Looking for Betty MacDonald: The Egg, the Plague, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and I

*Forthcoming September 2016* (Video by Vaun S. Raymond)

Betty Bard MacDonald (1907-1958), the best-selling author of "The Egg and I" and the classic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle children's books, burst onto the literary scene shortly after the end of World War II. Readers embraced her memoir of her years as a young bride operating a chicken ranch on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, and "The Egg and I" sold its first million copies in less than a year. The public was drawn to MacDonald's vivacity, her offbeat humor, and her irreverent take on life. In 1947, the book was made into a movie starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert, and spawned a series of films featuring MacDonald's Ma and Pa Kettle characters.

MacDonald followed up the success of "The Egg and I" with the creation of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a magical woman who cures children of their bad habits, and with three additional memoirs: "The Plague and I" (chronicling her time in a tuberculosis sanitarium just outside Seattle), "Anybody Can Do Anything" (recounting her madcap attempts to find work during the Great Depression), and "Onions in the Stew" (about her life raising two teenage daughters on Vashon Island).

Historian Paula Becker was granted full access to Betty MacDonald's archives, including materials never before seen by any researcher. "Looking for Betty MacDonald," the biography of this endearing Northwest storyteller, reveals the story behind the memoirs and the difference between the real Betty MacDonald and her literary persona.

[cynthiawilliams]

I read your book Paula Becker & you did a wonderful job I loved it!!

[declanjohn]

I can relate! I, too, found out Betty's address near Roosevelt High School by looking at a 1936 telephone book in the archives at Seattle Library. And I was beyond thrilled a few years ago to buy two old Reader's Digests which each contained a Betty story that had not appeared in any of her books. Can't wait to read this biography too.

[GeorgiaGeorgette]

A documentary should be made of her fascinating life story.

[stoogeswoman]

I love Betty MacDonald and can't wait to read your book!

[radtek]

I remember reading The Egg and I back in the early 60s. I grew up in out skirts of Tacoma. It was my mother's book that I took from her book shelf and read. I remember laughing out loud. I am 79 years old now and I read a lot! So browsing through Amazon I came across the Egg and I and purchase it. I found it was so much better reading it again after my life's experiences. I then saw her other books. I was interested in the Plague and I as my maternal Grandmother had TB and died from it around the same years Betty MacDonald went through her treatment. I wanted to know what it was like back then having TB so I read that and then was hooked. I read her remaining books and loved everyone. But I felt and wished I could have known her as I feel we could have been friends she was my kind of people. I wanted to know more about her life ...Thank You for providing that ...at the end when she was in her last few months and time here I somehow felt the sorrow that I'm sure her family and close friends felt in her passing. I will probably look for her Piggly Wiggly books now to read to my 2 young Great Granddaughters.

[ShushLorraine]

I didn't realize she wrote Mrs. Piggle Wiggle! I loved those books when I was little -- in the 60s. Thanks for the book. I'm going to go find it!

[philipwilliams]

.... I have just finished Paula's bio., on 'Betty M., ' - Excellent!
Def., worth the money 🌟🌟🌟👍
Phil Liverpool UK 🇬🇧

[audreybrown]

Love Betty but Paula's book is awful! She called her a liar and used Betty's granddaughter to support her theory. Too bad a real writer didn't write it....