THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything—everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome’s got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.
Cussy’s not only a book woman, however, she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike … kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy’s family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she’s going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.
Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.
Fans of historical fiction will fall in love with this bestselling novel’s:
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Reading Historical fiction brings history ‘alive’. This book brought an in depth look at the importance one individual can create in Society by being true to themselves.
I picked up Kim Michele Richardson’s The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek because I had heard of the blue people of Kentucky, whose skin was blue as the result of a rare genetic condition (methemoglobinemia, as I learned in this book). I was intrigued that Richardson’s protagonist had this disorder, and was not disappointed.
So.
Cussy Mary Carter is the last of her (blue) people, widely feared and ostracized, though accepted for her role of carrying books to the isolated homesteads that dot the hills of Kentucky. She is a librarian with the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, one of FDR’s New Deal programs. Through her route, she comes to know her patrons – fire watchers, coal miners, moonshiners, the teacher of a one-room school, a chicken thief, and a mysterious stranger recently returned from building the Hoover Dam. All share a similar hardscrabble existence, scratching out a living, some literally, from the deep coal pits, where bosses have less regard for men than for mules (there are definitely echoes of The Devil Is Here in These Hills).
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is incredibly well-researched, well-written, and beautifully constructed. Richardson captures the essence of Appalachia and the Great Depression; perhaps more impressively, in Cussy, she captures the loneliness and fear of being the last of her kind and creates a main character who the reader can’t help but root for as she carries her books and hope into the hollows.
Five stars.
(This review was originally published at https://www.thisyearinbooks.com/2019/09/the-book-woman-of-troublesome-creek.html)
“The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek”, the last book I read in 2019, is without a doubt one of the best books of 2019. The beautiful writing pulled me into the story and kept me entranced to the very end. I was fascinated with the story of the Kentucky Pack Horse library service which, in the 1930s, got books into remote and isolated areas of Kentucky. Rural Appalachia is known for its poverty, and reading of the struggles of the people was heartbreaking. These were proud people who had to fight each day just to survive. The coal mines often took the life of the men, and children died of starvation. Yet, with so little, they still anticipated the visit from the Book Woman as the books were often the only bright moments in their lives. Books gave them a glimmer of hope.
As for the blue-skinned people of Kentucky, at first I thought perhaps this was just a bit of science fiction thrown into the story. So, of course, I had to look it up. I was really surprised then to find that there really were blue-skinned people in Kentucky (caused by an enzyme deficiency). It was very painful to read of the prejudice and cruel treatment they often encountered.
The reader gets a glimpse into the life of the book women through blue-skinned Cussy Mary Carter who set out each week, with her stubborn mule Junia, on her route to deliver books to her patrons. I loved her! She was strong, determined, and compassionate. She loved books and, even more so, loved getting books into the hands of her patrons. She knew that books could be life changing. Some of her patrons were so appreciative of her service that they insisted on giving her the last morsel of food they had even though they were starving themselves.
While there are many heartbreaking moments in the book, this is still a story of family and perseverance. The book was hard to put down as I was emotionally invested in Cussy Mary’s life. There are numerous “supporting” characters – her patrons, her father, the other book women – and all elicited some emotional response in me. I highly recommend this book. This is a book you won’t be able to forget. Warning: You may need tissues.
Thank you to BookishFirst for the copy to review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
I know a book is fantastic when I realize I’m getting towards the end and I wish there was lots more to go. That’s what happened with The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek. I read this one on my Kindle. When I notice I was at about 80% I let out an anquished, “Nooooooooo!” When I reached the end, my reaction became, “Darn! It’s over.” These are the signs of one seriously good book!
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek had me hooked for several reasons. The characters were fascinating and had great depth to them. The amount of dialect was just right – enough to give the flavor of the time and place, but not so much as to overwhelm. Even Junia, the main character’s mule, was a superbly drawn character. The pacing was great. Every time it seemed as though things were going to be okay for Cussy Mary, bam!, something unexpected happens. Author Kim Michele Richardson did a marvelous job of lulling the reader into a short-lived false sense of security then hitting with something you didn’t see coming.
