As the story goes, Martin Fugate, a French orphan, settled on the banks of eastern Kentucky's Troublesome Creek around 1820 to claim a land grant. Tag: blue people of Kentucky. An attitude, a prejudice, an indescribable hate that still visits upon shores. When I finished this book, I thought it was such a good story and I immediately gave it four stars, but then I thought about it more as I was writing this. More folklore than fact. I thought about what a meaningful story it is, what an amazing and strong character Cussy Mary Carter is, what a realistic depiction of time and place is presented here, about how much I learned from it, how touched I was, and the wonderful way that the author blends the story of the Blue People of Kentucky with the Pack Horse Library Project. This feature of a blue skin shade is with the Fugate family who were of French Huguenot descent, with the original immigrant ancestor coming over from France in about 1820. Yes, apparently blue people existed in Kentucky and were treated no better than the blacks. Eventually I found one: a small curiosity to be admired, more decor than practical. Sourcebooks Landmark Kentucky has always inspired and influenced my books, as it is both a beautiful and brutal place full of fascinating history, varied landscapes, complex people and culture, and I’m fortunate to live in a region that my heart can draw on. Long ago, I began collecting everything I could on the packhorse librarians and blue-skinned people, poring over archives, old newspapers, pictures, documentaries and more. I had every intention of riding one until I fell off the mountain. This title is a lure in itself for any book loving folks. Cussy is a pack horse librarian and she delivers books to people that live in the mountains of Kentucky. A pack librarian in the Kentucky Appalachians, she delivers books to folks living in the hollers. In this novel, the author weaves together two interesting, well researched historical episodes from 1930s Kentucky to tell a fascinating and memorable story. When in reality … See more ideas about kentucky, people, medical oddities. As the story goes, Martin Fugate, a French orphan, settled on the banks of eastern Kentucky’s Troublesome Creek around 1820 to claim a land grant. How wonderful the conversations must have been that took place around and over it. Start by marking “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” as Want to Read: Error rating book. There is a lot of poverty in this town and it was so heartbreaking. This is especially true of the ‘Blue People of Kentucky’. Their father and daughter relationship is a close one, and a joy to behold. In the late 1950s, a hematologist named Martin Cawein from the University of Kentucky was fascinated by the stories of the blue Fugate family. DIETER: They were so happy to get a book… And then Sunday rolls around and off we go to worship an 'invisible' god and his hierarchy of equally invisible angels. The Blue people of Kentucky were segregated in the 1930s much the same as those who had anything but white skin. Still, I found the candle a commanding and curious induction of courtship. Find BookPage, About BookPage But Cussy, also known as Bluet and the Book Woman, shares her love of reading by delivering books to the people in the hills who don’t have easy access to libraries or schools. This book explores the life of Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry and is based on true life. The other one is fluffy, which is fine if you like that sort. This is a fascinating book full of historical facts that I never knew before. I was sort of shocked by the leap from the end of the next to the last chapter to the final chapter when the baby is already talking, reading, and so on. The first Fugate in the United States was a French orphan named Martin Fugate, who settled in Troublesome Creek in the hills of … In the 1960’s, a young hematologist named Madison Cawein traveled to the region, with an aim to cure the blue people of their skin color. The are… She is the author of the bestselling memoir The Unbreakable. She suffers from a hereditary condition called methemoglobinemia. Published I would have liked to see how the new family managed to stay together to begin their new hopeful life that the narrow-minded people in Troublesome Creek wouldn't allow. The Fugate family of Kentucky has been known for their blue skin color for generations. The legend behind the candle says it was used by patriarchs to set a time limit for the suitor who came courting his daughter. Their life is so tough. I grew up under the grinding heels of poverty, spending my first decade in a rural Kentucky orphanage, and then on to foster care and beyond, to finding myself homeless at age 14. They are widely known as the “Blue People of Kentucky.” Her novels include, Liar’s Bench, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field and The Sisters of Glass Ferry. (good creep factor). https://www.hannahmcneely.com/ebook We hope you love it. From the beginning I adored Cussy or Bluet as she is called by some. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. The Blue people of Kentucky were segregated in the 1930s much the same as those who had anything but white skin. It's 1936 Kentucky when we first meet 19 year old Cussy Mary Carter and her pa who desperately wants to see her hitched and cared for....because he prom. But when my novel went on submission to publishers and I was given the wonderful opportunity to talk to several editors, that changed. This is depression era, 1930' and people are struggling, making them look forward to the books, newspapers or magazines she brings. Contact Us Cussy Mary Carter is a book woman, part of the Pack Horse Library Project. And a joy bolted free, lessening my own grievances, forgiving spent youth and dying dreams lost to a hard life, the hard land, and to folks’ hard thoughts and partialities.”, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Historical Fiction (2019). He was also very, very blue. Her journeys are thrilling as she shares her passion with those less fortunate but able to take a fullness from the reading materials she provides. I'm interested in hearing the opinion of someone who has read both The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. Maybe even a little worse. Library The people there are so desperate for her books. Cussy, nicknamed "Bluet", was subjected to taunts, prejudice and continuous ridicule due to her cobalt-blue skin color. Martin Fugate, a French orphan, married a woman named Elizabeth around 1820. Privacy Policy Cussy is a nineteen year old and she is the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. Sadly, there isn’t a cool or exciting wolf or bear-that-chased-me story to be had here. The people. This is depression era, 1930' and people are struggling, making them look forward to the books, newspapers or magazines she brings. I have heard controversy about the two books being very similar and were only published a few months apart. H. Cussy Mary Carter was arguably the last "blue skinned person" in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky. She suffers from a hereditary condition called methemoglobinemia. Sit back, relax, and read the amazing but true genetic tale of the Blue People of Kentucky. The Blue People Of Kentucky: For almost two centuries, the “blue skinned people of the Fugate family” lived in the areas of Troublesome Creek and Ball Creek in the hills of eastern Kentucky. He married a red-haired American named Elizabeth Smith with a very pale complexion. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. As I picked up the phone to chat, I immediately lit the old courter, hoping for the perfect “intended” for my novel. Isolation is the painful undertone of this book. Librarians are lifelines for so many, giving us powerful resources to help us become empowered. I’ve written about the blue people in nearly every edition of my human genetics textbook. • My research stretched into coal-mining towns and their history, and then into thick-treed forests to explore fire-tower lookouts and interview an old mountaineer who was a former fire-tower watcher. Other research included more hours studying Roosevelt’s New Deal and WPA programs. • Treated even worse than blacks, they were viewed with suspicion and prejudice. Glad you loved it, too. Blue People of Kentucky: Why the Fugate Family Had Blue Skin. 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