The Egg and I (Paperback)

by Betty Macdonald (Author) "ALONG with teaching us that lamb must be cooled with garlic and that a lady never scratches her head or spits, my mother taught my..." (more)
Key Phrases: whistle punk, brooder house, grange meeting, Birdie Hicks, Miss Wetter, Docktown Bay (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Reissue of this immortal, hilarious, and heartwarming classic about working a chicken farm in the Northwest.

About the Author
When Betty MacDonald married and moved to a small farm on the Olympic Peninsula in the State of Washington, she was largely unprepared for the rigors of life in the wild. No running water, no electricity, a house in need of constant repair, and days that ran from four in the morning to nine at night, with barely a moment to put one's feet up. And this was before the children arrived. But the MacDonalds managed to keep their sense of humor, and this account of their adventures with the house and with neighbors is an endearing frontier classic.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (September 16, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060914289
• ISBN-13: 978-0060914288
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,466 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > Washington
  #3 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > Pacific Northwest
  #4 in	Books > Entertainment > Humor > Rural Life

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this woman!, November 11, 2000

By A Customer

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.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EGG & I is a hit!, January 31, 2000

By	Sue Welk (Minneapolis (Richfield), Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

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.)

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TIMES HAVE CHANGED SINCE 1945, BUT BETTY MACDONALD'S HUMOUR LIVES ON, July 29, 2006

By	Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Egg and I (Hardcover)

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."