Among Friends

by M.F.K. Fisher

In Among Friends M. F. K. Fisher begins her recollections in Albion, Michigan, but they soon lead her to Whittier, California, where her family moved in 1912, when she was four. The "Friends" of the title range from the hobos who could count on food at the family’s back door to the businessmen who advertised in Father’s paper—but above all they are the Quakers who were the prominent group in Whittier. Mary Frances Kennedy found them unusual friends indeed, in the more than forty years that she lived in Whittier she was never invited inside a Friend’s house.

Her portraits of her father, Rex—her mentor, himself the editor of the local newspaper—her mother, Edith, and the other members of her family are memorable and moving. Originally published in 1970, Among Friends provides a fascinating glimpse into the background and development of one of our most delightful and best-loved writers, Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Food, Biography, Cooking, Essays, Food Writing

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher was a prolific and well-respected writer, writing more than 20 books during her lifetime and also publishing two volumes of journals and correspondence shortly before her death in 1992. Her first book, Serve it Forth, was published in 1937. Her books deal primarily with food, considering it from many aspects: preparation, natural history, culture, and philosophy. Fisher believed that eating well was just one of the "arts of life" and explored the art of living as a secondary theme in her writing. Her style and pacing are noted elements of her short stories and essays.

Reviews

[Mike Ratliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of the wonderful authors to whom I was introduced by my mother-in-law. Upon discovering that I had not "met" MFK Fisher, her books on travel, food, and culture became a staple under my Christmas tree until there were no more... A source of great sadness to both my mother-in-law, Rose, and me.If you have yet to "met" Fisher, there is no better place to start

[Janet Rosfeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a memoir by the famous food writer M.F. K. Fisher about her childhood in Whittier California circa 1912 and on. The book was lavishly praised, but I found it tough going. The author repeats herself a lot, seeming to mention in every chapter, how her Uncle Mac sings "The Road To Mandalay", how her Mother lays on a divan all day reading English novels, how annoying her little sister Anne is and on and on and on.... She constantly mentions her Mother being pregnant all the time, but she only has three siblings , so not counting her own 9 month sojourn in the Mater's belly, she could only recall 21 months of her Mother's lingering ill condition. Add in a religious fanatic Grandmother and being Episcopalian in a Quaker city ( never in over forty years of living in Whittier, was Mary ever invited into a Quaker home) this was not the lighthearted tale, I was expecting. A look back at the good old days of religious intolerance, class prejudice & racism. Fisher is a good writer, but I doubt that I will follow her down any more memory lanes. One of my favorite lines was "Mother hated discomfort more than anything except hard work."

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up in my favorite bookstore about a year ago. I have had one of M.F.K. Fisher's other books on my tbr list for sometime. I had mixed feelings about Among Friends. At times I was bored, at other times engaged. I wished Fisher had told more about the friends (Quakers) in the community and less about her family's non-Quaker status. Parts about life in Whittier, California in the early 1900's were interesting, though often I forgot the time and place.

"I read the way alcoholics drink, from dawn until Falldown Time, and from left to right on the liquor shelf." (269)

"I am always sorry, when I meet a good person who has no need, no wish, to read. It is as if he lost a leg before he knew he had one: he swings along nimbly enough, but he is not whole. The last thing he wants is my pity, but he has it just as fine keen-minded children do when I see them unaware of anything but the television and movies and the illustrated weeklies..." (277

[Lynne-marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book begins in Albion, MI it quickly moves to California and specifically to the Quaker stronghold of Whittier and becomes a memoir of Fisher's time among those "Friends." None of the Kennedy children were ever welcomed into a Quaker household becasue the social mores of the time dictated that to have an Irish mother meant one was beneath the pale. Nevertheless, Fisher learned much by watching and as we would have it, by being excluded. As always there is the wonder of food; as always the richness of the language. Reading Fisher feeds the soul as eating with her must have fed the body. I have quite enjoyed my time reading her lesser known works.

[Susan Eubank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed!!

Here are the questions we discussed at the Reading the Western Landscape Book Club at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden.

• What do you think Fisher’s reasoning was for reiterating several times about how Anne didn’t really like MFK as an adult?
• Besides a childhood memoir, what other stories is she trying to tell.
• How does her breezy, conversational writing style affect the story?
• How does this language also affect her statements about death and disease?
• Is it possible to give examples where this style, might help you see it from a child’s viewpoint?
• What are some of the truths that she tells us?
• What was the effect of MFK Fisher not stretching to tell the story beyond what “she” saw, such as never clearly describing all her parents’ absences to LA, etc.
• Tell about an incident from your childhood that resonates from something MFK sparked by her writing.

