Tribute to the Impact of Reading

Truthfully, I was unprepared for how much I enjoyed this book. Not only was it excellent historical fiction that taught me about a place and experience I was unfamiliar with, but it was also a powerful tribute to the impact reading can have on lives. Cussy Mary is one of the traveling "book women", delivering reading material in rural Kentucky. She's also one of the last "blue people" of the area, a genetic trait that is misunderstood and feared, leaving her pretty isolated and often having to fear for her safety. However, her passion for her job comes through. This book shows the deep roots of social justice work in librarianship- despite her own hard circumstances, Cussy Mary works as hard as she can not just to bring literacy to those on her route, but also strives to find ways to help with the other issues in their lives. Leading to an astounding ending, Cussy Mary's story was fascinating and powerful.