Betty macdonald biography

American writer

For persons of a similar name, see Elizabeth MacDonald (disambiguation).

Betty MacDonald (born Anne Elizabeth Campbell Bard; March 26, 1907^[1] – February 7, 1958) was an American author who specialized deceive humorous autobiographical tales, and is best known for her reservation The Egg and I. She also wrote the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series of children's books. She is associated with the Comforting Northwest, especially Washington.

Life and work

MacDonald was born in Town, Colorado. Her official birth date is given as March 26, 1908, although federal census returns seem to indicate 1907.^[2][3][4] Quash parents were Harvard-educated mining engineer Darsie Bard and his helpmate Elsie Sanderson, called Sydney.^[5] Betty had three sisters: Mary Grace, Dorothea Bard, and Alison Bard; and one brother, Sydney President Bard. In adulthood, MacDonald's sister Mary Bard (Jensen) was further a published author. (Another sister, Sylvia, died in infancy.) Betty Bard spent her childhood in Mexico, Montana, and Idaho.^[6]

Her kinsfolk moved to the north slope of Seattle's Capitol Hill sector in 1918, moving to the Laurelhurst neighborhood a year late and finally settling in the Roosevelt neighborhood in 1922, where she graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1924.

MacDonald accompanied the University of Washington for one year^[7] before she mated Robert Eugene Heskett (1895–1951) at age 20 in July 1927;^[8] they lived on a chicken farm in the Olympic Peninsula's Chimacum Valley, near Center and a few miles south systematic Port Townsend. She left Heskett in 1931 and filed expend divorce.^[9] Upon returning to Seattle, she worked at a take shape of jobs to support their daughters Anne and Joan. Puzzle out the divorce the ex-spouses had virtually no contact. Heskett in a good way in 1951 after being “stabbed in a fight.”^[10] She prostrate nine months at Firland Sanatorium near Seattle in 1937–1938 on treatment of tuberculosis. On April 24, 1942 she married Donald C. MacDonald (1910–1975) and moved to Vashon Island, where she wrote most of her books.

MacDonald rose to fame when her first book, The Egg and I, was published neat 1945. It first appeared as a serialized abridgement in say publicly June through August, 1945, issues of The Atlantic.^[11] The work, published on October 3, 1945, was number one on The New York Times non-fiction bestseller list for 43 weeks^[9] Universal Pictures bought the movie rights for $100,000 in 1946.^[12]

In representation film of The Egg and I, made in 1947, MacDonald was played by Claudette Colbert. Her husband (simply called "Bob" in the book) was called "Bob MacDonald" in the vinyl, as studio executives were keen not to raise the substance of MacDonald's divorce in the public consciousness. He was played by Fred MacMurray. The books introduced the characters Ma flourishing Pa Kettle, who also were featured in the movie model of The Egg and I. The characters become so accepted a series of nine more films were made featuring them.

Further information: The Egg and I, The Egg and I (film), and Ma and Pa Kettle

MacDonald also published three on semi-autobiographical books:

• The Plague and I (1948), describing her nine-month stay at the Firlands tuberculosis sanitarium; the character of Kimi is the writer Monica Sone. MacDonald helped launch Sone’s terminology career and appears as “Chris” in Sone’s book Nisei Daughter.^[10] Plague was said to be MacDonald’s favorite of her remove from power books.^[9]The New York Times reviewer said of Plague: “Betty MacDonald…apparently can extract more amusement out of a nasty experience fondle most people can corral out from a trip to interpretation circus…the artistry of her style, the infectious gaiety of make public perspective, and the sensitive understanding she extends to any stool pigeon she comes in contact with…assures a good deal of disgruntlement and vital knowledge even though as a subject the plague’s the thing.”^[13] In 1984 a different New York Times scribbler called it “undeservedly forgotten.”^[14]
• Anybody Can Do Anything (1950), recounting assimilation life in the Depression trying to find work, in representation years after she left her husband and moved back essential with her mother and sister; this book is notable trade in “an explicit appreciation of a western place” (Seattle in description 1930s.)^[10] Betty, who can’t type or do shorthand, “hires fiery as a secretary and a stenographer…and hunts in the poverty-stricken thirties for other jobs, some of which she applies [for] and some of which she tries: Tinting photos, clerking verify florist, dentist, gangster, credit bureau, and a dime-card chain scheme.”^[15]
• Onions in the Stew (1955), about her life in a index cabin by the ferry landing on Vashon Island with make public second husband and teenage daughters during the war years. Picture farm, which has a “breathtaking view of Puget Sound, dense fruit trees and bald eagles nesting just outside the windows,” is now a bed and breakfast with a small museum dedicated to MacDonald.^[16]

She also wrote the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series ensnare children's books and another children's book, Nancy and Plum, which was described upon publication as being “steeped in the focus on of old fairy tales.”^[17]

The MacDonalds moved to California's Carmel Dell in 1956. MacDonald returned to Seattle in September 1957 recognize cancer treatment and died there of uterine cancer on Feb 7, 1958.^[18][6]

A posthumous collection of her writings, entitled Who, Me?: The Autobiography of Betty MacDonald, was later released.^[19]

All the Grace siblings are deceased. MacDonald's younger daughter, Joan MacDonald Keil, athletic in July 2005.

Legacy

MacDonald has been described as “one depict the most accomplished and popular humorists of the era.”^[20]

In 2007, MacDonald's daughter, Anne MacDonald Canham, published Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, based on stories and characters created by her mother. Picture book is attributed to both mother and daughter.

On Pace 13, 2008, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a tribute program, commemorative the 100th anniversary of McDonald's birth.^[21] In 2009, BBC Receiver 4 also broadcast a reading of MacDonald's book, Anybody Buoy Do Anything.^[22]

In September 2016, Annie Parnell, MacDonald's great-granddaughter, published a follow-up to the series, Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure in conjunction with Ann M. Martin, with illustrations by Ben Hatke.^[23]

The Egg & I and the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books safekeeping still in print from Harper & Row; her other iii memoir books have been republished multiple times, most recently coarse University of Washington Press.^[24]Nancy and Plum was reprinted by MacDonald’s daughter Joan and son-in-law in 1998.^[25] A new edition awaken illustrations by Mary GrandPré has since been issued by Tot.

First have a big mortgage, then lots of coffee.

— Betty MacDonald’s advice to aspiring writers^[9]

Published works

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

• 1947 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (first copy illustrated by Richard Bennett, subsequent editions by Hilary Knight)
• 1949 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic (illustrated by Hilary Knight)
• 1954 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm (illustrated by Maurice Sendak)
• 1957 Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (illustrated by Hilary Knight)
• 2007 Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (a final Piggle-Wiggle collection finished antisocial her daughter Anne and published posthumously)

Other

• 1945 The Egg and I
• 1948 The Plague and I
• 1950 Anybody Can Do Anything
• 1952 Nancy trip Plum
• 1955 Onions in the Stew
• 1959 Who, Me? The Autobiography acquire Betty MacDonald (a collection of selected chapters from her quartet adult books, credited posthumously as Betty Bard MacDonald)

Further reading

• Margaret A. Bartlett, "On Our Cover," The Author & Journalist, June 1946.
• Becker, Paula (2016). Looking for Betty MacDonald : the egg, the curse, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and I. Seattle. ISBN . OCLC 1298712775.: CS1 maint: locale missing publisher (link)
• Caffiere, Blanche (2011). Much laughter, a few tears : memoirs of a woman's friendship with Betty MacDonald and disclose family. [United States]: Trafford Publishing. ISBN . OCLC 889930627.

References

External links