The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a beautifully written story of Appalachia history and the love of books. In the midst of the Depression, Cussy Mary is the last living female of the Blue people and has been shunned because of the color of her skin. She takes a job as a librarian with the Pack Horse Library Project and attempts to spread her love of reading to the poverty stricken people of Appalachia. I had no idea that there were actually Book Women or Blue people. I loved this story! A must read for historical fiction fans!

I will say from the beginning that before I read this book I knew nothing about the Fulgate people from Kentucky or the history behind this book. I knew about the genetic disorder, methaemoglobinaemia, and how it comes about in individuals. However, this book has taught me a lot about American history in Kentucky and also about the Fulgate people. I did also appreciate the history reference at the end of the novel in regards to this. It helped everything that occurred in this book make more sense to me and tie it all together.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek follows the life and story of Cussy Carter, a 19 year old girl who is blue skinned, and one of the last blue skinned people in Kentucky. Cussy, also known to some as Bluet, works within the Pack Horse Library as a librarian, travelling around the community to deliver books to folk in differing parts of the community. Cussy delivers books with her mule, Junia, and meets a range of other Kentuckians that have different opinions and thoughts and are definitely experiencing differing life experiences to Cussy. Cussy experiences the white folk in her community looking down at her due to her different skin colour and never truly fits in anywhere. There are some people within the community that look past her skin colour. However, when through the discovery of Cussy's congenital disorder Cussy becomes white, she still experiences begin excluded as the folk think she's sick or the devil has got to her and cursed her.

The main thing I loved about this story is Cussy. She is such a strong female character. She is determined to make others happy through the sharing of books from the library. Cussy goes out of her way, and will also go without, to ensure that others have enough food to survive and rarely takes food from others, although she most definitely needs it. The strength that Cussy has to constantly cope and deal with the rudeness of the community for her skin colour had me constantly baffled.

I did enjoy this book, however, I think my lack of understanding the importance of this story from a history perspective and the lack of me being able to connect and understand the characters, I could only give this a 3. At times, I did really enjoy it and thought I would give it a higher rating. The found the last 40-45% to be thoroughly enjoyable and this definitely bumped up my rating to a 3-3.5. I'm still truly undecided on my final rating, so I'll give is a 3 for now!

Thank you very much to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

From the first paragraphs, this title is evocative and transports you to another time and place. It’s rife with folklore, superstition, and old home remedies – balanced with an honest and colourful depiction of a difficult era and landscape. Inspired by the historical and truly remarkable Kentucky Pack Horse library service and gentle-hearted blue-skinned people of Kentucky, Kim Michele Richardson weaves a poignant and heart-wrenching telling of poverty, misogyny, racial prejudice, and poverty. Through it all, books bind humble souls together – feeding the mind when the land won’t yield food and families are dying of starvation.

Full review posted on my blog:
https://lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog/2019/05/19/book-review-the-book-woman-of-troublesome-creek-by-kim-michele-richardson/

What a beautifully written book that took me on an adventure and one i had not prior knowledge of. It seamlessly told the story of Cussy Mary and gave me insight on that part of our history that i believe will be new to so many. The author captures the beauty of the Appalachians and certainly gives a feel of what that time was like. Believe this would make a great book club choice and for just the solitary reader it will take you on a journey back in time.

Writing not for me on this one but I did love learning so much about Depression-era Appalachians of Kentucky.

I was intrigued to learn about the WPA Pack Horse Library program back in the 1930's and 40's in this book. The author writes so clearly of the struggles of these Kentucky mountain people. Focusing on the main character Cussy Mary Carter applies for this program and is accepted. With her reliable pack mule she sets out on her route delivering books and magazines to others. She feels she is really making a difference in people's lives by sharing the knowledge of reading and love of books. Not only do we see the daily hardships but we come across the prejudice of people who are scared of knowledge and think that books are "Satan's" way.
The book brings out so many great discussion or thinking points about reading, prejudice, pride and loving. Cussy also is a carrier of methemoglobinemia, known as Blue People. While we are used to reading about other color prejudice, reading about a blue person brings the discussion into another area.
A fulfilling book, you get to know Cussy, her dreams and desires. Enjoy reading as this book has much to offer a lover of knowledge, history and family.
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Before reading this historical fiction book, I had never heard of the pack horse librarians or of the blue people of Kentucky. This fictionalized account based on true happenings in Troublesome Creek was so wonderfully told and also heartbreaking at times. The main character faced extreme racism due to the color of her blue skin. Times were extremely hard for the people in the Appalachian mountains. There was little food, jobs were often held in dangerous coal mines for companies that treated their workers like animals. The highlight of the story was for the “Book Women” to travel miles and miles every week to deliver library literature to the poor mountain folk and school kids and the joy and eagerness in which they received them. I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley but enjoyed it so much I bought my own physical copy and I’m glad I did. In the physical copy of this book are pictures of the real “book women”. Highly recommend!

