GodPretty in the Tobacco Field

Praise for GodPretty in the Tobacco Field Richardson's deft second novel paints a picture of hard life and bright dreams...Richardson's skill fully develops RubyLyn's plight. --Publishers Weekly Setting is everything...The reader learns a great deal about the impact of President Johnson's War on Poverty in rural Kentucky and, equally, about the place of women in that society in the late 60's...Sympathetic characters whom readers will wish a happy ending. --Booklist Kim Michele Richardson aptly portrays the impoverished life of the hill people with her images of the beauty yet hardship of the mountains as well as the way this particular world experienced discrimination in the sixties. --The New York Journal of Books Filled with the music of Appalachia, the wrath-of-God discipline of a sinner trying to keep a youngster on the straight and narrow, and the bred-in-the-bone dignity of a downtrodden community so secluded that its barefoot children don't even realize they're considered poor, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field, a memorable story of secrets and scandal, reckoning and redemption, is fine Southern fiction. --Historical Novels Review A powerful coming-of-age story...Ms. Richardson's portrait of the neighboring families' hopeless lives (one family is ready to sell a child to get out of debt) stands out as one of the book's major achievements. That achievement includes pitch-perfect representation of speech patterns and finely detailed views of the homes, the clothing, the food on the table, the family heirlooms, the body language, the facial expressions...This beautifully textured novel raises many challenges for its main characters to overcome and, as it comes to a close, many surprises. Saying any more would ruin it for you. --Southern Literary Review Richardson's latest contains beautifully drawn characters and honest, lyrical language. Through the author's expressive dialogue and vivid descriptions, the textures of the rural Kentucky landscape--along with the aching emotions that come from RubyLyn, are felt. RubyLyn's connection with Rainey is sweet, poignant, and tender. This powerful story will leave an impression on readers long after they complete it --RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars A great piece of work. --Bill Burton, Host of Morning Edition on WFPL