The Mountains We Call Home: The Book Woman's Legacy

Review Quotes:
"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

Review Quotes:
"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

Review Quotes:
"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

Publisher Marketing:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek comes a triumphant tale of a librarian's fight to bring literacy to the prisons of Kentucky and the underserved neighborhoods of downtown Louisville, revealing a story of fierce love, quiet strength, and the healing power of books.

When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, The Mountains We Call Home explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.

Gritty, heartbreaking, yet infused with hope, The Mountains We Call Home is an authentic American tale and a powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the written word.

"Woven so seamlessly of important themes that it has the potential for changing lives." --William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author

Contributor Bio:Richardson, Kim Michele

A native-born Kentuckian, Kim Michele Richardson is a New York Times, L.A. Times, and USA Today bestselling author who has written six novels, including The Book Woman's Daughter and The Mountains We Call Home, along with a memoir and most recently, two children's picture books. The works have been published in more than 15 languages. Her novel 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 colleges across the country and abroad. Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writers' residency, and a literacy initiative Courthouses Reading Across Kentucky & Beyond.