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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
A Novel
Bookseller recommendation
“I loved this wonderful story about Cussy Mary, a pack horse librarian in eastern Kentucky in the 1930s and one of the last of the blue-skinned people of that area. As Cussy faces pressure to marry and difficulties maintaining her arduous book route through twisty and dangerous mountain passes, she earns the respect of the mountain people she serves so faithfully. Beautifully written and heartbreaking at times, this is a story I will never forget.”
Mary Patterson,
The Little Bookshop
Bookseller recommendation
“I had the extreme pleasure of listening to this one on audio and I absolutely recommend it! Katie Schorr is a perfect choice for narrator. This is my first read by Richardson but I am already adding her backlist to my must-reads. This book left me bawling like a baby and I adored it! ”
Becky,
BookBar
Bookseller recommendation
“Based on the true story of the Pack Horse Library Project which operated in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1930s and 40s, and inspired by the real life “blue people” of Kentucky (a family with a recessive gene that led to methemoglobinemia, a medical condition that turned skin blue), this historical fiction novel follows the life of Cussy Mary Carter - outcast for her blue skin, determined pack horse librarian. Written by a proud Kentuckian, everything from the dialect to the flora and fauna to the family dynamics is fiercely evocative of a time and place still visible today. ”
BrocheAroe,
River Dog Book Co.
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.
Kim Michele Richardson is the author of several novels and the memoir The Unbreakable Child. She is also a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and an advocate for the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence.
Katie Schorr is an actor and writer in New York. Her one-woman show, Take Me. Seriously, ran for six months at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, and she performs throughout New York in new works at the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Ars Nova, among other theaters. She has appeared on VH1’s Best Week Ever and costars in the web series Head in the Oven with Saturday Night Live actor Bill Hader. Her audiobook credits include narrating the novels in Alyson Noel’s bestselling Immortals series. Of her work on the series, AudioFile magazine has said, “Narrator Katie Schorr has a wonderfully raspy, youthful voice, which she puts to good effect on the cast of teenage characters.”
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Reviews
“With a focus on the personal joy and broadened horizons that can result from access to reading material, this well-researched tale serves as a solid history lesson on 1930s Kentucky.”
“Emotionally resonant and unforgettable…a lush love letter to the redemptive power of books.”
“A rare literary adventure that casts librarians as heroes, smart, tough women on horseback in rough terrain doing the brave and hard work of getting the right book into the right hands. Richardson has weaved an inspiring tale about the power of literature.”
“This is Richardson’s finest, as beautiful and honest as it is fierce and heart-wrenching.”
“A hauntingly atmospheric love letter to the first mobile library in Kentucky and the fierce, brave pack-horse librarians who wove their way from shack to shack dispensing literacy, hope, and—just as importantly—a compassionate human connection.”
“Fascinating…The factual information alone would make this book a treasure, but with her impressive storytelling and empathy, Richardson gives us so much more.”
"[A] demonstration of the power of learning to overcome prejudice.”
“Based on true stories from different times, this novel packs a lot of hot topics into one narrative.”
“Schorr delivers a touching narrative performance, really striving to capture the essence of the Bluegrass State. Throughout the reading she maintains an authentic Southern lilt and uses subtle changes in her accent or pitch to differentiate among characters. Schorr especially brings Cussy’s character to life, allowing her to become a lovable, almost tangible heroine the audience is sure to adore.”
“Essentially about the power of reading and libraries, it also explores the extreme rural poverty of 1930s Appalachia and labor unrest among coal miners. Readers…who like to explore lesser-known aspects of American history will be fascinated.”
“This gem of a historical…[is] fine rendering of rural Kentucky life.”
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