We met once again via Zoom (thank you Maureen for helping to arrange that meeting) to discuss The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes. I was happy that so many bookworms liked the book, and most of us agreed that although the setting was virtually the same as The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, the stories themselves, were vastly different from each other.
The book is set in Kentucky during the depression, and follows the life of Alice Wright, a British woman who marries Bennett Van Cleve, an American from Baileyville, Kentucky. Alice struggles in her marriage, and in her new town. She becomes a Pack-Horse Librarian, following Eleanor Roosevelt's program, and brings books to the rural residents of Appalachian Kentucky. The librarians have many obstacles to surmount in bringing books to the masses. As they face the many challenges together, the story is one of friendship, love, family, sexism, racism, domestic violence, and of course - books.
I loved the characters in this book, and was so sad when I finished reading it. The companionship and true friendship of the Pack Horse Librarians reminds me of our friendship with this book club. I just reread the poem that Fred Guiser reads to Alice in the novel, and placed it below for you to reread. It touched my heart.
See you in October!
XXOO
Robin L.
