The Chicken Chronicles - by Alice Walker (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Chicken Chronicles" captures Walker's blossoming relationship with her chickens and is an extraordinary document of personal recovery, political commitment, and the joys of relating to animals.

Book Synopsis

Here is a glorious, offbeat, compassionate, and "eccentrically inspirational" (Kirkus Reviews) memoir in which Alice Walker shares her experiences raising and caring for a flock of chickens. In pieces that are by turns moving, thoughtful, and utterly captivating, Walker addresses her "girls" directly, sometimes from the intimate proximity of her yard, other times at a great distance, during her travels to Bali and Dharamsala as an activist for peace and justice. On the way, she invites readers along on a surprising journey of inspiration, strength, and spiritual discovery.

Uplifting, heartbreaking, and memorable, The Chicken Chronicles lets us see a new and deeply personal side of one of the most inspiring writers of our time. It is also a powerful touchstone for anyone seeking a deeper connection with the natural world.

Review Quotes

"Rich, with offbeat, unexpected details... [an] ideal blend between earnestness and self-deprecation that makes this book so engaging."
--The Washington Post

"With an eye for wonderment and plenty of surprising wry humor... The Chicken Chronicles is work bringing home to roost."
--The Philadelphia Tribune

"[These] poignant and wonderfully eccentric short essays... illuminate some of life's weightiest lessons. Who knew all of this could be found in a backyard henhouse?"
--Utne Reader


"Rich, with offbeat, unexpected details... [an] ideal blend between earnestness and self-deprecation that makes this book so engaging."
-The Washington Post

"With an eye for wonderment and plenty of surprising wry humor... The Chicken Chronicles is work bringing home to roost."
-The Philadelphia Tribune

"[These] poignant and wonderfully eccentric short essays... illuminate some of life's weightiest lessons. Who knew all of this could be found in a backyard henhouse?"
-Utne Reader

About the Author

Alice Walker is one of the most prolific writers of our time, known for her literary fiction, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Color Purple, her many volumes of poetry, and her powerful nonfiction collections. Her advocacy for the dispossessed has spanned the globe.