Reviews
"Cassie Chambers's intimate portrait of the lives of rural mountain women will complicate everything you think you know about Appalachia. From their quiet stoicism to their often overlooked fortitude, Chambers's characters--herself included--are cobbled from grit, empathy, strength, intellect, and hope. Their tenuous belief in a system that sometimes protects them and sometimes betrays them offers a nuanced and necessary feminist perspective often lacking in our national conversations. Chambers picks up where Sarah Smarsh ended, with a beautiful, authentic, and honest portrayal. This is a stunning and expansive book, and it will stay and stay with you, as it has me." --Rachel Louise Snyder, author o f No Visible Bruises "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. This is a book that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow "A fascinating view of an often misunderstood population of America and an uplifting ode to the strong women at its core, whose unique stories and sacrifices inspire . . . a book to be celebrated!" --Cea Sunrise Person, author of North of Normal "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "A family memoir that celebrates the inspiration of strong women within a rural culture most often characterized as patriarchal . . . [Chambers tells] stories that illuminate the hardworking spirit and flashes of hope among the populace, the women in particular." -- Kirkus Reviews, "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "A family memoir that celebrates the inspiration of strong women within a rural culture most often characterized as patriarchal . . . [Chambers tells] stories that illuminate the hardworking spirit and flashes of hope among the populace, the women in particular." -- Kirkus Reviews "In this age of political divisions, Hill Women offers a loving, luminous look at an often misunderstood and undervalued segment of our society." -- BookPage "A nuanced portrait of the women of Appalachia . . . [Chambers] offers a personal and compassionate voice to the national conversation around poverty, class, and economy in the Coal Belt. . . . The argument floating below the surface of this memoir is one about economy and culture--an economy that generates massive wealth, at great human cost, and a culture of contempt for the poor. . . . Chambers carefully documents the personalities that shaped her, as she warns against characterizing the people of her region by their poverty alone, flattening their individuality in the process." -- The Progressive "This Appalachian memoir doesn't just celebrate the women of the hills--it fights for them. . . . Chambers balances out her personal story with vivid portraiture of her Appalachian kin. . . . Their voices ring out, frank and earthy, touched with King James but practical above all else. . . . She faces the region's challenges with heartbreaking accounts of opioid addiction and a legal system less concerned with justice than it is with wringing money out of the broke and desperate. Like the hill women before her, Chambers is pragmatic, fighting for achievable change in a punishing system." -- Shelf Awareness "Surrounded by poverty and decay, Chambers managed to beat the odds and explore life beyond the mountains. . . . In Hill Women, Chambers recounts these experiences, breaking down myths about the region and revealing just how strong its people are." -- Nashville Lifestyle s "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. This is a book that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow "A fascinating view of an often misunderstood population of America and an uplifting ode to the strong women at its core, whose unique stories and sacrifices inspire . . . a book to be celebrated!" --Cea Sunrise Person, author of North of Normal, " Hill Women is a gritty, warm love letter to Appalachian communities and the resourceful womenwho lead them. . . . [It] feels especially urgent now, in our post-2016, post- Hillbilly Elegy America. In a sense, Chambers is responding to the 'bootstraps' narrative of J. D. Vance's controversial memoir, which has been criticized for blaming Appalachians for their own circumstances. Hill Women shows an Appalachia that Hillbilly Elegy obscured." -- Slate "Engaging . . . With humility and humor, Chambers tells not just her own story, but those of her parents, grandparents and other kin, as well as those of her clients, women who struggle to get schooling and work, escape abusive relationships and raise their children despite poverty, isolation, the opioid epidemic and a legal system that makes every action and transaction especially difficult. . . . Chambers' story is especially effective because she tells it without outrage or indignation, rather with gratitude and pride. . . . Hill Women is a fine memoir that shines light on an American region far too often denigrated and stereotyped." --Minneapolis Star Tribune "In Hill Women , Chambers . . . break[s] down myths about the region and reveal[s] just how strong its people are." -- Nashville Lifestyle s "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. This is a book that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow "Cassie Chambers's intimate portrait of the lives of rural mountain women will complicate everything you think you know about Appalachia . . . This is a stunning and expansive book . . . offers us a nuanced and necessary feminist perspective often lacking in our national conversations." --Rachel Louise Snyder, author o f No Visible Bruises "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "A nuanced portrait of the women of Appalachia . . . [Chambers] offers a personal and compassionate voice to the national conversation around poverty, class, and economy in the Coal Belt. . . . The argument floating