's by a women who was writing in the 1930s about her life with her sister and their shenanigans. It ended up being pretty lightweight and forgettable, not as insightful as I would have hoped into what their lives were like. I suppose that's on me and my expectations tho.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The essays about her childhood were hilarious, but the ones about her teenage years and adulthood didn't do much for me.

[Annie Robb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Delightful.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful!

[Jinjer]

From Wiki: Ruth Marguerite McKenney (November 18, 1911 – July 25, 1972) was an American author and journalist, best remembered for My Sister Eileen, a memoir of her experiences growing up in Ohio and moving to Greenwich Village with her sister Eileen McKenney.

Originally published as a series of short stories in The New Yorker, My Sister Eileen was published in book form in 1938, and later adapted under the same name into a play, a radio play (and unproduced radio series), two films, and a CBS television series. It was also the basis for the Leonard Bernstein musical Wonderful Town.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite book someone introduced me to as a teenager that I love to read again every year (sometimes more often!) This is a collection of short stories about the author and her sister, growing up in the 1920s (possibly earlier, I can't remember off-hand). Life was so much different back then, but human nature hasn't changed a bit!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing and very quick read. It wasn't as much about Eileen as the title would have you believe -- there seemed to be much more about the author herself. But it was an entertaining look at the wacky things that happened to two sisters growing up in the early 20th century (not to mention the crazy things they did).

[Sallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my favorite chapter in this whole book was the one about Ruth and Eileen's dad's inventions or attempts at inventing washing machines, vacuum cleaners, exercise machines etc. I was laughing outloud all the way through that chapter. The last two chapters are the ones used for the movies based on this book with the usual additions, changes of names etc. Very enjoyable book all around.

[VeganMedusa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining look at the two sisters growing up in the 30s. I'd never heard of them before (apparently some movies were based on their adventures) and have no idea how this ended up on my wishlist (possibly it was in Book Lust?). I liked the washing machine chapter and the Brazilian navy chapter the most.

[thestorygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like Ruth and I are dear friends by now--This book had me in stitches, AND when I read it I suddenly knew exactly what form my own "memoirs" would take. I've joked for years about writing a book about all the crazy things that happen to me, and reading Ruth McKenney I suddenly realized I seriously could.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

So funny! I love the egg dyeing scene, and of course the Navy is a classic. I would have loved more New York scenes, I'd thought there would be more from the (hilarious and awesome) movie, but I will have to track down the other books.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun collection of stories! Sweet and funny, and narrated by McKenney with such obvious love for her unique childhood/teenage years. It was a great book to read at the end of a stressful day. Good stories to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, and a couple of laughs before bed.