A Book About Determination, Love and Racism
I listened to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson on Audio CD. It was read by Katie Schorr. Her voice was a good match for the characters in this book. Kim Michele Richardson did an excellent job researching the material for this book. This was the first book I read by her but I would definitely seek out some of her others. It took place in Appalachia, Troublesome Creek, Kentucky to be exact during the mid 1930's. The story was about a young girl, Cussy Mary, with a blue hue to her skin that lived in the far rural areas of Kentucky. The few inhabitants that had this rare genetic condition were grouped with the other people of color living in the region. They were often mistreated and suffered from racism. It was a very rare inherited condition known as methemoglobinemia, that was believed to have originated from France and was known to be isolated to a few people in Kentucky. It was not until the 1960's that scientists and physicians actually performed studies to determine what caused this rare condition. I had never heard about the blue mountain people of Kentucky so I found this very enlightening and interesting.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek's central character was Cussy Mary Carter, also known as "Blueit". Her mama had died several years ago and Cussy Mary lived in the hills with her father, a coal miner. During the 1930's, President Roosevelt and the WPA established the Pack Horse Library Project and brought it to Kentucky. The people of Kentucky that lived in the isolated mountains and hills had few schools and no libraries. Cussy Mary became a librarian with the Pack Horse Library Project. She brought reading material to the people assigned to her. Often the people she brought books and magazines to could not read so Cussy Mary would read to them in the allotted time she had at each person's house. Cussy Mary was required to supply her own transportation. After acquiring a mule from her deceased husband, Cussy Mary traveled from house to house on her mule. She named her mule, Junior. Throughout the story it was evident that Cussy Mary and Junior had a special love for one another. Cussy Mary's visits were often eagerly awaited for by each of her patrons. One of her stops was at a school where she developed a special place in her heart for a boy known as Henry. Henry aspired to become a Librarian just like Cussy Mary. Henry's family was very poor and his Mama had lost several babies in childbirth or in their early lives. There was never enough food in Henry's house and although Henry was all skin and bones he did not hesitate to gift Cussy Mary a sweet that he had won in a spelling contest. It took Cussy Mary all day to go from house to house, to the poorest of people, to bring them a few minutes of joy they found in the books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and scrapbooks she would lend to them.
Cussy Mary was constantly worried about her father. He was a coal miner and worked long and hard hours every day down in the mines. The job was dangerous and Cussy Mary knew it. All she ever wanted to do was to live with her father and take care of him. Her father was determined to get Cussy Mary married. Not many, if anyone, was interested in marrying Cussy Mary because of her blue color. Her father would put the "courting" candle on the porch and insist that Cussy Mary had to marry. After all, her father had made a promise to her mother before she died to see Cussy Mary settled with a husband to take care of her. The husband her father chose was a mean man. When he forced himself on her the first night of their marriage he died. Cussy Mary became a widow over night. She was fine with her situation. She never wanted to marry in the first place so she came home and picked up the role of taking care of her father again. The only thing she took from her deceased husband was his mule.
Throughout the book the themes of prejudice, courage, family, compassion, racism and love are sprinkled about. Each one of Cussy Mary's patrons became important and special to her. She formed lasting and meaningful relationships with almost every single one of them. She went out her way to find reading materials that would be just right for each patron. She worried about them and felt their happiness and pain. Kim Michele Richardson made you feel as if you were actually on the trails with Cussy Mary. I cried and laughed and simply enjoyed the journey Cussy Mary was on. I learned so much about this time period in the mountains of Kentucky. I always anticipated what would happen to Cussy Mary next. I loved how this book ended. It put a good feeling in my heart.
I would give this book 4.5 stars and recommend it very highly.
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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek's central character was Cussy Mary Carter, also known as "Blueit". Her mama had died several years ago and Cussy Mary lived in the hills with her father, a coal miner. During the 1930's, President Roosevelt and the WPA established the Pack Horse Library Project and brought it to Kentucky. The people of Kentucky that lived in the isolated mountains and hills had few schools and no libraries. Cussy Mary became a librarian with the Pack Horse Library Project. She brought reading material to the people assigned to her. Often the people she brought books and magazines to could not read so Cussy Mary would read to them in the allotted time she had at each person's house. Cussy Mary was required to supply her own transportation. After acquiring a mule from her deceased husband, Cussy Mary traveled from house to house on her mule. She named her mule, Junior. Throughout the story it was evident that Cussy Mary and Junior had a special love for one another. Cussy Mary's visits were often eagerly awaited for by each of her patrons. One of her stops was at a school where she developed a special place in her heart for a boy known as Henry. Henry aspired to become a Librarian just like Cussy Mary. Henry's family was very poor and his Mama had lost several babies in childbirth or in their early lives. There was never enough food in Henry's house and although Henry was all skin and bones he did not hesitate to gift Cussy Mary a sweet that he had won in a spelling contest. It took Cussy Mary all day to go from house to house, to the poorest of people, to bring them a few minutes of joy they found in the books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and scrapbooks she would lend to them.
Cussy Mary was constantly worried about her father. He was a coal miner and worked long and hard hours every day down in the mines. The job was dangerous and Cussy Mary knew it. All she ever wanted to do was to live with her father and take care of him. Her father was determined to get Cussy Mary married. Not many, if anyone, was interested in marrying Cussy Mary because of her blue color. Her father would put the "courting" candle on the porch and insist that Cussy Mary had to marry. After all, her father had made a promise to her mother before she died to see Cussy Mary settled with a husband to take care of her. The husband her father chose was a mean man. When he forced himself on her the first night of their marriage he died. Cussy Mary became a widow over night. She was fine with her situation. She never wanted to marry in the first place so she came home and picked up the role of taking care of her father again. The only thing she took from her deceased husband was his mule.
Throughout the book the themes of prejudice, courage, family, compassion, racism and love are sprinkled about. Each one of Cussy Mary's patrons became important and special to her. She formed lasting and meaningful relationships with almost every single one of them. She went out her way to find reading materials that would be just right for each patron. She worried about them and felt their happiness and pain. Kim Michele Richardson made you feel as if you were actually on the trails with Cussy Mary. I cried and laughed and simply enjoyed the journey Cussy Mary was on. I learned so much about this time period in the mountains of Kentucky. I always anticipated what would happen to Cussy Mary next. I loved how this book ended. It put a good feeling in my heart.
I would give this book 4.5 stars and recommend it very highly.
2 likes