by Kim Michele Richardson, 2022
Pat was reading this so I decided to get it from the library and read it. It was not as good as The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. There is a really bad dude (Perry Gillis) in this one and he causes so much heartache and misery. He kills his wife by throwing her down the well in front of his little boy. He tries to kill the fire lookout, Pearl. He abuses Bonnie, the widowed coal miner. He abuses little Wrenna and her rooster, Tommie. Finally, he gets attacked by Tommie, the rooster. He is slashed and gouged and blinded. While in the hospital, the state police finally believe Honey Lovett, the Book Woman’s daughter, and they go to his cabin. The little boy tells them his mommy is in the well. They find her body. All through this, however, is the prejudice against Honey Lovett, the Book Woman’s daughter. They arrested her Mom and Dad for miscegenation laws because Honey’s mom is a blue-skinned white person, which Kentucky considered to be as black people. Honey is left on her own and appeals for her emancipation. There are good people in this town and the surrounding hills. They love Honey – she is their new book woman. All turns out okay but it is tedious and difficult when bad people keep getting away with their evilness.
Two quotes from the book: “‘Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.'” (A quote from Rabindranath Tagore, a poetry book Honey’s mom loaned to Mr. Taft and it changed his life.)
Page 193: “A man can’t be both smart and hungry at the same time.” Similar to what Honey’s mom said, “Can’t be angry and smart at the same time. Now, nothing wrong in having the anger, but the two rarely work together.”