This book is absolutely AMAZING!! There’s really nothing more that I could say about this book that others haven’t. I grew up in the hollers of KY and I have two children that are descendants of the Fugates. The author has described everything precisely. Even though I moved away from KY many years ago I found myself reading this book with the KY dialect. This book is a must read. I wish I could give it more stars.

3.5 rounded up.

Cussy Mary Carter delivers books to the rural poor folk of Troublesome Creek, Kentucky during the Great Depression. I read this quixotic tale free and early, thanks to Sourcebooks and Net Galley; it’s available for purchase now.

Cussy is the daughter of a miner; her mother is dead, and her father is dying slowly of Black Lung, known to them locally as “the miner’s sickness.” She has no siblings. The government pays her to follow every possible winding path to reach out-of-the-way homes, loaning books, magazines, and the scrapbooks assembled of odds and ends by the librarians themselves. It provides a bright spot in an otherwise grim little town.

I like Cussy Mary, but I have to admit that I am more attached to Junia, her mule—and if you read this book, you’ll see why. Everything Cussy does is fraught with peril, and though I seldom do this, I cheat and look ahead because although I can tolerate any fate for the human characters here, I need to know whether anything will happen to Junia. Junia serves as Cussy’s transportation, watchdog (watch mule?) and best friend. Ordinarily I am no more attached to hoofed animals than any other city dweller, but this plucky critter has me at hello.

One of the best single moments in historical fiction occurs when Cussy Mary is confronted by a rattlesnake on a path. A shot rings out, and a neighbor woman steps out of the trees holding a gun and yells, “Back. That’s my supper.”

The story’s greatest strengths all have to do with setting and historical detail. Cussy Mary and her father are among a relatively rare racial group that no longer exists, people possessed of blueberry-blue skin. They were often shunned by those they lived among, some of whom regarded them as “colored” (as did local law), and others of whom feared they carried a curse. I had never known about the “blues” before reading this novel, and this is historical fiction at its best, that which educates us and makes us like it.

I would have liked to see more subtlety and ambiguity in the development of Cussy Mary and the lesser characters. Everyone here is either a good person or a bad one. Richardson’s good people never have bad moments or vice versa. I understand when Cussy Mary turns down offers of food even though she is hungry; part of it is the pride that is an inherent part of the culture, and she also fears that those making the offer may be giving up their only food of the day. I understand this the first time she tells us, and the second, and the third…but by the time I see it again (and again, and..) I am rolling my eyes and wishing fervently that once, just once she will say thank you and scarf down the biscuit, or the apple, or the whatever. On the rare occasion she accepts food, she takes it to someone else, and then she goes home and eats thistles. It makes it difficult to believe her character, because nobody is that saintly every minute of every day.

Nonetheless, I recommend this book to you, because there’s nothing else like it. If there were a body of fictional literature widely available regarding this time, place, and its people, I might say differently, but as far I can see, this is it, and the setting is strong enough to just about stand on its own. Those that enjoy the genre will want this book.

Cussy Mary Carter is many things: the daughter of a widower coal miner, a resident of Appalachia, a Pack Horse Librarian for the New Deal’s WPA, and one of the reclusive Kentucky Blues. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek focuses on Cussy’s dedication to the Pack Horse Library, and her experience as a blue woman. The Kentucky Blues, a group I had not heard of prior to reading this book, are individuals who have a rare blood disorder that results in their skin appearing blue. The condition isn’t associated with other medical issues, and can be remedied with doses of enzymes, though this discovery didn’t actually occur until the 1960s. The author acknowledges that her use of methylene blue as a treatment in the 1930s is ahistorical. The Pack Horse librarians delivered donated books to remote locations in Appalachian Kentucky, combating difficult terrain and traditions that were not always amenable to the delivery of books or the WPA. Cussy Mary, also known in town as Bluet, encounters prejudice based on her skin color, violence, sexual assault, as well as the hardships of the Depression in coal country, but remains resilient and dedicated to her work.
I enjoyed this book, for the most part. I’m not entirely certain that the prologue is necessary, and it took me a little while to get into the story whenever I picked it back up. Once I was invested in the story, it flew right along. Bluet’s love of books, information, and learning definitely appealed to me, and the realities of life in coal country in the early 20th century make for interesting stories in my comfortable 21st century home. With a few exceptions, it seems like many of the potentially traumatic episodes in Cussy’s life aren’t explored fully, but that echoes the fact that life in Kentucky’s coal country was (and is) difficult, and sometimes the only thing to do was to move forward.