One of my favorite things about this book was how much I learned of a time, place, and people of which I previously knew little. The story is set in the Appalachian section of Kentucky during the Depression with all the hollers and hidey-holes where the hill folk lived in almost utter isolation and gut-wrenching poverty. The main character, Cussy Mary, is a pack horse librarian working for the WPA bringing library books to the people living in those isolated places in the hills. These folks often lived in spots extremely difficult to reach, but, like all the real-life pack horse librarians, Cussy Mary had the grit and dedication to always complete her route. She also had a powerful love of books, reading, and learning and an overwhelming desire to share that with others who hungered for it as much as they did for food, which was seemingly in even shorter supply than the books.
Besides the unusual and interesting tale of a pack horse librarian, the book offers a unique twist in that Cussy Mary is a “Blue”, meaning she has a genetic disorder called methemoglobinemia causing her skin to be blue. When she becomes agitated, afraid, joyful, or experiences any other strong emotion her color turns an even deeper shade of blue. This was a real condition, suffered by some real people in Appalachian Kentucky. However, I had never heard of it before reading this book. Sadly, it is all too true that the “Blue people” were fiercely discriminated against by most white citizens in the same way as were African Americans. They were looked down upon and treated as pariahs. Despite this, Cussy Mary, or Bluet, as she was often called, fights her way into a strong sense of self that can eventually withstand their bigotry. Fortunately, most of her library patrons love her, refer to her as “Book Woman”, and treat her with great respect.
I was captivated by the characters in this book as well as the story itself. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. Highly recommended!
What a good book Kim Michele Richardson has given us! The characters were so well defined and the settings were very well described. Many really likable characters in this book. What an adventure you get when you start reading this book!
I urge you to read this!
Richardson has crafted an engaging tale. She masterfully blends the rich and vibrant history of the Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians with the sad circumstances of the Kentucky people who carry a rare disease that causes their skin to turn blue. Through Cussy’s story – and Richardson’s exacting research – we learn of a piece of American history not widely known, yet so very important.
These are characters you care about. You find yourself railing at the unfairness they face, and cheering their every small victory. Troublesome Creek isn’t a town that’s painted with inviting colours, and yet, somehow, it draws to itself inexorably.
A great story, beautifully written, that will make you feel a sadness to have it come to an end. Loved this book, I highly recommend.
I was fascinated with Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, one of his economic projects to improve the lives of Kentucky’s poverty stricken Appalachians which I had never heard of until I picked up this book. Heroine Cussy Mary Carter is one of them and she is also a blue. We find out later in the book that she has a genetic flaw in which her blood does not absorb oxygen normally and that causes her skin to actually look blue. Her family is treated much like the coloreds in the community with great prejudice. Her father is a coal miner with symptoms of black lung disease and he is eager to find her a husband who will care for her. This was a wonderful book and I loved the characters.
If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing, you will love Cussy’s spirit and determination against all odds.
Well written and informative. Author wove the story around interesting and well developed characters. Historically accurate and deeply moving.
The exquisite descriptions in this book were so phenomenal that, upon completing, it felt like I’d watched a movie. The characters had personalities that go far beyond being well developed and heart felt. The story itself was well researched and gave me a great appreciation for Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, the blue skinned people of Kentucky, and the need to spread the written words in very rural Kentucky. My all time favorite historical fiction book! Highly recommended.
I really truly enjoyed this book. Very well written with lots of history, some I sort of knew but learned a lot . Cussy Mary Carter is a true Blue woman of Kentucky. A rare phenomenon where skin is blue. Dispute her being of”color” and shunned she joins the Pack horse library project . Being a Book Woman means everything to Cussy and the $ she earns helps as her Pa is a miner and doing poorly.
There is a wide range of emotions playing out in this book, I shed some tears, had some smiles and a whole range of emotion in between. This book shows the true strength, toughness,love and resilience that Cussy brought forth every day.
