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Sign up todayThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
A Novel
Narrator
Katie Schorr
This audiobook uses AI narration.
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Length
9 hours 25 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“This book captures how reading can touch the soul and connect us with others. I was humbled and moved to tears - of both grief and joy - as I rode with Cussy Mary and her mule through the hills and hollows of Appalachia to deliver books to the isolated people of Troublesome Creek. A courier in the Kentucky Library Project in the 1930s, Cussy struggled with the harsh terrain as well as her own unique challenges that come with being among the last of her blue-skinned kind. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a profound and touching story that will stay with the reader long after finishing the final page. ”
— Belinda • Quail Ridge Books
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
“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.
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
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER
A PBS BOOK PICK
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 a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today bestselling author. She has won multiple awards, written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir. Kim Michele was born and raised in Kentucky and lives there with her family and beloved dogs. She is also the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writers residency and scholarship implemented for low-income writers. To learn more visit her website at KimMicheleRichardson.com.
Katie Schorr's audiobook credits include narrating the novels in Alyson Noel's bestselling Immortals series – Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, and Dark Flame. 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 teenaged characters."Schorr’s 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 Theater and Ars Nova, among other theaters. She has appeared on VH1's Best Week Ever and co-stars in the web series Head in the Oven with Saturday Night Live actor Bill Hader. She is the co-creator of Yoga Partners: A Web Series.
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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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