[Judith Shadford · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old book, 1970, this edition published in 1983. Gave it to my mother, about that time. Rescued it from a stack of books my daughter was sending off to Goodwill Heaven.
Totally enjoyed Fisher's idiosyncratic prose, the account of growing up in Whittier in 1912. The relatives, sane and insane, the unbreakable social enclave of Quakers, the long parade of handymen and cooks/babysitters. She doesn't really start talking about food until near the end, but the account of an era--my grandmother's--with its devotion to anything British as the arbiter of Upper Class Taste touched memories that had been dormant for many, many years.1970

[Jerie Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I'm retired, I am finally getting to the four-fifths of my book collection that I've never had a chance to read. Recently I discovered MFK Fisher's book Sister Age in my bookcase, read it, found it quite profound, and put MFK Fisher on my ever-growing must-read list. Among Friends seemed like a good place to start. Her memories of California going back almost to the beginning of the twentieth century and her musings about her family, friends and self were so gratifying, so personal and enlightening about her time and the environment she grew up in. I am looking forward to my next MFK Fisher read; the only question is where to go next.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed MFK's writing style. Such a great memoir about growing up at the turn of the last century. Of course, I'm biased since she is writing about my hometown of Whittier, CA and I recognize all the streets and landmarks to which she refers. Boy, she was not a fan of those Quakers, though. Apparently, her family was not one of the Friends and so was frozen out of the very close-knit community. I guess that would leave me a tad bitter, too. Anyways, I'll have to track down some of her food writing next.

[Regina Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this deliciously sweet early memoir by the great literary food writer, Mary Francis Kennedy Fisher. Seasoned with humor and the innocence of childhood self discovery at the turn of the 20th century, this moving portrait conjures up a clear vision of a fascinating bygone era. A precocious articulate child's perspective on her loving childhood family and friends, stubbornly coexisting, for the most part, as fish out of water, in one small rural Quaker town in California.

[Rochelle Melander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard about food writer MFK Fisher for years. Just a few weeks ago, I plucked this volume out of my bedtime stack. In this collection of essays, Fisher talks about her early life as a child in the mostly Quaker town of Whittier, California. Both entertaining (I love the chapter about batty women) and intriguing (you'll get a clear picture of California in the years before the Great Depression), Fisher writes about an era and place long gone.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would LOVE this...I did. I bought it for NO REASON except that at a used book shop...disappointment! Although her writing is a wit and is so in this telling of her early life...it's not enough and NOTHING about where she was moving toward. I should have read a quick summary of what was covered but...there you go. I was STANDING in the bookstore! Maybe not so impulsive the next time.

[Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

M. F. K. Fisher is simply one of the best writers in the English language. This very simple memoir of her early girlhood in California is a wonderful example of the fullness of her powers. I actually wept when it was over because i wanted more.

[Cindywho · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't read any MFK for a while and though I don't always like memoirs, this one was a fascinating window into a decade of nearly a century ago. She describes her childhood memories well with interesting portraits of the people around her in 1910s Whittier, California. It's dated, but interesting.

[Al Maki · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's "Friends" with a capital "F" and not "friends". Fischer relates what it was like in the early 20th century to grow up an observant epicurean in a family of epicureans in a town full of virtuous people, sad and delightful at the same time.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

provides so much insight into who mfk fisher is that in turn provides insight into her food writing, which i love.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about an amazing friendship beetween "the awesome threesome" and i really liked this book. I think that it is good for girls 13 and older.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm just such a fan of Mary-Frances ... much of her work is autobiographical, but she never gives anything away. This memoir is charming, ostensibly candid, yet much remains hidden.

[Kristey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of stories that my Gram would tell.

[Maririnc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book 3 1/2 stars, because it wasn’t horrible, but it was a little difficult to read sometimes. I felt like she would say things in an innuendo-type way at times, and then I found that I didn’t really understand what she meant until I finished reading the paragraph. I did enjoy reading about the stories from when she was a child in the early days of Whittier, CA. It was nice to see the names of the streets mentioned from the area that we now call Uptown Whittier. I found myself wondering where their house was located exactly and what is there now. Same with their ranch down Painter. It’s a good read if you are curious about the lives of the local Whittierites from the early 1900s.

[Kidlitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting account of a little girl's provincial life in a rather quiet early 20th century LA suburb, but if you didn't know the eloquent food writer's famous work, you might not bother. Don't read this one if you want to understand Fisher's particular appeal and legendary status - there's hardly a thing about food except for a favorite "aunt" making her and her sister some wholesome American dishes. That is what Fisher's Gastronomical Me does. You will understand from reading this why she was so strong-minded and independent - living with her parents and all of those Quakers helped to make her so. The glamour and tragedy of Fisher's life came later and she captured it all in many other books.

[Katrina Zartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir of childhood in Whittier, California 1912 and the years following. The author writes well. The book is divided into three sections: The Family, The Town, and Beyond. I enjoyed her description of many different aspects of growing up in the first half of the twentieth century. There is honesty, humor, and well-painted descriptions of light and scent in different places.
This is not a book for children, although they might not catch much of that to which the author refers.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used this for my paper on M. F. K. Fisher. Probably won't ever finish it. Good book, but I now know more than I wanted to know about Mary Frances.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love MFK Fisher's writing style and wish I could have lived next door to her!

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A window into a lost world.