Creeker: A Woman's Journey (Women in Southern Culture) [Paperback]

Linda Scott DeRosier (Author)

Book Description

Series: Women in Southern Culture | Publication Date: June 21, 2002

Linda Sue Preston was born on a feather bed in the upper room of her Grandma Emmy's log house in the hills of eastern Kentucky. More than fifty years later, Linda Scott DeRosier has come to believe that you can take a woman out of Appalachia but you can't take Appalachia out of the woman. DeRosier's humorous and poignant memoir is the story of an educated and cultured woman who came of age in Appalachia. She remains unabashedly honest about and proud of her mountain heritage. Now a college professor, decades and notions removed from the creeks and hollows, DeRosier knows that her roots run deep in her memory and language and in her approach to the world. DeRosier describes an Appalachia of complexity and beauty rarely seen by outsiders. Hers was a close-knit world; she says she was probably eleven or twelve years old before she ever spoke to a stranger. She lovingly remembers the unscheduled, day-long visits to friends and family, when visitors cheerfully joined in the day's chores of stringing beans or bedding out sweet potatoes. No advance planning was needed for such trips. Residents of Two-Mile Creek were like family, and everyone was ""delighted to see each other wherever, whenever, and for however long."" Creeker is a story of relationships, the challenges and consequences of choice, and the impact of the past on the present. It also recalls one woman's struggle to make and keep a sense of self while remaining loyal to the people and traditions that sustained her along life's way. Told with wit, candor, and zest, this is Linda Scott DeRosier's answer to the question familiar in Appalachia--""Who are your people?""

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. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

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

"Creeker is a learning experience, breaking down stereotypes. For the reader who grew up in the region, Creeker is a nostalgic look back at a proud people who do not need to or want sympathy.... A must read for all Kentuckians." -- Kentucky Woman

"There is nothing typical about this memoir, which is full of not only the language but also the values, humor, and perseverance of DeRosier's family." -- Kirkus Reviews

"A lively, irreverent memoir." -- Knoxville News-Sentinel

"I keep buying copies of Creeker to give to all my favorite people -- what a warm, smart, funny, and enlightening book it is. An unusual combination of fierce intelligence, unstinting honesty, and engaging narrative voice makes this a standout memoir." -- Lee Smith

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

"Meets the harshness and the narrowness with a gentle humor while she displays the bonding of family and that of community in all their glory." -- Mountain Eagle

"An engaging, entertaining, enjoyable read." -- Now and Then

"A frank, in-depth account of mountain mores, the habits and morally binding customs of us mountain people." -- Paintsville Herald

"A thoughtful, powerful, and realistic perspective on what it meant to grow up female in Appalachia -- and the effects on a person long after the mountains have been left behind." -- Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

"Offers a fresh voice from Appalachia. DeRosier generously shares what she has learned from experience, from close observation, and from introspection -- all presented with impressive common sense and insight." -- Sandra L. Ballard

"An odyssey laced with tenderness and objectivity." -- Southern Seen

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

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

"This attentive, frank memoir of an ambitious young woman growing up in Martin County, in rural Eastern Kentucky, gives an interesting and useful feel for the region." -- Appalachian Heritage

"This poignant autobiography is a celebration of Appalachia told through the story of one woman." -- Appalachian Quarterly

"Rich in language, values, humor, and detail." -- Ashland Independent

"DeRosier makes an irresistible companion as she charts how she became who she is, an improbable journey from Linda Sue to Lee to Linda, through college, graduate school, and a first marriage." -- Booklist

"A rare gem because it is an astonishing look at life in Appalachia without the 'spin' typically put on the portrait by journalists with TV cameras." -- Bourbon Times

"With an almost magical use of language, DeRosier offers her readers nuggets of wisdom for every little corner of life." -- Bowling Green Daily News

"Effectively blends sociology, memoir, autobiography, coming of age and discovering voice, and probably a whole lot of other things. Most of all, however, it's a story that tells a tale of our age, and that is priceless for future generations." -- Bowling Green Daily News

"Creeker is must reading if you want to understand Appalachian family values." -- Central Record (Garrard Co., KY)

"I was prepared neither for the power of DeRosier's prose nor for the fact that much of her story would have me laughing out loud." -- Huntington Herald-Dispatch

"A place this reader delights to be taken, and a person it was a pleasure to meet." -- Huntsville Times

"Both a joy to read and a serious exploration of rural Appalachian culture." -- Journal of Appalachian Studies

"Does what all good biography and autobiography and memoirs should do -- it shows the inner spirit and humanity of an individual, complete with frailties and doubts, rather than trumpeting a list of lifelong accomplishments and good deeds. DeRosier has produced an absolute gem." -- Journal of Southern History

"Her narrative is captivating, moving quickly and sensitively, creating a sense of personal connection with the reader." -- Kentucky Libraries

"[DeRosier] 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." -- books-regional-us.blogspot.com

"Arthur DeRosier has done a wonderful job of recovering and recreating Dunbar's life and times." -- Frank Cogleano, Scottish Historical Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky (June 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081319024X
• ISBN-13: 978-0813190242
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #480,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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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!