The Book Woman's Daughter: A Novel

In the 1930s, Franklin D Roosevelt set up many programs to bring jobs to under employed areas of the country. This book tells the story about Cussie Mary Carter, who in her teens became a Rural Librarian at Troublesome Creek. It is a story of hardship and overcoming that hardship to build a better life for herself and her family. There are many poignant stories, including racial prejudice against Cussie Mary as she was one of the Blue people of Kentucky (look up this, for many generations a genetic enzyme defect created people who had blue skin). The books shares stories of great sadness during those tough times and hope for a new generation. Excellent read and compelling writing. Thank you to Kim Michele Richardson for a realistic story about the mountains of Kentucky and the stuggles people faced.

This is the sequel to the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and tells the story of Honey, the book woman's daughter and her fight for freedom and emancipation. It delved into a part of history that is often forgotten about - one where women were often treated as second class citizens. I enjoyed this one as much as the original. I am looking into more from the author because Kim Michele Richardson tells a very good story.

The Book Woman’s Daughter A Novel By: Kim Michele Richardson Publish Date: 3 May 2022 Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark Women’s Fiction 100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader I would like to thank both NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long in doing so. Good Reads Synopsis: B͏ests͏ell͏іng͏ h͏іstor͏іcal͏ f͏іct͏іon͏ author͏ K͏іm͏ M͏іch͏el͏e͏ R͏іchardson͏ ͏іs͏ back͏ w͏іth͏ th͏e͏ p͏erf͏ect͏ book͏ club͏ r͏ead͏ follow͏іng͏ Hon͏ey͏ Lov͏ett,͏ th͏e͏ daught͏er͏ of͏ th͏e͏ b͏elov͏ed͏ Troubl͏esom͏e͏ book͏ woman,͏ who͏ must͏ f͏іght͏ for͏ h͏er͏ own͏ ͏іnd͏ep͏end͏enc͏e͏ w͏іth͏ th͏e͏ h͏elp͏ of͏ th͏e͏ wom͏en͏ who͏ gu͏іd͏e͏ h͏er͏ and͏ th͏e͏ books͏ that͏ s͏et͏ h͏er͏ fr͏e͏e. In͏ th͏e͏ rugg͏edn͏ess͏ of͏ th͏e͏ b͏eaut͏іful͏ K͏entucky͏ mounta͏іns,͏ Hon͏ey͏ Lov͏ett͏ has͏ always͏ known͏ that͏ th͏e͏ old͏ ways͏ can͏ mak͏e͏ a͏ hard͏ l͏іf͏e͏ hard͏er.͏ As͏ th͏e͏ daught͏er͏ of͏ th͏e͏ fam͏ed͏ blu͏e-sk͏іnn͏ed,͏ Troubl͏esom͏e͏ Cr͏e͏ek͏ packhors͏e͏ l͏іbrar͏іan,͏ Hon͏ey͏ and͏ h͏er͏ fam͏іly͏ hav͏e͏ b͏e͏en͏ h͏іd͏іng͏ from͏ th͏e͏ law͏ all͏ h͏er͏ l͏іf͏e.͏ But͏ wh͏en͏ h͏er͏ moth͏er͏ and͏ fath͏er͏ ar͏e͏ ͏іmpr͏іson͏ed,͏ Hon͏ey͏ r͏eal͏іz͏es͏ sh͏e͏ must͏ f͏іght͏ to͏ stay͏ fr͏e͏e,͏ or͏ r͏іsk͏ b͏e͏іng͏ s͏ent͏ away͏ for͏ good. P͏іck͏іng͏ up͏ h͏er͏ moth͏er’s͏ old͏ packhors͏e͏ l͏іbrary͏ rout͏e,͏ Hon͏ey͏ b͏eg͏іns͏ to͏ d͏el͏іv͏er͏ books͏ to͏ th͏e͏ r͏emot͏e͏ holl͏ers͏ of͏ Appalach͏іa.͏ Hon͏ey͏ ͏іs͏ look͏іng͏ to͏ prov͏e͏ that͏ sh͏e͏ do͏esn’t͏ n͏e͏ed͏ anyon͏e͏ t͏ell͏іng͏ h͏er͏ how͏ to͏ surv͏іv͏e.͏ But͏ th͏e͏ rout͏e͏ can͏ b͏e͏ tr͏each͏erous,͏ and͏ som͏e͏ folks͏ ar͏en’t͏ as͏ k͏e͏en͏ to͏ l͏et͏ a͏ woman͏ pav͏e͏ h͏er͏ own͏ way. If͏ Hon͏ey͏ wants͏ to͏ br͏іng͏ th͏e͏ fr͏e͏edom͏ books͏ prov͏іd͏e͏ to͏ th͏e͏ fam͏іl͏і͏es͏ who͏ n͏e͏ed͏ ͏іt͏ most,͏ sh͏e’s͏ go͏іng͏ to͏ hav͏e͏ to͏ f͏іght͏ for͏ h͏er͏ plac͏e,͏ and͏ along͏ th͏e͏ way,͏ l͏earn͏ that͏ th͏e͏ ͏extraord͏іnary͏ wom͏en͏ who͏ run͏ th͏e͏ h͏іlls͏ and͏ holl͏ers͏ can͏ mak͏e͏ all͏ th͏e͏ d͏іff͏er͏enc͏e͏ ͏іn͏ th͏e͏ world. Pra͏іs͏e͏ for͏ Th͏e͏ Book͏ Woman’s͏ Daught͏er. Book Review: I really enjoyed this book, and I gave it 4 stars. I still liked her first book better than this one. I like how she finished up the story line with Cussie and Mr. Lovett. I also like how they took an orphan and made her their own. This book is about the daughter they took in and raised her like their own. Well, they did end up adopting her. Kentucky is very strange in their beliefs, and they don’t like anyone who is different than them. Cussy and Honey are known as blue people because of a rare gene in their blood. There is nothing wrong with them or contagious. It just makes them different. In fact, the people are more afraid of them than blacks. With that being said the book opens with the parents being sent to court and then jail. They have been able to hide Honey for a while but now the court is looking for her. They sent her to live with Miss Loretta up in Troublesome. While there Honey takes on the job as a packhorse librarian to help her earn some money. Something happens to Miss Loretta which leaves Honey on her own. This is the story how she takes care of herself, animals and her friends whom she makes on her route. I love the friendships made in this book and how everyone pulls together to help her out. She learns a lot and stands up for herself in a time when that is unheard of. I recommend that you read this book but make sure you read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek first, so you get the full picture.

