The Chicken Chronicles by Alice Walker

I’m reading the most amazing book, The Chicken Chronicles by Alice Walker. She is best known for her Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Color Purple which was also made into a wonderful film. This book, The Chicken Chronicles, is not a manual on keeping chickens but a history of how keeping chickens led her to greater self-understanding. Almost ‘Zen and the Art of Keeping Chickens!’
I’ve never read The Color Purple and, to be honest, wasn’t at all sure I was going to enjoy reading this book. I picked it up intending to skim through and found myself captivated. I was five chapters in before I knew it and an hour had vanished

Of course, it’s heavily influenced by the setting, the deep south of America and by the experience of African Americans but this isn’t, as far as I can tell, delivering a political message, more a spiritual one.

It’s a magical book, a homage to our feathered friends. This quote gives something of the  feeling of the book. She’s talking about how chickens are attracted to and peck at anything shiny and this is the conclusion.

“Even your mash must appear to your eyes to be sprinkled with gold dust. I hope it is tasty. As tasty as the persimmons that, tart or sweet, have now delivered a previously unknown thrill to your tiny jaws”

I wish I had half her ability to write and make it real. No wonder she won her prizes. There’s no way I can do this book justice, all I can do is suggest you read it for yourself. It will refresh your soul.

Alice Walker Author

You can win a copy of the Chicken Chronicles in our caption competition on the the chat forum. Competition closes on 26th June