Recently, I read a book and its sequel that I enjoyed, so I thought I would share them with you.
The story takes place in 1936 in the mountains of eastern Kentucky and revolves around Cussie Mary, a Blue packhorse librarian. A Blue is a person with a rare genetic disorder that makes their skin appear blue. There was an isolated group of Blues in eastern Kentucky, and they were severely mistreated by many as they were considered "colored" or a work of the Devil. The Packhorse Librarians was a project of the WPA (Works Progress Administration), and the purpose was to get books into the hands of people living in remote areas. Many places were only accessible by horse (or mule, as in Cussie's case); thus, the packhorse librarian name.
The narrative of the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a blend of hardship and beauty. It alternates between scenes of mistreatment and poverty, and vivid descriptions of the mountains and the resilient people who call them home. The emotional journey of Cussie Mary is intertwined with secondary plots of people on her route and her father's difficult time in the coal mines.
I loved this book. The story was compelling, and the writing was rich, with each word seeming to have been carefully chosen. Also, I enjoyed learning about a part of the history of the Blues and the packhorse librarians that I knew little about.
Last fall, the sequel, The Book Woman's Daughter, came out, and I listened to it after finishing the first one It picks up about 16 years later but goes back and fills in some of the stories of what took place during that time. As with most sequels, The Book Women's Daughter could be read independently, but will be a much richer experience if you read the first book first. This book shows the same warmth in some characters and horrible behavior from others. In both books, the mountains are one of the characters, and Richardson continues with the same beautiful language to describe them.
I recommend both books.
Note: Here is an important part of my positive experience of the books. I listened to them. I do not usually listen to books, but I was looking for something to listen to when I stumbled on The Packhorse Librarian. The narrator, Katie Schorr, is excellent. After I was into the story, I considered getting the book to read because it would progress faster. But the characters became real with Shorr's voice, and I looked forward to visiting with them through her. These books would be compelling reads, but I highly recommend the audio version of them.
Until next time...
