Kim Michele Richardson Returns to Kentucky with The Mountains We Call Home! (Exclusive)
‘The book club favorite's newest novel examines 'strength, survival and the magic of the printed word'
In a standalone to the bestselling Book Woman series comes a heroine for the ages, legendary book woman Cussy Lovett returns in The Mountains We Call Home. A journey that will transport you through the rugged Appalachians, to a Kentucky prison and its nearby 1950s bustling business district of Louisville, to a quaint Ohio town and into Detroit’s golden age and beyond.
The Mountains We Call Home is a powerful testament of strength, survival and the magic of the printed word wrapped into a vivid portrait which examines criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, the societal consequences of fractured family bonds along with the nostalgic glimpses of a bustling multifaceted business district. Meticulously researched, richly detailed with a new cast of absorbing and complex characters, and glimpses of beloved older ones: this beautifully rendered, authentic Kentucky tale is gritty and heartbreaking and infused with hope, spirit and courage known only to those with no way out.
EXCERPT
“Somewhere among the nestled fissures and cradling dark- blue bluffs, between towns such as Hazard, Hell- fer-Sartain, Kingdom Come, and Troublesome, comes the Book Woman. Steadfast, she rides her mule through the hollers to deliver books. Where shadow-draped days set between the hills before the blue hour dissolves into coal-dust skies and a new dawn welcomes the rare delight of a children’s moon, the Book Woman pushes on. Along winding paths of marmalade leaves, her faithful beast’s steady clip- clops traverse the miles and years while the mothers of the mountains watch over their daughter, who carries the mantle of courage—loosening the stories from Kentucky’s bound hands that have been rooted like the poplar and pine, forever tied to the old land.” - The Mountains We Call Home, The Book Woman’s Legacy
A Note from Kim Michele
“I'm excited and deeply honored to return to Kentucky—to take my readers on another journey. My focus with this novel continues to be honoring the history of the Kentucky Packhorse Library initiative while highlighting the state's long history of promoting and fostering literacy — which, in turn, forges connections between people from all walks of life — and that this work can continue that legacy. Kentucky has always led in literacy, implementing and pioneering life-changing literacy programs like the Packhorse Librarians, The Moonlight Schools and my current initiative, Courthouses Reading Across Kentucky & Beyond. Currently there are more bookmobiles in Kentucky than any other state! Kentucky has always had a rich and unique history of getting books into the hands of those who have none—providing literacy accessibility for all. My hope is that The Mountains We Call Home will show readers how, through divisions, disagreements and turbulent times, books can connect us all in unexpected and beautiful ways.” -xo Kim Michele
PRAISE
“Kim Michele Richardson brings the story of trailblazing packhorse librarian, Cussy Mary Carter, full circle in this mesmerizing tale of love, resilience, and hardscrabble determination. In the fight to survive prejudice, cruelty, and injustice, Cussy must draw upon her inner strength, the kindness of others, and the sanctuary that can be found within books. An ode to friendship, truth, and the power of the written word, this is a story readers will treasure long after the last page is turned.” – Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood
“In The Mountains We Call Home, Kim Michele Richardson once again displays her seamless blend of research and imagination that we expect in the best of historical fiction, yet as I read deeper I realized that Cussy Lovett’s journey and challenges (first inside a prison, then a large city), as vivid and compelling as they are, are only part of Richardson’s achievement: her latest novel is also a marvelous reminder of how literacy and literature can heal and give hope, even freedom.” -Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author
"No one writes about gritty courageous women like Kim Michele Richardson. The Mountains We Call Home is an unforgettable page-turner that captures the dark beauty of Appalachia and its people of Kentucky, with their stealth intelligence and covert vulnerabilities." -Jeannette Walls #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle
“Brilliant storytelling. Cussy is one of the most dynamic characters in American fiction. Without Kim Michele Richardson’s heartfelt, uplifting storytelling, the world would be a sadder place, indeed. I loved The Mountains We Call Home, which is woven so seamlessly of important themes that it has the potential for changing lives.” -William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author
