Onions in the Stew

by Betty MacDonald · 2016

In her fourth and final memoir, Betty MacDonald invites readers into the quirky, storm‑swept world of Vashon Island, where she, her husband Don, and their two teenage daughters made a home for twelve years. With the same razor‑sharp wit that made The Egg and I a classic, MacDonald chronicles the challenges of island life—harsh winters, precarious ferry commutes, eccentric neighbors, and the roller‑coaster of raising adolescents—while also capturing the unexpected affection that grows for a place once thought too remote. "Onions in the Stew" is a lovingly funny portrait of a family learning to thrive amid the Pacific Northwest’s rugged beauty, proving that even the most unlikely settings can become a beloved sanctuary.