Chicken Chronicles

Sitting with the Angels Who Have Returned with My Memories: Glorious, Rufus, Gertrude Stein, Splendor, Hortensia, Agnes of God, The Gladyses, & Babe

By: Alice Walker

Narrated by: Alice Walker

For the past several years, on a farm north of San Francisco, the celebrated writer Alice Walker has diligently cared for a flock of chickens. Over time, her blossoming relationship with “her girls” became a source of inspiration, strength, and spiritual discovery, and helped Walker connect more profoundly with her own past as a girl in rural Georgia. Walker has recorded this journey in The Chicken Chronicles, an extraordinary document of personal discovery, political commitment, and the joys of relating to animals.

Each of Walker’s 38 chronicles addresses her “girls” directly, sometimes from the intimate proximity of her yard, other times at a great distance, from her journeys to Bali and Dharamsala as a witness and activist for peace and justice.

By turns uplifting and heartbreaking, The Chicken Chronicles is a new treat for Walker fans, a powerful touchstone for anyone seeking a deeper connection with the natural world, and a celebration of chickens everywhere!

©2011 Alice Walker (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Walker invites her readers into her personal spaces to share in the joy and wonder her chickens engender and to witness the trials collectively endured. One can readily conjure Walker as she comes inside from the chicken yard and writes down her thoughts and impressions." ( Library Journal)

"With an eye for wonderment and plenty of surprisingly wry humor, author Alice Walker shakes up fans with a memoir that’s nothing like her novels. Instead, The Chicken Chronicles is a series of enchanted musings on Walker’s life and charitable works, the richly imagined life of her pets, and a powerful sense of gratitude for friends, the Earth, and its gifts. I flew through this book, loving every page of it. For pet lovers, chicken people, or anyone who craves a perfectly charming memoir, here’s one to read. The Chicken Chronicles is worth bringing home to roost." ( The Philadelphia Tribune)

"It's a book-long spell—hypnotic." ( Los Angeles Times)

Great story for Chicken Ladies and other animal lovers

It is refreshing to hear a love for chickens, nature, and the world itself. Much of this book shares my thoughts and meditations I have each day I am outside in my yard with my dog and 6 chickens. Thank you Alice Walker for sharing your memoir.

Sweet Story

This is a very sweet story for those of us who love our chicken girls.!

Cute and definitely for Chicken People

This is a cute story. Well journal more like. Most of the book is the author writing letters to her chickens. I think you might have to be a chicken lover to get through this...I had a hard time with the author referring to herself in the third person as “mommy”. You can tell quickly that the author is an old “hippie” type by the way she lives and writes. Down to saving the eggs shells from the eggs she brings on a trip froM her chickens at home...because she doesn’t want them to be disposed of just anywhere. There was quite a bit of “learned the hard way” situations in the story, but isn’t that how life is? Despite all the “mommy” parts, I enjoyed how much she loved her chickens snd hearing about them. If not for the “mommy” parts (that got cringe-worthy” at times, I would have given it 5 stars all across. Even my kids like listening....they love to say “space nuts!”

Only For Chicken Lovers

While the Ms. Walker and I do not agree on politics or religion, we can agree on chickens. They are a gift to us, meant to be loved and enjoyed. As such, I would love to pass an afternoon together watching our flocks.

Possibly the best book I ever read

After reading this gem, Im in love chickens. I may not be able to eat chickens again. Chickens have personalities. They have feelings. Alice Walker is an excellent writer.

Dedicated Chicken Enthusiast cannot bear to finish

Would you try another book from Alice Walker and/or Alice Walker?

This is my first exposure to the famous and well loved author and it is my last investment in her works. I was so excited to find this book. I have loved anything about chickens, until I began to listen to this book. I raise a small flock and find the caring for and enjoying the birds to be one of the finest experiences. Reading many books on their care, behavior, and health has been a huge pleasure.I could not even finish listening to this book. The author's view of herself is endlessly saccharine "mommy this and mommy that" and self congratulatory (in the face of frankly neglecting one of her birds literally to death). Her ignorance about chicken safety and common preventative measure for their protection from predators, can be easily learned through available blogs, books, films and chicken owners. Any reference to this is ignored by the author as she endlessly "goo goo talks" about herself, downplaying any accountability for the tragedies her birds experience. If you are perhaps a fan of the author, this narcissistic narrative may have context for you that makes it pleasant. I am sorry for her birds and the negligence they have experienced and hope that my lesson from this book is helpful. To me taking any creature into my care charges me with responsibility to protect their well being with great diligence. Our pets, children, friends, plants, livestock are not there to merely reflect back upon our egos.

Has Chicken Chronicles turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disgust

Chicken Chronicles

Either this book was as boring as hell or I am a major simpleton. I kept waiting for a major plot twist or conflict to happen but it never did. I fell asleep through chapters 8 through 15, it didn’t matter (I went back, but it didn’t matter). I skipped 10 chapters in the middle because I had no interest in finishing the book and just read the last two chapters.

Not what I expected

I typically enjoy the writing of Alice Walker. This work was less than satisfactory. This should be rated as a children’s book.