This is a mesmerizing story of the lives of 5 women each with differences in background, personality, age, and personal experiences. Each became a pack horse librarian for different reasons. But as each woman's story unfolded their differences faded into the background and they became a dedicated and passionate team as they distributed books and scrapbooks sharing recipes, short stories, and articles to young and old on their routes. As deliveries continued some librarians took the time to read to a person that was ill within the home to give another family member respite or time to do a few chores outside. Receiving access to the reading material was priceless but the librarians were also becoming friends to their community in priceless ways and instilling hope with each visit. In writing this story, the author has not only written a story about pack horse librarians but has shown the upheaval of the past when some men did not want their dominance over women to change, did not want their dominance over those working for them to change, but wanted to maintain their power and control by bullying, intimidation, and violence. As heart wrenching as some parts of the novel are to read I will remember the story of Margery O'Hare, Alice (Wright) Van Cleve, Beth Pinker, Izzy Brady, and Kathleen Bligh. I will remember their passion for books and sharing that passion with their community, their bravery through personal trials and undaunting circumstances and events, their strength individually and collectively, their tenacity and persistence. I will remember the bravery and courage of Sophia Kenworth, the kindness and thoughtfulness of Frederick Guisler, and the devotion and love of Sven Gustavsson. In viewing the photographs of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Pack Horse Library Project with pack horse librarians delivering books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains between 1935 and 1943, I thought the librarians were amazing women. The women were known by many different names such as "book women" or "book ladies" and "packsaddle librarians." The photographs have more meaning now and I know they were all extraordinary women. (read less)

This is a mesmerizing story of the lives of 5 women each with differences in background, personality, age, and personal experiences. Each became a pack horse librarian for different reasons. But as each woman's story unfolded their differences faded into the background and they became a dedicated and passionate team as they distributed books and scrapbooks sharing recipes, short stories, (read more)

2024 Advent, Day 16: I have actually never read anything by Jojo Moyes before this because when Me Before You was very popular and being made into a film, the trailer did not interest me and I read a few articles about the problematic nature of the content which sealed it's fate as off my TBR (along with the rest of moyes's lirlterary repertoire). The first half of this book did not a lot to change my mind but I am glad I stick around for the second half as it makes the tedium and predictability of the first worth it-- to a point. A bit melodramatic and with some fairly shallow character building, this book is good but will not be inspiring any minor obsession or reread desire within me. (read less)

2024 Advent, Day 16: I have actually never read anything by Jojo Moyes before this because when Me Before You was very popular and being made into a film, the trailer did not interest me and I read a few articles about the problematic nature of the content which sealed it's fate as off my TBR (along with the rest of moyes's lirlterary repertoire). The first half of this book did not a (read more)