below the surface of this memoir is one about economy and culture--an economy that generates massive wealth, at great human cost, and a culture of contempt for the poor." -- The Progressive "This Appalachian memoir doesn't just celebrate the women of the hills--it fights for them. . . . [Chambers] faces the region's challenges with heartbreaking accounts of opioid addiction and a legal system less concerned with justice than it is with wringing money out of the broke and desperate. Like the hill women before her, Chambers is pragmatic, fighting for achievable change in a punishing system." -- Shelf Awareness, "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "A family memoir that celebrates the inspiration of strong women within a rural culture most often characterized as patriarchal . . . [Chambers tells] stories that illuminate the hardworking spirit and flashes of hope among the populace, the women in particular." -- Kirkus Reviews "In this age of political divisions, Hill Women offers a loving, luminous look at an often misunderstood and undervalued segment of our society." -- BookPage "Cassie Chambers's intimate portrait of the lives of rural mountain women will complicate everything you think you know about Appalachia. From their quiet stoicism to their often overlooked fortitude, Chambers's characters--herself included--are cobbled from grit, empathy, strength, intellect, and hope. Their tenuous belief in a system that sometimes protects them and sometimes betrays them offers a nuanced and necessary feminist perspective often lacking in our national conversations. Chambers picks up where Sarah Smarsh ended, with a beautiful, authentic, and honest portrayal. This is a stunning and expansive book, and it will stay and stay with you, as it has me." --Rachel Louise Snyder, author o f No Visible Bruises "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. This is a book that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow "A fascinating view of an often misunderstood population of America and an uplifting ode to the strong women at its core, whose unique stories and sacrifices inspire . . . a book to be celebrated!" --Cea Sunrise Person, author of North of Normal, "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. Even though Chambers traveled far from the mountains before returning to the place she calls home, her aunt Ruth told her, 'You still got a piece of hillbilly in your heart.' This is a story that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia "Cassie Chambers's intimate portrait of the lives of rural mountain women will complicate everything you think you know about Appalachia. From their quiet stoicism to their often overlooked fortitude, Chambers's characters--herself included--are cobbled from grit, empathy, strength, intellect, and hope. Their tenuous belief in a system that sometimes protects them and sometimes betrays them offers a nuanced and necessary feminist perspective often lacking in our national conversations. Chambers picks up where Sarah Smarsh ended, with a beautiful, authentic, and honest look at people who've carved out generations of memories and survival from a mountainside that offers no promises for the future.This is a stunning and expansive book, and it will stay and stay with you, as it has me." --Rachel Louise Snyder, author of No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us, "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly, "Cassie Chambers's intimate portrait of the lives of rural mountain women will complicate everything you think you know about Appalachia. From their quiet stoicism to their often overlooked fortitude, Chambers's characters--herself included--are cobbled from grit, empathy, strength, intellect, and hope. Their tenuous belief in a system that sometimes protects them and sometimes betrays them offers a nuanced and necessary feminist perspective often lacking in our national conversations. Chambers picks up where Sarah Smarsh ended, with a beautiful, authentic, and honest look at people who've carved out generations of memories and survival from a mountainside that offers no promises for the future. This is a stunning and expansive book, and it will stay and stay with you, as it has me." --Rachel Louise Snyder, author o f No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us "Cassie Chambers tells the story of the women in the mountains of Kentucky who nurtured her, as well as her own journey to become a fierce defender of Appalachian women. Even though Chambers traveled far from the mountains before returning to the place she calls home, her aunt Ruth told her, 'You still got a piece of hillbilly in your heart.' This is a story that teaches us about service and gratitude, family and the tenuousness of belonging, and the power of education, loyalty, and home." --Steven Stoll, author of Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia "A fascinating view of an often misunderstood population of America and an uplifting ode to the strong women at its core. Their unique stories and sacrifices inspire. A book to be celebrated!" --Cea Sunrise Person, international bestselling author of North of Normal "Women in Kentucky's Appalachian community come into focus in lawyer Chambers's powerful debut memoir, which aims to put a human face on a stereotyped region. . . . This is a passionate memoir, one that honors Appalachia's residents." -- Publishers Weekly "A family memoir that celebrates the inspiration of strong women within a rural culture most often characterized as patriarchal . . . [Chambers tells] stories that illuminate the hardworking spirit and flashes of hope among the populace, the women in particular. . . . A welcome addition to the expanding literature about coming-of-age in Appalachia." -- Kirkus Reviews
