Onions in the Stew

Humorist Betty MacDonald tells the tale of her second husband Bob and her two young daughters as they establish themselves in their dream home on Vachon Island, southwest of Seattle. Set during World War II and written in 1954, the book is full of colorful local characters and atmospheric moments. As the years pass, the daughters grow up, the couple retires, and the garden plants continue to grow to unbelievable heights.A big fan of hyperbole, MacDonald turns everyday moments into full-blown comedy routines. It’s doubtful that her dwarf flowering buddleia, which was guaranteed to stop growing at 30 inches high, actually does grow to be 20 feet tall with 8 inch blossoms and a million seedling plants in a 100 foot radius, but for the price of another good laugh, it really doesn’t matter.Her husband, who had a presumably comfortable position with Boeing, supported her efforts to become a writer. She paints a portrait of the family’s life on the island, bound by the schedule of the ferry and the obligations which go along with a certain level of self-sufficiency. “The snow, no lights, no road, the terrible telephone service, getting enough wood, walking the trail ... gardening, cooking, eating, the beach, clams, knitting, driftwood, reading, and living on an island.“ With a nod to the book’s title, food plays a key role. The author offers methods for preparing mushrooms and a variety of clams, crabs, and other seafood along the shore, all free for the taking.Neighbors, visitors and overnight guests all have places in the book as do the local handymen, the family pets, and a variety of wildlife which co-exist on their waterfront property. A timely note of caution here. Due to the novel’s timeframe, there are a handful of cringeworthy racist comments regarding a slow “colored” plumber, a Japanese pet-sitting couple, one of whom is an incompetent housekeeper, and an Estonian woman who speaks only one word of English.The book is a folksy memoir of a simpler time in a remote place with a healthy dose of lighthearted scenarios.

This was my favorite of three books that I read by the same author. Certainly much more funny than, The Plauge and I, which was written about a near year long stay in a Santorum for those with Tuberculosis, although the latter did have some humorous parts. If you'd enjoy a blast from the past, you might want to try this book!

This book was first published in 1955 and while it is very much of that time it is still laugh out loud funny. The author decided to marry rather impulsively, despite being a single parent with two daughters. Due to the housing shortage in Seattle (the book begins during WWII) the couple decide to purchase a cottage on Vashon Island and commute by ferry each day into their jobs in the city. That their new home is essentially a summer cottage that was never intended for year round living, that has no road requiring everyone to hike along the beach or along a trail to get to anywhere what could possibly go wrong? Apparently everything, ranging from malfunctioning septic systems, flame throwing washing machines, overly affectionate neighbors, disappearing maintenance men and as an added bonus - two girls just entering their teens.The author rises to all these challenges and more with never failing optimism and a never ending sense of humor. The stories are all based on actual incidents in the author's life, ones that she did manage to survive. You will not be able to get through this book without laughing out loud.

I loved MacDonald's books for decades, but some things don't survive. Her sense of humor still makes me laugh, but the the books now seem very dated in their point of view. MacDonald died fairly young, so there was no chance for her to update her memories to talk about the important things. They are still funny, but somewhat rueful. She was a writer of her time, but not our time. I just re-read this and I got the feeling that I won't be reading it again. There is nothing more to be gained from it now.

I liked the spunky way Betty dealt with TB. She did not give up but fought TB and the nurses. She had interesting room mates. The young Japanese woman was later sent to interment camp in desert; she wrote her own book. Betty had a zest for live and did not like authority. We can all see ourselves in Betty. She learned the stories of all her room mates. TB was a very serious disease then and people died. Now they give TB patients special antibiotics and most people get well. Looking at how TB was treated was before antibiotics will be of great interest to medical people or people who had/have TB. We have made medical improvements and more will come. I wrote a review of The Egg and I instead of Plague and I and some people noticed. Betty MacDonald was a popular author before WW 2 and after.

Remember all those classic literature titles you had to read in high school or college? Which were further compounded by critics list of the 100 best books of all time? Or perhaps the must reads before you die of pandemic boredom? Yeah--they should all include this fabulous author and this relevant book. I'm betting that our Betty didn't have an Iowa Writers Workshop, had no hope of being a trendy indie author, or a respected degree. Betty died at age 50 but left more for readers that 99% of other authors. Betty's life wasn't easy but she choose to laugh about what she could not change. Jump into her world and you will laugh, too. In between smoking, drinking, mold growing in the bathroom and a world without duct tape, she managed to keep things in perspective. God Love Ya Betty.

I liked the story, and how I could relate to the author. I am from Seattle, and my family is from Vashon Island. My father bagged groceries for Betty McDonald, and went to school with her daughter. The time frame she lived on the island is the same as my dad's, and he describes the island, at that time, in the same way. It made the story very relatable. I loved her Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories, and was surprised to learn how young she was when she passed away.

These books are in my top 20 favourites of all time - they make me laugh out loud dozens of times per reading and paint a marvellous portrait of small-town life in the 1940s and 50s. Perfectly drawn characters, great tales of frugal living, . . . . The books are well-known in North America but little-known in the UK - all I can say is you are missing a great treat.

A lovely set of anecdotes about life on Vashon Island with her 2nd husband and two daughters. Gardening, cooking, teenagers, guests, pets, husband stealing neighbours. All told with a sharp sense of fun. She seems like an amazingly capable person, takes everything in her stride.

I first read this book about 56 years ago and enjoyed it second time around as much as the first

In this fourth in the series of Betty MacDonald's humorous memoirs she was obviously trying hard to copy the recipe of her hugely popular first book "The Egg and I" - unsuccessfully in my opinion. This book is only mildly funny, relies heavily on exaggeration and lacks the charm, freshness and originality of her first work that made her a household name.

From a place that most families live in. Wish there were more of her books. They are worth reading twice