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The Life and Times of Rowan Daly
With no living relatives, 18-year-old Rowan Daly leaves the only home she’s ever known to be with her beloved, Eli. They settle in the mining town of New Hope. In 1934 the best paying job is dynamiting rock in the pit—a job Eli volunteers to do with disastrous consequences. When he’s killed, Rowan is alone and abandoned with no way to support herself.
Rowan is recruited to be a Pack Horse Librarian and soon finds herself delivering books to hill families, facing her fears of abandonment, and learning about the unique rural folks she serves.
It’s just the beginning for Rowan—being a Pack Horse Librarian changes her future, giving her a life she could never have imagined.
Rowan is recruited to be a Pack Horse Librarian and soon finds herself delivering books to hill families, facing her fears of abandonment, and learning about the unique rural folks she serves.
It’s just the beginning for Rowan—being a Pack Horse Librarian changes her future, giving her a life she could never have imagined.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 18, 2021
118 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Rex Owens
5 books11 followersMy work explores our motives to make life changing decisions and searches for common themes in our journey to create ourselves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 13, 2022
Charming
This is the story of a young Kentucky coal miners wife left destitute after her husbands death. She is encouraged by another woman to become a traveling librarian delivering books to families in the hills. She enters college and finds purpose in her life. Interesting but characters seemed just a bit flat. Worth a read!
This is the story of a young Kentucky coal miners wife left destitute after her husbands death. She is encouraged by another woman to become a traveling librarian delivering books to families in the hills. She enters college and finds purpose in her life. Interesting but characters seemed just a bit flat. Worth a read!
April 30, 2021
“The Life and Times of Rowan Daly” is an extremely well-researched historical fiction novel that takes us into intriguing and difficult decades in this country’s history, beginning in the Great Depression and moving through the challenges of the home front during World War II and into the strife of the Civil Rights Movement. In particular, the details of the Pack Horse Librarian project were captivating and educational
June 22, 2021
Superb Read
Loved the story of Rowan and her journey from life in the hills, being a librarian on horseback, graduating from college with a degree in library science, losing a dear friend to leukemia, to becoming the head library at the college she graduated from. Rex Owen did a masterful job telling Rowan’s story. I highly recommend this book.
Loved the story of Rowan and her journey from life in the hills, being a librarian on horseback, graduating from college with a degree in library science, losing a dear friend to leukemia, to becoming the head library at the college she graduated from. Rex Owen did a masterful job telling Rowan’s story. I highly recommend this book.
May 19, 2021
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ROWAN DALY is the gripping story of a young woman’s journey from a tragedy that leaves her hopeless and alone, to a new life as a pack horse librarian. The story is wrought with incredible historical detail that takes the reader back to the Great Depression era of 1934. The settings come alive with vivid descriptions of the land and the hill people who live there. The author does a splendid job of creating empathy for Rowan, so that we suffer her agonizing struggles right along with her and root for her to overcome the challenging obstacles placed in her way. Rex Owens is a masterful storyteller whose prose and crisp pacing kept the pages turning. Nicely done
July 7, 2021
I was attracted to the publisher's description of a young widowed woman, who sets out to become a Pack Horse Librarian and from there masters her life through various trials.
I had not heard of this New Deal initiative of sending Pack Horse Librarians into remote appalachian locations to promote literacy among the Hill People. I was thus interested to learn about the Great Depression and its deprivations and the ingenious attempts to remedy them. The author also introduced me to the Dewey Decimal library system, as well as an early viewing device, namely Tru View, which was also used in this early mobile library. The book also touched on the Civil Rights Movement towards its end. I liked these educational aspects a great deal.
I was, however, not fond of the writing style, finding its short sentences staccato and jarring. I also struggled to get a feel for the characters, especially Rowan, who seemed to me a bit insipid, snivelling, and timid, needing to be pushed to success by a friend. I also found many spelling and grammatical errors as well as several inconsistencies, which were irritating and would have needed more rigorous editing and proof reading. For example, towards the beginning, Rowan unpacks the same suitcase in the boarding house on two different occasions, Delaware chickens were described as laying 14 eggs a day, etc. Irritants such as these really marred my reading pleasure.
Overall, this book could be an entertaining and educational read. Unfortunately, it did not quite meet the bar for me.
I had not heard of this New Deal initiative of sending Pack Horse Librarians into remote appalachian locations to promote literacy among the Hill People. I was thus interested to learn about the Great Depression and its deprivations and the ingenious attempts to remedy them. The author also introduced me to the Dewey Decimal library system, as well as an early viewing device, namely Tru View, which was also used in this early mobile library. The book also touched on the Civil Rights Movement towards its end. I liked these educational aspects a great deal.
