Creeker: A Woman's Journey [Hardcover]

Linda Scott Derosier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999 | Series: Women in Southern Culture

“Mine was not the Kentucky of bluegrass, juleps, and cotillions; the Kentucky of my youth was one of coal banks, crawdads, and country music.”

A memoir of growing up in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Creeker heralds the arrival of a fresh new voice. Linda Scott DeRosier’s humorous yet poignant autobiography is the story of an educated and cultured American woman who came of age in Appalachia and remains unabashedly honest about and proud of her mountain heritage.

Those who wax nostalgic about the beauty of the “old ways” probably never drew lye from ashes to produce a hunk of soap or hoed a hill of corn in a Kentucky August when the air was so wet and heavy you needed gills to breathe. DeRosier has, and she chronicles her life with honesty, wit, and insight.

A tale that begins and ends with family, this is a story not only of accomplishment but of acknowledgement—of self, relationships, the challenges and consequences of choice, and the impact of the past on the present. It describes an Appalachia of complexity and beauty rarely revealed to outsiders.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

A memoir of growing up in, and then living outside of, eastern Kentuckys Appalachian Mountains, by an author proud of her heritage. Linda Sue Preston Scott DeRosier may not be as famous as Loretta Lynn, Appalachias most beloved daughter, but her journey has been as long as, and perhaps even more unlikely than, that of the ``Coal Miners Daughter.'' Born at home in 1941, raised in the rural community of Two-Mile Creek, and finding herself still unmarried at 17, she went to college on a scholarship and, among many other experiences (marriage, work, raising a son), discovered that what she truly craved was knowledge. Now a professor of psychology at Rocky Mountain College, she offers this book as her tribute to the family who nurtured her and the community that, though DeRosier lives in Montana, she still calls home. Her hillbilly-influenced syntax (for which a full and entertaining glossary is provided) shines through the palimpsests of higher education and feminism, giving readers a hint of what life as a ``creeker'' (i.e., one who grew up in the more rural hollers of Appalachia) must have sounded like. Though her childhood was in some ways characteristic of those highly intelligent women who grew up stifled by the 50s and discovered themselves in the 60s, there is nothing typical about this memoir, which is full of not only the language but also the values, humor, and perseverance of DeRosiers family. The sheer amount of physical work, as portrayed in her descriptions of the routine of chores and cooking and farming, provide quite a contrast to the Leave It to Beaver image of the typical 50s suburban household. By the time she writes that ``there is a comin-home spirit that is an essential part of growing up in Appalachia,'' that much, and quite a bit more, is abundantly clear. Rich in both language and history, enjoyable, informative, and ``sharpern ary tack.'' (32 b&w photos, unseen) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

"Belongs in all Appalachian collections." -- Tenessee Librarian

"Shows the inner spirit and humanity of an individual, complete with frailties and doubts. DeRosier has produced an absolute gem.” -- Journal of Southern History

“An engaging, entertaining, enjoyable read.” -- Now & Then

“Creeker more than lives up to the insights one would expect from someone who teaches psychology.” -- Ace Magazine

“DeRosier’s memoir is both painful and touching as she recounts the hardships encountered after leaving Two-Mile.” -- Kentucky Monthly

“Quite simply, Creeker is one of the finest autobiographies ever written by a Kentuckian.” -- Lexington Herald-Leader

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081312123X
• ISBN-13: 978-0813121239
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #965,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creeker is inspirational! Full of universal truths!, December 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Creeker: A Woman's Journey (Hardcover)

This book is not just a chronicle of the author's existence. It is instead a book that made me focus on my life and relationships within my family. This author has taken her life and presented it in such a way that it helped me get more insight into mine.

She has also given me insight into, and great respect for a part of this country that has long been mysterious to most of us. To be honest, this is the first really positive thing I have seen about Appalachia. Derosier makes it clear that she loves and honors what she calls her "place" and her "people" as she shows how her extended family has shaped the life she lives today. While there may not have been a lot of money changing hands, there is a beauty and richness in the relationships of these people that some of us can only wish for in our own lives. I know I will be discussing Creeker with my family.

What a book, chock full of universal truths and wisdom! Derosier's language is at once plain and beautiful and I found myself getting lost in it for long periods of time. I have highlighted many places in this book and I plan to put it near the telephone to share with my friends and family.

Great book! When's the next one coming out?

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some books must be read, Creeker is one of them*****, October 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Creeker: A Woman's Journey (Hardcover)

If you've ever thought about the consequences and significance of your life, your family and your home, then you are like me. And, if you're like me, then chances are pretty good that you'll count Scott-DeRosier's "Creeker" among your favorites. This is an interesting and gripping autobiography of a woman who is living the kind of life we all hope to live; it made me laugh out loud, reflect on the choices in my own life, and it moved me to tears -- all qualities of a book to be read more than once. In addition to all these strengths, Scott-DeRosier shared her Appalachian Mountain memories lovingly and candidly. Through her you will see what you've never seen before, respect people you might not have thought about before, and find reasons to hope for renewed community in our own lives. There was so much familiar in Scott-DeRosier's life story that I recognized those universal questions and truths that resonate in my own life, in all our lives no matter where we come from.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't think of a book I've read recently I enjoyed more, April 16, 2000

By 

Suzanne Amara (MA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Creeker: A Woman's Journey (Hardcover)

This book is written in such a unique and wonderful style. The author has no pretense at all---she is totally honest and straightforward and writes as if she is talking to a close friend. I think she is able to tell the story of her Appalachian childhood with a perspective gained from being on the "outside" in body for many years, but not in her heart. I feel like I learned much about that region that I had never known, and many of my misconceptions were exposed to me! I especially liked that this book did not stop when her childhood was over, but told of the rest of her life up to this date, so you were able to see how her further life was influenced by her childhood and its shaping of her attitudes. This book has other stories to tell, too---how it feels to be a golf widow, how you can end a marriage but not the friendship it was based on, how someone who never planned to do so moves up in the academic world, and more! Books like this are such a gem as they preserve forever a way of life that is probably not going to be here in another 50 years. You will really enjoy the time you spend reading this book!