Final verdict: I’d recommend this to people who enjoy historical fiction but aren’t looking for incredibly detailed depictions of the period. It’s definitely worth the time to read, and has potential for book groups.

I was provided with a free copy of this book by Bookish First and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a cover that drew my attention first. I am so glad I chose to read this book. It is historical fiction set in the 1930s, in Kentucky. It covers a part of history in the Appalachian region that I knew nothing about. I absolutely loved this story and highly recommend it.

So very sad and while based on a true event, it was lacking for me. I went in liking the premise but it was too depressing. Beautiful writing though.

Okay, so I don't normally read historical fiction, but The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek had a great cover, so I couldn't resist. I LOVED IT! I have been recommending it so often at my library, that we have to purchase additional copies to meet the demand. Thank you so much!!

I enjoyed this book so much. I learned a lot about people who lived in this area during this time. Some of it was not good but some was happy and loving.

Cussy Mary had a very hard life yet she dedicated her time to helping others. She loved the people on her route and the children were her world. The love of reading was so prevalent then and Cussy, or Book Woman as some called her, made it her mission to get books to anyone who wanted them. She ran into lots of mean cruel people or people who just did not understand that she was a human just like them. She was not white and she was not black. She was a blue. She was feared because people didn’t understand what exactly caused her to be blue. All she wanted was to be accepted and treated with kindness. He mama had died and it was only her and her dad. He dad worked in the coal mines and was sick from the coal dust and such hard work. He loved his daughter and only wanted what was best for her. He thought the only way to keep her safe was for her to marry and have a man to protect her.

This book had a lot of emotion in it. It made me cry, laugh in places, cringe, and cry some more. There were parts that just made my head spin. I don’t understand how some people can be happy at other people’s expense. How can some people be so mean and cruel just because they think they are better than others. There were lots of very nice caring people in this story too. It made me stop and think quite a bit. It touched me in ways that a good book is suppose to. I’ve never been a prejudice person and don’t intend to start being one now. I have always believed we are created equal and this book certainly had people that loved Cussy Mary even though she was different. She was a ray of sunshine who only wanted to be accepted.

I didn’t realize this was based on actual events until I read the Author’s notes at the end. It’s such a good story to be written and I feel very fortunate to have read it. Thank you to Kim Michele Richardson for writing this book. It needed to be written. It was a true joy to be given an ARC of this book. It’s my first by this author but won’t be my last.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks landmark publishing for the ARC in exchange for my complete and honest review.

It’s a big 5 stars from me.

From the beginning I adored Cussy or Bluet as she is called by some. A pack librarian in the Kentucky Appalachians, she delivers books to folks living in the hollers. As part of FDRs work program, she rides her mule and delivers her books. This is depression era, 1930' and people are struggling, making them look forward to the books, newspapers or magazines she brings. Some cannot read, so she reads to them, some are just learning to read, and some just look st the picture She is in all ways wonderful. She and her father consider themselves to be the last of the blue people of Kentucky, a genetic trait passed on, but they don't know this yet. Their father and daughter relationship is a close one, and a joy to behold.

They are considered colored, treated just as badly by some as the blacks. Bigotry and discrimination is something she faces daily. The author does a fantastic job shoeing us the past in this region, using regional dialect snd wonderful descriptions of the fauna, the hills, and the local characters. She will go through many obstacles of personal matters, but her faith and love of the written word is a message she joyfully spreads.

The book starts off rather slowly, and there are parts that are more sentimental then I usually like. Yet, her story, her character and the actual history related in this book, made those few qualms, inconsequential. The authors note explains the genetics involved in three coloring, as well as an explanation of the historical references. This is a book that shows, not tells and one can feel as if they are traveling with Cussy on her personal and professional travels. A very heartfelt story.

ARC from Netgalley.

The Pack Horse Library Project is a part of history that I knew nothing about until recently. I was very curious when I saw this book. I enjoyed the librarian parts of it. The historical parts were interesting. The blue-skinned people of Kentucky is a part of history I was not aware of.

T.S. Eliot said, "The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future."

As a librarian, I feel these words a little closer to my heart. I yearn to get books into people's hands that want to read. I love handing a book to a young child and seeing their eyes light up.

