Walking across Egypt

At 78, Mattie Rigsbee is slowing down. At least, that's what she keeps telling herself and anyone who will listen in her little North Carolina hometown. Why, she's gotten to the point that she waits to do her lunch dishes until after she's watched All My Children! When a little stray dog shows up on her back porch, she immediately proclaims to all around that she cannot keep him, although she keeps feeding him even as she tells herself she's going to call the dogcatcher "right now". She does (eventually) call that dogcatcher, and that's the opening domino in a series of unfortunate events that lead Mrs. Rigsbee into situations she never in a million years thought she would ever experience.

There's nothing overly deep or profound about show more this book, but I found the sometimes madcap Southern humor quite enjoyable. The tone is reminiscent of Fannie Flagg or Bailey White. The predicaments Mattie gets herself and others into — and out of — had me giggling on occasion, as did her visit with her older sister Pearl to pick out their caskets. The refusal of Mattie's two grown children to get on with it and get married and give her grandchildren before it's too late (Robert is in his mid-40s and never married, though he has an impressive lamp collection; Elaine is in her late 30s and too involved with women's and other social issues to knuckle under to a husband) is maddening to Miss Mattie, but it's expressed in ways understood by anyone who's ever endured the family interrogation at Thanksgiving: "So, are you seeing anyone? Why not? You're not getting any younger, you know!" show less

Walking Across Egypt is my first 2008 re-read and I am relieved to find that it was even funnier and more touching this second time around than it was when I first read it in the late eighties. That might very well be because I opted for the excellently “performed” audio version of the book this time rather than the printed version. I suppose I will never really know for sure. But one thing that I do know is that Norman Dietz, the book’s reader, created such a perfect voice and delivery for Mattie Rigsbee, the story’s 78-year-old main character, that he had me laughing out loud at Clyde Edgerton’s dialogue on a regular basis.

Mattie Rigsbee believes that she is “slowing down” and she is not bashful about pointing out to show more family and friends the numerous things that she can no longer do as quickly or effectively as she used to do them. Of course, Mattie is still more alive than most of the younger people around her, and she still works circles around most of them, but by her own standards she has definitely begun to slow down. Most of all, she realizes that if she is ever to have grandchildren of her own that either her son, who is over 40, or her 38-year-old daughter is going to need to get with it pretty quickly. Hers is not the only clock that is ticking. She’s read, after all, that a man’s sperm gets pretty tired after he passes the age of forty.

Mattie’s life, strange though it may sound, took a turn for the positive when she met the town dogcatcher, a fortunate meeting for both of them, actually. The dogcatcher, who had come to Mattie’s to pick up the stray dog she called about, became her rescuer when he cut her out of the bottomless rocking chair she had accidentally wedged herself into several hours earlier. That was, of course, fortunate for Mattie. As a result of that timely meeting, the dogcatcher found himself being treated to regular home-cooked meals by Mattie; that was fortunate for the dogcatcher.

But more importantly for Mattie, the dogcatcher had a nephew who was in juvenile detention. The real heart of Walking Across Egypt is the relationship between Mattie and 16-year-old Wesley whom she takes to visiting at the reformatory. Wesley, who preceded his stay in the reformatory with some years growing up in an orphanage, gave Mattie a new reason for living. She believes strongly that she should follow the Lord’s instruction to “love the least of these my brethren” and is certain that Wesley qualifies as her personal “least of these my brethren.”

Walking Across Egypt is funny but it is filled with little truths that Edgerton offers via the many wonderful characters that surround Mattie and Wesley, from eccentric neighbors, to slightly hypocritical church friends, to family members who understand neither of them. This one is guaranteed to make you laugh…and to leave you with a few things to ponder when the laughing stops.

Rated at: 5.0 show less

All I can say is if you haven't ever read anything by Clyde Edgerton, don't wait any longer. He's a North Carolina author and is always more than happy to participate in events around the state. His brand of Southern Lit. is a little lighter than that of Faulkner or O'Connor, but no less worthy. It's full of many of the mandatory themes for Southern Lit. -- religion, food, family, and people down on their luck. What's missing from this book that is always prevalent in books by more famous Southern writers is the misery. As much as I like Faulkner, O'Connor, and Capote (just to name a few), you don't usually come away from their books with a light heart. I actually finished Walking Across Egypt with a smile on my face. In fact, I found show more myself laughing out loud more than once while reading this book.

