These long dark nights are good for quiet evenings at home (just about any evening is a good one to be home, in my book), and one my favorite things to do is get caught up in a good read.
I've read a few of Jojo Moyes books, and I enjoyed them all, so when I learned that she was writing a novel set in rural Kentucky, I was pretty excited.
Turns out, Moyes enjoys holing up in Estill County's own Snug Hollow Bed and Breakfast on occasion, and rumor has it, that's where she wrote most of this book.
(Moyes lives in England. How in the world did she find out about Snug Hollow?)
Anyway, she became aware of the WPA's packhorse librarian program that originated after the great depression and was inspired to write a book about it.
The book has been popular at the library since it was released, but I managed to get my hands on a copy.
Didn't take me long to finish it either.
I loved the spirited women who were the horseback librarians and the bond that grew between them after all kinds of calamities befell them.
In those days, women weren't at liberty to do much of anything outside of their homes.
These gals refused to be corralled, though, and their story is very entertaining and quite inspiring.
They delivered books to poor families living deep in hollers, braving all kinds of weather conditions, and they had to face down not only the prejudices against women that were common in that day, but the suspicions directed toward them for the books they brought.
Makes me think some things never change, but maybe some things are a little better.
Yes, I truly enjoyed this look at a chapter of Kentucky history that I knew next to nothing about.
I think you'd enjoy it too.
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