Here, in Troublesome Creek,Kentucky in 1936--
She makes $28/month delivering books/literature to people up in hills:
Dickens, Robinson Crusoe, National Geographic, Popular Mechanics, etc..
The books are donated by larger libraries, woman's clubs, Boy Scout troops, and Parent-Teacher Associations.
They are stored in Troublesome's Post Office back room.
The Pack Horse Librarians would then pick some out and deliver up in hills.

Books teach important things: sewing, cooking, cleaning, and gives you a look at rest of world.
Books are best way to learn. Books eases burdens. Books softens loneliness.
Book's spirits help ease woes, lessen worries, and become a safe place.

This was a book that puts a spotlight on a time in history for libraries!

Fascinating historical fiction combining the blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the Pack Horse librarians of the Depression, who traveled through the backwoods of Appalachia to deliver books to its poor and isolated residents. Cussy Mary, also known as Bluet, is brave, generous, loyal and hard-working. She takes her role as the titular Book Woman of Troublesome Creek very seriously, and tries to find the right book for each patron. Because of her blue skin she is subject to fear, prejudice, abuse, and violence from the townspeople, but most of the hillfolk who rely on her book deliveries treat her with respect and gratitude.

This isn't an easy book to read; Cussy Mary's story includes poverty, hunger, illness and death several times over (including the death of young children), and even members of the healing profession treat her as subhuman in their attempts to understand the reason for her unusual skin color. There is an understated love story and a glimpse of happiness, but even that is marred by ugliness. The book ends rather abruptly and although it is a hopeful ending, I'm subtracting a star for the author's insistence on leaving the reunion of Cussy Mary and her true love off the page. Still, this is a unique story and a "footnote in history" that deserves to be better known.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

A book about Appalachia and love/power of the written word? I requested this eagerly and it did not disappoint.

Thanks to Negalley for the free book in exchange for an honest review.

Nestled in the backwoods of Kentucky, in the year 1936, there was a glow coming from a courting candle which had been burning quite a while. Pa had made a promise to his wife and thus far, no one came forward to make the commitment and douse the flame, claiming their daughter for his wife.

Nineteen-year-old Cussy (Bluet) had been harassed and tormented for being “blue” and she knew that her chances for someone courting her were slim-to-none. Being the last of her kin in Kentucky, her skin had the blue color of her ancestors and Bluet now held the position of being the last ‘Blue” female in the state of Kentucky.

Pa’s job at the mine held its own uncertainties so to help out, Bluet found herself a job working with the Pack Horse Library Project. With her mule Junia, she traveled the back hills of Kentucky delivering books to folks who looked forward to her visits. These individuals became like a family to her as she stopped each week dropping off a book and checking in on them. The other librarians also became great friends to Bluet as they grew closer each week.

I loved the excitement and the love she felt as she traveled to each of her different drop-off sites each week. The days were long but she felt needed, loved and important as she made these trips. To think that she spent all day doing this and then when she returned home, she had to tend to her mule and fix her father supper so he could go to work, made me tired. To travel by mule and not by horse, took even longer but Junia was a special mule and seemed to be able to read Bluet. She had a special friendship with a girl named Queenie and I enjoyed the time they spent together.

The novel started out a bit slow for me but then when things picked-up, I couldn’t put it down till I was finished. I enjoyed how Bluet grew as a person and I cringed when her family got involved with the doctor. I was scared and concerned for Bluet as she just wanted to be accepted by everyone but the price to do seemed so costly. It was hard reading the novel as Bluet tried to be brave because as she puts forth her best, it worried me what the outcome might be.

I enjoy reading about the Appalachian Mountains and I felt that this novel was a perfect fit for me. It opened my eyes to the library project as I had never heard of it before. I highly recommend this novel. 4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is set in the poverty-stricken hill country of Kentucky during the 1930s. Cussy Mary is a blue-skinned woman, shunned by her community for being "colored." Her salvation comes through becoming a Book Woman, delivering books to folks living in the backwoods. There is a lot to learn about the period and the "blue people," and for that Richardson educates readers well. For some reason, however, the first half of the book is very hard to get through. While the last half finally hooks the reader into the characters' lives, it takes a long while to get there. Also, the ending is a bit too abrupt. We are hit with some hard reality as it plays out in action, and then the conclusion is simply talked about in a letter. We aren't really allowed to feel better about things. While I wanted to love this book, I found it harsh in ways that kept me somewhat distant. It was hard to keep reading all that Cussy Mary and the people of that place/time endured. Maybe that was exactly the point, but unfortunately, it kept me from loving the book.