Like many of Edgerton's books, this one is set in the fictional Listre, North Carolina. The main character is Mattie Rigsbee who is a 78-year old, feisty widow that loves nothing more than to feed everyone she meets. This character reminds me so much of my own grandmother who is now 95 years old and in a nursing home. My grandmother, like Mattie Rigsbee, made it her mission in life to feed anyone who came to her house. I don't mean just a sandwich, mind you. I mean a full course meal, which might include fried chicken, meatloaf (she always had more than one main course), cabbage, fried okra, fried squash, sliced tomatoes, rice, gravy, homemade biscuits, green beans, corn and several different desserts. My grandma is famous for her chocolate pie and egg custard pie. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

In between cooking and taking care of her home, Mattie is busy with her church and family. She has two grown children, but she's still waiting on grandchildren. Mattie takes every opportunity she's presented to remind her children that she isn't getting any younger and neither are they. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is introduced to Wesley, a young man in the juvenile detention center nearby. Taking her scripture seriously, she decides to "do unto the least of these." She visits Wesley and takes him some of her famous homemade poundcake and a mason jar of sweet tea. Wesley is rough around the edges but can't get this kindness out of his mind.

I won't go into any more detail, but this is a "feel good" story that is at turns both heartwarming and hilarious. The book was made into a movie, which stays pretty close to the original. It was good, but as usual I prefer the book. show less

This is my third, and last, Edgerton. I liked this one better than the other two, but even with this one I was mostly hoping to reach the end by 3/4 of the way through. Mattie Rigsbee is a well-drawn character, as are several of the others, and I do love her down-south, got to feed you all, personality. She reminded me of my grandmother in that regard. I did find several of the situations she finds herself in amusing.

So, I cannot explain to anyone why Edgerton's humor does not connect with me. It just doesn't. Everyone else seems to enjoy him so much and find his books rollicking good fun. One of those occasions when you absolutely know it is you. This is one of the few times when I think perhaps the movie would be the better way for me show more to experience this story. So, I tried the audio version, but no that was worse.

I have given this a 3-star rating, "I liked it", which is a true rating. I did like it, I just didn't love it. I would never discourage anyone from reading Edgerton. Too many of my most trusted friends love him for me to doubt that he is an excellent humorist. No one should ever base their choice of anything comedic on me...I have a very strange sense of humor. But, I do laugh. The Princess Bride has me in stitches every time. show less

This book, which is not set in Egypt, and where nobody walks much further than the local church, was an oddity. Two parts farce to three parts religious indoctrination, it centres on an elderly widow living in the south of the USA.

The depiction of the elderly characters is thought provoking. Their focus is on washing up, cooking, nurturing, offering hospitality and going to church. They aren’t distracted by the complications and concerns of the modern world, they just keep plodding forward the best way they know how. It put me in mind of ‘The Waltons’, though it is doubtful whether the Waltons would have dared crack quite so many jokes about sperm.

The pace and tone of the novel is gentle, and I suspect it would work quite well as show more a theatre production as there are very few scene changes, and characters (like the annoying but amusing neighbours) popping in and out to deliver their lines. If I had a problem it was that I never knew where I stood with it. Was I supposed to laugh, cry or pray? Was I having my heart forcibly warmed? My inner agnostic railed against the religious overtones, and whilst it would be lovely to think we could really change the world for the better with a slice of pound cake and a dollop of the gospels, I suspect it’s not feasible. show less

78-year-old Mattie is lonely and therefore cooks food for anyone who stops by - even if that someone is a juvenile delinquent. Her faith compels her to help him, which of course leads to all sorts of problems and confusion as the people around her exaggerate the situation and want to protect her from herself. This book is quite funny, deals honestly with the situation of having an old woman living on her own, and raises questions about how we deal with the people around us.

It's a quick read with quirky characters. Mattie is a feisty senior who's always telling people how she's slowing down which is why she doesn't want to take in a stray dog. She's just too much to do around her place with her slowing down an' all. Of course, anyone who comes over whether it's a stray dog, the dogcatcher, the sheriff, the deputy, a convict, her children, or the next door neighbor, she lays out a spread for them. One mustn't be caught watching a soap opera especially if you haven't done your dishes! What ever would the neighbors say and think! Alora and Finner got on my nerves after a while with their paranoia and wanting to shoot anyone who showed up at Mattie's place. There were some cringe-worthy moments in the book show more where the "N" word was used but I liked Mattie who could work Alora into the ground even if she was slowing down show less