I highly recommend it.
I listen to this beautiful story on Audible! The performance is excellent! I love historical fiction that is well researched and written in such a powerful story! The writing is exquisite making this a story that I won’t soon forget!
Made me appreciate even more than I usually do of how important reading and learning about many things helps those fortunate to do that! Loved it! k.s.
Set in 1930s Troublesome Creek, KY, this book, about a blue-skinned girl who becomes a pack horse librarian, is a fascinating blend of fact and fiction. The Art of Appalachian storytelling comes through with rich, atmospheric style, bringing the people of the mountains to life and transporting the reader back in time. Imagine riding a mule each day to deliver library books to folks in secluded “hollers,” such as Troublesome Creek. Then imagine being treated like an outcast because of a blood disorder that resulted in a blue tint to the skin. Those are the challenges faced by the protagonist in this informative and entertaining story.
A good story about a subject on which I was totally ignorant, the “blue” people of Kentucky. The racism in the book is much more blatant than any I’ve encountered but I’m sure that for 1930, it’s not untruthful. And for those who think the past was the “good old days”, the grinding, terrible poverty in Appalachia should remind them that we have much to repent in this country. I enjoyed the story but at heart this is a romance with a social conscience and characters that are not particularly nuanced.
First and foremost, I read for pleasure. But I also love to learn and take a journey to somewhere I’ve never been and might never go. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek excelled on both counts. The story of Cussy Mary Carter compels the reader to take a journey to the far reaches of Kentucky in the 1930s, to travel with a woman on the back of a mule as she delivers books and reading material to others, a woman who’s ostracized by the community because of the color of her skin. You learn about the horrible conditions of life for these poor people, their simple ways, their prejudices and ingrained beliefs. But you also learn about their love of life, their scrappy determination, their huge hearts. Cussy and her father Elijah and her mule and the simple people who love books and want more learning will capture your heart and hold it for a long while. Richardson’s research is exemplary and will transport you to the past, and her writing style and unique use of language tell a story you won’t easily forget. People are raving about this book for good reason. An excellent, excellent, deeply moving story.
BOOK REVIEW:
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel by author, Kim Michele Richardson and named the 2019 Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read
To begin…
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is an intriguing, captivating and knowledgeable story about a young woman and her journey with the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, part of the WPA. It is not only a work of significance to its culture, but well researched and one of strength. This is also a subject I knew nothing about until Ms. Richardson brought it light, and I am very pleased she did…
1936 – The Kentucky Mountain Region of Troublesome Creek –
It all begins with 19 year old, Cussy Mary Carter. A coming-of-age story wrapped with indifference, tragedy, suffering, hope, and love. A story of Cussy’s strength, courage and devotion as she faces head-on life’s prejudice, sorrow, abuses hopes of acceptance, and successes.
The characters are written as real, their personalities shine through as if you are truly feeling the story with all its emotion, angst, joys and the sadness that these town-folk bring you, throughout each and every page.
Inspired by the true Blue-Skinned people of Kentucky and the dedication of the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, this story is nothing short of intriguing, courageous, fierce, and moving.
I learned so much about what times were like in this far-away place and all that it took for these characters to uphold their sheer existence in a world that was so unkind.
If you are a lover of Historical Fiction, have a love for the South and all that goes along with it, this book is a must-read.
I thank the author for gifting this impressive story, one that I personally enjoyed, learned from, and was entertained and intrigued by.
4.5 Stars
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3.5 stars! Very educational read about the blue skinned people of the Kentucky area as well as the book women delivering books to patron scattered amongst the hills. . We have so much we take for granted now. Even being able to have easy access to books and food and health care. It’s sad to know so many areas along the Appalachia area are still so poor and without so much.
It had a great story line and wonderful information about the people and culture of people in the mountains of Kentucky.
I loved the book portraying Kentucky ways in the 1930 – very hard existence – still heartwarming and lots of factual information too!