The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
2019 • 309 pages
Ratings35
Average rating4
15
Ratings35
Average rating4
RECOMMENDED BY DOLLY PARTON IN PEOPLE MAGAZINE! A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER A LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER A PBS BOOK PICK The bestselling historical fiction novel from Kim Michele Richardson, this is a novel following Cussy Mary, a packhorse librarian and her quest to bring books to the Appalachian community she loves, perfect for readers of William Kent Kreuger and Lisa Wingate. The perfect addition to your next book club! 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 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. Look for The Book Woman's Daughter, the next novel from Kim Michele Richardson coming in May 2022. Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Sourcebooks Landmark: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict The Engineer's Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
Series
2 primary booksThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2019 with contributions by Kim Michele Richardson.
Reviews with the most likes.
3.5 stars. I liked it, was an interesting read for sure. Would have given it 4 stars but I thought the ending was strange/sloppy and some of the historical facts were wrong.
Five stars, six stars, all the stars! Loved this book and the characters. I almost cried twice in a span of 30 minutes at one point. If you've read this book, you can probably guess which parts and why.
Cussy Mary Carter is the titular Book Woman, a rider in the Pack Horse Librarian program of President Franklin Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, established in 1935 to bring the written word to the impoverished people living in remote rural sections of the United States. Our librarian has a route centered on the town of Troublesome in eastern Kentucky. She also happens to be the “last of her kind”, the Blue People of Kentucky who have a rare condition that turns their skin blue. Her nickname is Bluet.
We learn of the patrons along her route and become emotionally attached to a number of them as well as town people, good and bad – some rotten to the core. The love of books and reading permeate the story as does the intense racism in these hills, coves and hollers at the time. The description of each element of the story, including natural aspects and of barely inhabitable abodes is amazing at times and it is easy to visualize much of the setting.
One becomes so emotionally invested in the characters that the final hundred pages or so becomes a roller coaster of tears and cheers. By the time that I learned of Henry and Angeline's fates, I had already deemed this the best novel I'd read since finishing The Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas several months ago. It is definitely my favorite book of January and I am looking forward to reading The Book Woman's Daughter in the near futue.
I have been interested in the blue people of Kentucky and the pack horse librarians, so this book seems like a good fit. I didn't expect to fall in love with Cussy Mary. She is a strong and wonderful woman. There is much to learn from her.
