The Chicken Chronicles: Sitting With The Angels Who Have Returned With My Memories: Glorious, Rufus, Gertrude Stein, Splendor, Hortensia, Agnes Of God, The Gladyses & Babe: A Memoir

Description

When Alice Walker grew up in the deep south of America, her family always kept chickens - for meat and for eggs - and her job was to chase down the Sunday dinner!

In later life, when she settled in Mexico and was growing her own food, she realised how much she missed keeping them and decided to get a brood of her own. So into her life came Gertrude Stein, Babe, Babe 2, Hortensia, Splendor, Glorious, Rufus and Agnes of God, not to mention a few others. She discovered a deep contentment in keeping chickens, looking after them and watching them develop. This experience also made her think about her own life - her occasional eating of meat, meditating on the interdependence of humans and animals, and brought back severed memories of her childhood. This book isn't a 'how to' on keeping chickens, although there is plenty of detail about the practicalites; it is a warm memoir chronicling her journey and the way in which keeping chickens led her to a fuller understanding of herself.

Reviews

'A beautiful memoir about how keeping hens led the author to understand herself more' -- Natasha Harding THE SUN 'Years ago, Alice Walker and her family kept chickens. Today, she once again realises how special these animals are and takes on a brood herself. A touching memoir from the writer of The Color Purple' -- 5 star review STAR 'If you're looking for something a little different to read - a book with a poultry theme but without all the usual 'how to' content - then perhaps you should consider The Chicken Chronicles' PRACTICAL POULTRY 'The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple, recalls growing up in the deep south of America where her family kept chickens - for meat and for eggs' TNT MAGAZINE 'Surprising and profoundly uplifting ruminations' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY 'Like a latter-day Uncle Remus, with heart-warmth and candid humour, Aunt Alice tells stories and gives character to the likes of Babe and Hortensia, Glorious, Rufus, Agnes of God and (of course) Gertrude Stein' SAGA 'this book is a warm memoir chronicling Alice's henkeeping journey' COUNTRY SMALL HOLDING 'This fanciful memoir has charm and originality, especially when Walker is reminiscing about her early childhood when her family lived in a grey shack papered with flattened cardboard boxes and brown paper, and grew or bred most of their own food' THE TABLET

Author description

Alice Walker won the Pulitzer prize and the American Book Award for The Color Purple. She is the author of many bestselling novels, essays and collections of poetry including Meridian, By the Light of My Father's Smile, The Third Life of Grange Copeland and Now is the Time to Open Your Heart.