I was, however, not fond of the writing style, finding its short sentences staccato and jarring. I also struggled to get a feel for the characters, especially Rowan, who seemed to me a bit insipid, snivelling, and timid, needing to be pushed to success by a friend. I also found many spelling and grammatical errors as well as several inconsistencies, which were irritating and would have needed more rigorous editing and proof reading. For example, towards the beginning, Rowan unpacks the same suitcase in the boarding house on two different occasions, Delaware chickens were described as laying 14 eggs a day, etc. Irritants such as these really marred my reading pleasure.
Overall, this book could be an entertaining and educational read. Unfortunately, it did not quite meet the bar for me.
August 6, 2021
Here’s what I liked about this book– Rowan went through a terrible experience at a young age with the death of her husband. Someone she didn’t even know reached out to her, saw something in her, and gave her a chance. That person completely changes Rowan’s life. Life isn’t always easy-and sometimes help is right in front of us. We just have to be willing to accept it.
About the book-Young Rowan is alone in the world after the death of her husband, Eli, in a mining accident. She has no family to rely on and their home has been returned to the mining company. She is living at the Union and she is lost, alone, and in despair. She has a hard time adjusting to this new life and some days she doesn’t even get out of bed as her grief consumes her. In her despair, she meets Florence, who helps care for her and encourages her.
Florence returns one day and offers Rowan a job and a new start. The WPA (Workers Progress Administration) is putting together the “Pack Horse Librarians” and Florence thinks Rowan is a perfect fit for the job. She’ll be moving to Pikeville, live in a Boarding House, and make $28 a month to ride a horse or mule and deliver books to people on her assigned route.
Florence and Rowan had no way to know the many future opportunities that would come their way because of the “Pack Horse Librarians.”
Rowan learned that sometimes you have to take a chance to get what you want in life! Rowan also learns that sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, and who you are, even if it might cost you what you want most in your life.
“Rowan has a story that makes you cheer for her every step along her path!”-Green Gables Book Reviews
About the book-Young Rowan is alone in the world after the death of her husband, Eli, in a mining accident. She has no family to rely on and their home has been returned to the mining company. She is living at the Union and she is lost, alone, and in despair. She has a hard time adjusting to this new life and some days she doesn’t even get out of bed as her grief consumes her. In her despair, she meets Florence, who helps care for her and encourages her.
Florence returns one day and offers Rowan a job and a new start. The WPA (Workers Progress Administration) is putting together the “Pack Horse Librarians” and Florence thinks Rowan is a perfect fit for the job. She’ll be moving to Pikeville, live in a Boarding House, and make $28 a month to ride a horse or mule and deliver books to people on her assigned route.
Florence and Rowan had no way to know the many future opportunities that would come their way because of the “Pack Horse Librarians.”
Rowan learned that sometimes you have to take a chance to get what you want in life! Rowan also learns that sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, and who you are, even if it might cost you what you want most in your life.
“Rowan has a story that makes you cheer for her every step along her path!”-Green Gables Book Reviews
March 9, 2022
I loved the story. This is the fourth book I have read featuring the Horseback Librarians in Kentucky, a program started by President Roosevelt during the Depression to put people to work. The trouble I had with the book was there needed to be some better editing done prior to publishing. There were several scenes that on one page said one thing and then a page or two later it appeared again in different outcome. There were a lot of missing words or incorrect usage of words. This detracted from the story for me.
Rowan Daly was a young woman who was "married" to a coal miner when the story opens and within a few pages he is dead in a mining accident leaving Rowan devastated. The union boss takes care of her and then a woman takes her under her wing and hires her to be a horseback librarian. Rowan moves to a large town, Pikesville where she learns the job. The story takes place as she rides the hills of Kentucky delivering books and reading material and innovating programs to help the hill people read. When Francis is offered the job of library director at the Berea College she eventually brings Rowan to the college where she will study and work and eventually takes over the directorship when Francis dies of leukemia.
Rowan Daly was a young woman who was "married" to a coal miner when the story opens and within a few pages he is dead in a mining accident leaving Rowan devastated. The union boss takes care of her and then a woman takes her under her wing and hires her to be a horseback librarian. Rowan moves to a large town, Pikesville where she learns the job. The story takes place as she rides the hills of Kentucky delivering books and reading material and innovating programs to help the hill people read. When Francis is offered the job of library director at the Berea College she eventually brings Rowan to the college where she will study and work and eventually takes over the directorship when Francis dies of leukemia.
