Review: _The Egg and I:_ a look at the poverty level in pre-war Washington state

@Telynor (1763)
United States
May 4, 2017 7:06pm CST
I spent a good portion of my childhood in Washington state at my grandparents' home. It certainly wasn't a well-to-do lifestyle, but in among the dire times, there were some pleasant memories. It was certainly a rural childhood, and it is those memories that have stayed the strongest. One of the books that I had read was Betty MacDonald's memoir, _The Egg and I,_ about her life as a young bride and new mother on the Olympic pennisula. Betty was the middle daughter in a very adventurous family, having grown up in mining camps and small towns in pre-WWII western America. While her education may have been spotty in places, she came out of it with a vivid imagination, sharp wits and an appreciation for life and taking chances when fortune hands them to you. Early on she met Bill, a veteran who was more than a dozen years older than she was, and ready to shed the trauma of World World II behind him. Betty married Bill, and soon they were living in a remote spot on western side of Puget Sound, and establishing themselves on a run-down farm with about a couple thousand chickens. Betty was in for the shock of her life. No running water. No phone. No appliances. No plumbing. No heat to really speak of. In other words, it's a life that most modern Americans would shriek NO at, and flee back to civilization. But Betty rolled up her sleeves, grit her teeth, and got down to work. And did it with a wry sense of humour that soon had me rolling on the floor laughing. Floods, the neighbours the barely tamed Kettle family, coping with a -lot- of chickens and other lifestock, and difficulties that made me cringe in shared memory. (Yes, I am that old) But there are some dark portions as well, such as her husband who expected to be heard and not challenged, the terrible isolation, and the matter-of-fact way that Betty had towards those of other races that borders on out-and-out racism that infuriated. me. It was that racism that nearly made me stop reading the book. It gets downright ugly that Betty views the local Native American people as shiftless, lazy, dirty drunks, and while it was certainly normal for the 1940's to a modern reader it's pretty bad. I remember a lot of this sort of talk when I was growing up and it wasn't considered to be anything wrongful. But still, it's very readable, and a quick read. The writing style is very vivid and very funny, and well worth the trouble to find. I was able to find it on my Nook, and also discovered that Ms. MacDonald continued writing her memoirs, which I will try and look up. I can recommend this one, despite the racism and bigotry. Three and a half-stars rounded up to four with a recommendation that has some caveats. Betty MacDonald's Memoirs The Egg and I The Plague and I Anybody Can Do Anything Onions in the Stew The Egg and I Betty MacDonald 1945; George Mann Books ISBN 978-0-0620-4774-8
4 people like this
2 responses
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
5 May 17
I never read the book but saw the movie and of course the Kettles became a movie series.
1 person likes this
@Telynor (1763)
• United States
5 May 17
I had no idea that the Kettles were turned into a series! Makes sense, tho', now that I think of it...
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
5 May 17
@Telynor The Kettles were a movie series in the 50s from Universal Pictures and starred Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride as Ma and Pa. They have been shown on TCM.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
5 May 17
I remember reading that book and of course I saw the movie. I, too, was shocked at some of her attitudes but that's how it was back then. (Rather than remove things like that, we should let everyone read them and see how unenlightened people used to be) I did enjoy the book and I think I read something else she wrote, too, but I it's been many years and I don't really remember.
1 person likes this
@Telynor (1763)
• United States
5 May 17
The racism, I must admit, got to me quite a bit. But it also had some really funny moments, and I'm still glad that I read it. I have the second book, The Plague and I, downloaded, and will probably start it soon. Thank you very much for stopping by!
1 person likes this