The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
The Pack Horse Library Project was a Works Progress Administration program championed by Eleanor Roosevelt. Between 1935 and 1943 woman on horseback delivered books to remote regions of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Giver of Stars is the story of one such band of plucky woman. Alice marries handsome Bennet hoping to escape the boredom of life in small town England. Margery, daughter of a local felon, is a strong-minded and independent woman. Beth is from a poor family making and selling moonshine to supplement their meagre income and Izzy, who had polio as a child, uses a leg-brace. Miss Sophia is a librarian and woman of colour who prefers to catalogue and repair books at night with the door to the library building closed for safety.
When Margery is accused of murder and the people of Baileyville turn against her the strength of these 5 very different women is tested to the limit. This really is a tale of Girl Power and they do not fail their friend.
A court case and an unexpected reprieve. A domineering father and his repressed son. Women prepared to stand up against discrimination of varying sorts. And a love story – no, two love stories - all meld into an enthralling story that is hard to put down.
And that lovely title? In a romantic moment Fred shows Alice a poem entitled 'The Giver of Stars' – a beautiful tender little poem which expresses the growing feelings between the two of them, feelings they are unable to express to one another.
Submitted by Karen
