I’m trying to post more about our readings for Lit Happens, a FB book club that a lot of the Movies & Munchies and Cook the Books members belong to. This month we read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek  by Kim Michelle Richardson.  Amy’s Cooking Adventures is hosting.

I’ve had this book in my TBR pile for a long time and I’m glad Amy prompted me to finally pick it up. 

About the book:

NEW YORK TIMES and LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY  bestselling novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a powerful message about how the written word affects people–a story of hope and heartbreak, raw courage and strength splintered with poverty and oppression, and one woman’s chances beyond the darkly hollers.

Inspired by the true and historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek showcases a first in traditionally published literary novels— a bold and unique story and tale of fierce strength and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere — even back home.  (From Richardson’s website)

About the author:

Her critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a recommended read by Dolly Parton and has earned a 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah’s Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the remarkable “blue people” of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry and fear during the Great Depression. She spent over a decade researching the historical Kentucky Packhorse program and was also a contributor and researcher for the critically acclaimed PBS Television Documentary, “The Pack Horse Librarians of Appalachia.”

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) recognized Kim Michele Richardson for her distinguished service to arts and culture with an honorary Doctor of Humanities (L.H.D) degree at EKU’s 2024 spring commencement. Gov. Beshear, Lt. Governor Coleman and the Kentucky Women’s Commission inducted Kim Michele into The Kentucky Women’s Remembered exhibit for her contributions to Kentucky. “May their stories remind generations to come of what it means to be an outstanding Kentucky woman,” Beshear said. A permanent portrait gallery is located in the state Capitol’s West Wing honoring Kentucky women who have made significant contributions to the Commonwealth.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms and has been adopted as a Common Read selection by states, cities, and universities across the country and abroad. It has been translated into over 17 languages. Her latest novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter, an instant NYT and USA TODAY’s bestseller is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. She also has a children’s picture book out based on the novels, Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek. Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writing residency and Courthouses Reading Across Kentucky & Beyond. (Also taken from Richardson’s site. Read more about her early life here.)

What I thought…

I learned so much from this novel: about life in the mid-1930s in the mountains of Kentucky, about the poverty and injustices that abounded there, about the Pack Mule Librarians, and about the mysterious “Blue” people of Kentucky. I had never heard of the latter two.

Cussy, the Book Woman, has to overcome so many devastating obstacles and issues. She’s married off to a crazy older man and is beaten and broken on her wedding night. Luckily she’s able to get past that life path and recover. She experiences so much prejudice in town but her mountain patrons embrace her and love her (and her books). She worries about her miner father and his involvement in “radical” union politics. She obviously worries about his safety and well-being nightly as he enters the mine. As the last of the “Blues” and a medical oddity, she also has to experience demeaning exams, being poked and prodded and suffering through a “cure.”

I found the book interesting and Richardson portrays the poverty of the Kentucky mountain inhabitants with grace and dignity. It’s heartbreaking all the same. 

The ending of the book was almost traumatic for me as Cussy almost makes it to a happy life with a husband and child. I won’t spoil the ending but I was not expecting what happened next. I wanted a truly fairy tale ending. Cussy deserved that. 

The Food:

This is by no means a definitive list because I was too caught up in the tale. I remember the following:

• Pies (from a traditional pie auction)
• Traditional recipes from the scrapbooks
• Moonshine
• Biscuits, ham and other simple sandwich makings
• Apples (for Junia and the children)
• Fruit, cheese, and bread baskets
• Scripture cake

I found a carton of blueberries that needed to be used so I decided to make a simple cobbler, something that Cussy would have made with wild blueberries and maybe foraged herbs.

Blueberry-Lemon Cobbler with Thyme

By Debra (based on Blackberry Cobbler)

This cobbler can be made with any fruit and herbs. I’ve used combos of blueberries and basil and blackberry and mint.

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 1/4 c. sugar, divided
• 1 c. self-rising flour (or 1 c. flour + 1 1/2 t. baking powder + 1/4 t. salt)
• 1 c. whole milk (or 1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1 T. fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 pint blueberries

Instructions

1. Place the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and put in the oven while it preheats to 400 F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 c. of sugar with the flour (or flour, baking powder and salt), milk, thyme and lemon zest until smooth.
3. Remove the skillet from the oven, and swirl the butter to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the skillet, arrange the berries over the top, and sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 c. sugar.
4. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Yield: 6

I used lemon thyme. Use regular thyme if you want and I think lavender would also be interesting in this cobbler. Orange zest would work well, too.  This is such a simple cobbler recipe and I have done so many riffs on it. Bookmark this for summer fruit!

Another book follows this one with Book Woman’s Daughter. I’m adding it to my TBR list and I hope it doesn’t become buried in the stacks!

I’m linking up with April’s Foodies Read.

By the way, use the lemon (from the lemon you zested for the cobbler), any leftover blueberries, a sprig of thyme and some Kentucky bourbon to make this recipe:

Blueberry-Thyme Liquid Cobbler

By Debra 

Shake this up with any herbs or fruit.

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. blueberries
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 t. honey
• 1 sprig of thyme (about half an inch), leaves removed
• ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker base, muddle blueberries, lemon juice, and thyme leaves.
2. Add bourbon and honey and ice. Shake well. (Shake really well so the honey is mixed in.)
3. Pour into a rocks glass.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Sorry no photos. Just trust me on this.