I am always looking for a book that will take me on a journey to a new place and a different life. This was it. I will miss spending time with the characters I grew to love along the way.

The Book Woman’s Daughter, a novel by Kim Michele Richardson and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, is a well-written, stark reminder of the deep prejudices of the 1950s, Kentucky. Honey Lovett, sixteen, is devastated and frightened when her parents are arrested. Both Honey and her mother suffer from a genetic trait, a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia, causing the skin to appear blue. In those days, as recently as the 1950s, particularly in the hills of Kentucky, people with this affliction were considered “colored” and suffered the same stigma given to Blacks. It is forbidden for a white man to marry a Blue, and when Honey was just a baby, her father was arrested and sent to prison for this “crime.” After his release, the family managed to stay hidden for the past few years. But now, as this story opens, her parents are both arrested and sent to prison for the crime of interracial marriage. At sixteen, Honey is left on her own, which by Kentucky law, means she was subject to being sent to a work prison until she turns twenty-one. The unfairness of this ruling is appalling, and Honey is determined to live on her own. Well educated by her mother, Honey turns to her mother’s former occupation as a packhorse librarian. She applies and is given the job. As her mother did before her, Honey fills a need among the hill people. However, not everyone approves of her job, and some even resent her. But Honey needs this work to prove she can be independent, and be allowed to remain free. This novel, as its prequel, is a factual accounting of this medical anomaly. People with this blood disorder were shunned and ridiculed. Also true is the accounting of the packhorse librarians who served in the hills of Kentucky. I was fascinated by this novel—the author did an outstanding job of both explaining the medical condition and its ramifications, and also describing life in the rugged and sometimes treacherous hills of Kentucky in the 1950s. Both teens and adults would enjoy this novel.

This book follows on from “Book woman of Troublesome Creek” and is a well woven story & facts of the persecution of the blue people of the Appalachian mountains and the misogyny prevalent at the time.

Great book. Did not know that Kentucky history. Looking forward to the sequel. ( Book Woman's Daughter) ...have it just not read yet.

I loved the author's descriptions of the settings and characters in this book. They carried me to another time and place. I was inspired by and hopeful for Honey and the sisterhood that surrounded her.

Another brilliant read. I learn so much from these stories. The history, the atmosphere of the places and I can feel the people’s worries, fears, joys and friendship with each other. The research done brings reality to life.

This book is the sequel to The Book woman of Troublesome Creek. It taught me a lot about pack horse librarians, Kentucky blue people, woman miners, and the difficulties of working women in the 1950’s in Kentucky. It is a very interesting read. I highly suggest you grab a pen and paper to keep track of all the characters, because they come back time and again in this librarian’s adventures!