The Beans of Egypt, Maine

By: Carolyn Chute

Narrated by: Joyce Bean, William Dufris

Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

The Beans of Egypt, Maine introduced the world to the notorious, unforgettable Bean clan of small town Egypt, Maine - from wild man Reuben, an alcoholic who can't seem to keep himself out of jail; to his aunt, the perpetually pregnant Roberta; and his cousin Beal, a man gentle by temperament but violent in defeat who marries his pious neighbor, Earlene Pomerleau before poverty kills him.

Through her story of the Beans's struggle with their inner demons to survive against hardship and societal ignorance, Chute emerged as a writer of immense humanity and unparalleled insight into a world most of us knew little of - if we'd recognized it at all.

©1995 Carolyn Chute (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Chute's novel pulses with kinetic energy. It seizes the reader on its opening page with a rhythm, a language, a knock-about country humor unmistakably its own." ( Newsweek)
"Like Flannery O'Connor, Chute has a gift for expressing the true spirit of a culture but with more subtlety and without overt symbolism. She simply becomes what and whom she sees." ( San Francisco Chronicle)

Accents

Not really Down East /Maine accents… more like Brooklyn or Jersey but otherwise a good listen.

Good book....

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A population of America many are unaware of

It’s real
I’ve known so many like the Beans as I was growing up in rural America
They are forgotten people
A minority too afraid to have a voice
Thank you for telling their story

I really enjoyed the book!

The book was great! I laughed at times (and not many books have made me laugh) and was sad at times. I loved the narraters...they did great!

1985-2018

I read this book when it was first published. Listening to it now was amazing. I’m so glad I revisited this wonderful story.

Woven throughout

Thoroughly enjoyed the characters. The author pulls texture and smell using only her words. loved.

As a yuppie who grew up poor in Maine

The writing style is a little jarring but it speeds up the pace and keeps the story interesting. I think it focuses on extremes but even still a number of aspects resonated with me and I think it provides important social commentary. I also found the post script particularly interesting

Interesting book about poverty in the US

I liked the book. It made me think that there are other families in the US struck by poverty; perhaps Appalachia, Louisiana...and more. I found it sad and I feel fortunate to live where I do and have opportunities many don't have in the US and other parts of the world.

Not terribly engaging

The story was not punchy enough. The author seems to just ramble on. Action is only occasional.