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A review by theshaggyshepherd
Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers
4.0
Hill Women // by Cassie Chambers
I was hesitant about how honest, or rather personal, I wanted to get with this review. This book had a big impact on me and while some things can be painful or embarrassing to talk about, I do think it is necessary so I will try my best to convey my thoughts and feelings regarding this read. I love reading memoirs, especially by women that come from a different background than I did, so I was immediately drawn to this book. I have had some trouble focusing on reading in general this past week but this book drew me in right away and it was over sooner than I wanted or expected.
Chambers has written a very compelling book that has cast this community in a much different light than I am used to hearing about them. While I have tried hard to recognize and eliminate as much racism and prejudices from my thoughts and speech as I can over the past year, I did have to be honest with myself about my preconceived notions about communities such as the one in Owsley County in Kentucky. I hate to admit it but the majority of them were not very positive as I am a big supporter of traveling and education as a form of cultivating acceptance and empathy for the world but while reading this, I realized what I failed to see all along: The strength, resilience, and dedication of mountain people to their families, traditions, and region.
I now see that things are much more complicated than a community that - from the outside - doesn't always seem to value education or equal rights for women or health care or some other progressive things. Understanding everything within the context of poverty, the opioid crisis, lack of access to consistent medical care, domestic violence, and the local economics makes the fear of the unknown and the comfort of the familiar much more understandable. Rather than focusing on what I disagree with though, the author managed to instead draw my attention to the strength these women possess as family and community leaders, doing the best they can with the resources they have to provide a good life for themselves and their families. I love how seeing the dedication of the women in her family is something the author took out into the world with her, using it to pave her own path through life that eventually brought her back to the community again to help rural Kentucky women as a lawyer.
Chambers reminded me why I love learning about the lives of others, especially when they grew up with less privilege and resources than I did. There are incredible lessons to be learned from their experiences and by lifting up those communities and groups, we work towards greater equality for everyone. I never even thought about learning about people from the Appalachian mountains before but am so glad I picked up this book. What strength and resilience these women possess!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was hesitant about how honest, or rather personal, I wanted to get with this review. This book had a big impact on me and while some things can be painful or embarrassing to talk about, I do think it is necessary so I will try my best to convey my thoughts and feelings regarding this read. I love reading memoirs, especially by women that come from a different background than I did, so I was immediately drawn to this book. I have had some trouble focusing on reading in general this past week but this book drew me in right away and it was over sooner than I wanted or expected.
Chambers has written a very compelling book that has cast this community in a much different light than I am used to hearing about them. While I have tried hard to recognize and eliminate as much racism and prejudices from my thoughts and speech as I can over the past year, I did have to be honest with myself about my preconceived notions about communities such as the one in Owsley County in Kentucky. I hate to admit it but the majority of them were not very positive as I am a big supporter of traveling and education as a form of cultivating acceptance and empathy for the world but while reading this, I realized what I failed to see all along: The strength, resilience, and dedication of mountain people to their families, traditions, and region.
I now see that things are much more complicated than a community that - from the outside - doesn't always seem to value education or equal rights for women or health care or some other progressive things. Understanding everything within the context of poverty, the opioid crisis, lack of access to consistent medical care, domestic violence, and the local economics makes the fear of the unknown and the comfort of the familiar much more understandable. Rather than focusing on what I disagree with though, the author managed to instead draw my attention to the strength these women possess as family and community leaders, doing the best they can with the resources they have to provide a good life for themselves and their families. I love how seeing the dedication of the women in her family is something the author took out into the world with her, using it to pave her own path through life that eventually brought her back to the community again to help rural Kentucky women as a lawyer.
Chambers reminded me why I love learning about the lives of others, especially when they grew up with less privilege and resources than I did. There are incredible lessons to be learned from their experiences and by lifting up those communities and groups, we work towards greater equality for everyone. I never even thought about learning about people from the Appalachian mountains before but am so glad I picked up this book. What strength and resilience these women possess!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.