The 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 it's very own travelling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, 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 government's new book program, and along her treacherous route, Cussy faces doubters at every turn. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the complex and hardscrabble Kentuckians, she's going to have to confront dangers and prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler. Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentuck and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse Library Service of the 1930s, this book is a story of raw courage, fierce strength and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere - even back home.

An engrossing and often sad tale about the people of Kentucky, especially the poor people and, in particular, people with blue skin. This is something I'd never heard of as it is very rare. Like anyone who wasn't white, they suffered from prejudice and abuse and women especially had a hard time of it. Neverthess they worked hard for Roosevelt's library project getting books out to the remote mountain regions by horse, mule, on foot or in a boat. I've given this book the top marks I truly believe it deserves.

Taking to today's meet up.

Picked up over lunch.