The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jun 22, 2020 Book Concierge rated it really liked it

Shelves: concierge, strong-women, library, racism, kentucky, historical-fiction, medicine

Digital audio performed by Katie Schorr.

Deep in the Appalachia Mountains of Kentucky is the community of Troublesome Creek. Life is difficult here in the best of times, during the Great Depression it is particularly challenging. But thanks to Franklin D Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library project, Cussy Mary Carter has a job as a librarian, delivering books and magazines to the most remote homesteads of the area. Cussy is also unique in that she is the last of the “blue people,” having inher Digital audio performed by Katie Schorr.

Deep in the Appalachia Mountains of Kentucky is the community of Troublesome Creek. Life is difficult here in the best of times, during the Great Depression it is particularly challenging. But thanks to Franklin D Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library project, Cussy Mary Carter has a job as a librarian, delivering books and magazines to the most remote homesteads of the area. Cussy is also unique in that she is the last of the “blue people,” having inherited a medical condition that results in a blue tint to her skin. In addition to the dangers of the terrain, she also faces the prejudice against her kind – and the Jim Crow laws that oppress all “colored people.”

I love reading historical fiction, particularly when it focuses on an element of history about which I know little. I had heard of the pack-horse librarians before. (In fact, at least 10 years ago, I wrote a letter to another author suggesting she explore this part of history for a book – to my knowledge, she never did.) So, I was immediately interested in this story. The added element of Cussy’s medical condition was new to me, and I was intrigued. And the author’s use of vernacular dialect helped to transport me to a different time and place.

Cussy is a marvelous lead character. Strong – both physically and mentally. A kind and compassionate woman who stands up for herself, whether against her father’s insistence that she marry or those residents who would harm her for nothing more than her skin color, she’s dedicated to her work and brings more than just books to the remote homesteads on her route. She also champions the cause of other oppressed people, as her father toils in the mines that provide a livelihood while stealing one’s health. Despite multiple setbacks, Cussy perseveres.

Katie Schorr does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. She brings these characters to life, and truly transported me to a different time and place.

The text version, which I also had handy, includes Author’s notes on the history behind the novel, as well as photographs and an interview with the author.
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13 likes · Like · see review

Nov 06, 2022 Stacy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, five-stars, historical-fiction, read-in-2022

One of my favorites this year. Great on audio.

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 15, 2021 Nancy Brady rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-exchange-library-group-read, library-book

Having heard about both the pack librarians of Kentucky as well as the Blue people in that state, this novel was selected for my library book group read. It was an excellent choice as Richardson weaves the two stories together to make a cohesive story

How could anyone not sympathize with Cussy Mary/Bluet/Book Woman, and her pack mule Junia? Bluet truly cared about her patrons while constantly being under attack for her blue skin. She goes above and beyond to help her patrons especially the childr ...more

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Aug 22, 2020 Jan Norton rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wasn’t as captivating as I thought I would be. It is a piece of history that I knew very little about. I remember reading a little bit in another book as to a reference of it.

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