January 27, 2023
Excellent Book
Rex Owens did a fantastic job researching The Great Depression era and the innovative Pack Horse Librarian program of the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Whereas other recently published books of fiction about these brave women centered around romance, conflict, or other details to "spice up" the story; Owens focuses on the women's unwavering dedication to bringing literacy to the hill people. This book was very historically accurate without reading like a history textbook. Spoiler Alert: Owens' portrayal of Berea College was a wonderful tribute to this outstanding educational program! I highly recommend visiting Berea, KY which is a quaint town set in beautiful bluegrass country. Plan on a full day on the college campus where you can visit the student run library, workshops, studios, hotel, restaurant, and gift shop. Contact the college before your visit to obtain information about tours and special events.
Rex Owens did a fantastic job researching The Great Depression era and the innovative Pack Horse Librarian program of the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Whereas other recently published books of fiction about these brave women centered around romance, conflict, or other details to "spice up" the story; Owens focuses on the women's unwavering dedication to bringing literacy to the hill people. This book was very historically accurate without reading like a history textbook. Spoiler Alert: Owens' portrayal of Berea College was a wonderful tribute to this outstanding educational program! I highly recommend visiting Berea, KY which is a quaint town set in beautiful bluegrass country. Plan on a full day on the college campus where you can visit the student run library, workshops, studios, hotel, restaurant, and gift shop. Contact the college before your visit to obtain information about tours and special events.
July 16, 2025
I really liked this book about the adventures of Rowen Daily. I might have given 5 stars, but the author discussed the main character's lack of Christian faith toward the end of the book. Since I'm a Christian, I found the way it was presented to be unpleasant, because that meant that the main character had a very bad outcome awaiting her in eternity.
That spoiled the book for me, because it made me to feel such sorrow for her, and also for the author who would write such a depressing thing toward the end of the book.
I always hurt for people who are nice and contribute some wonderful things to society but can't accept Jesus as Savior. You have my honest feelings here. If your Christian faith is important to you, you may want to skip this or read it and give your thoughts in a review.
That spoiled the book for me, because it made me to feel such sorrow for her, and also for the author who would write such a depressing thing toward the end of the book.
I always hurt for people who are nice and contribute some wonderful things to society but can't accept Jesus as Savior. You have my honest feelings here. If your Christian faith is important to you, you may want to skip this or read it and give your thoughts in a review.
July 15, 2021
Thank you for the novel.
This book had a very strong start. Rowan loses her husband and becomes a pack horse librarian. The characters were set up nicely and so was the plot. Then the author decides to jump forward a full year out of nowhere. Thens shortly after it's another year. Then Rowan goes to college and continues jumping in time. This is where the book lost me. I would have much preferred if it dived into her first year as a pack horse librarian and went into the characters of the families she visited, then add the slow burn romance with Lucas to make it a wholesome plot. I can't say I would recommend this book because it's just all over the place.
This book had a very strong start. Rowan loses her husband and becomes a pack horse librarian. The characters were set up nicely and so was the plot. Then the author decides to jump forward a full year out of nowhere. Thens shortly after it's another year. Then Rowan goes to college and continues jumping in time. This is where the book lost me. I would have much preferred if it dived into her first year as a pack horse librarian and went into the characters of the families she visited, then add the slow burn romance with Lucas to make it a wholesome plot. I can't say I would recommend this book because it's just all over the place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2021
Rowan Review
Rowan presents as a young wife that becomes a widow. Adding to her insecurities of being an orphan, she stayed in the angry stage of grief for what seems a very long time.
I chose this book because of the packhorse librarian history.
The author chose to take her into furthering her education which is great... but there is where the story goes lame.
I forced myself to finish this book. Bland storyline with numerous errors.
Please hire an editor and clean up the book.
Rowan presents as a young wife that becomes a widow. Adding to her insecurities of being an orphan, she stayed in the angry stage of grief for what seems a very long time.
I chose this book because of the packhorse librarian history.
The author chose to take her into furthering her education which is great... but there is where the story goes lame.
I forced myself to finish this book. Bland storyline with numerous errors.
Please hire an editor and clean up the book.
April 20, 2022
What an enjoyable read on an obscure topic, the short lived Pack horse librarians of the depression era in Apalacia. loved the depictions of the challenges and traumas to deal with and overcome in life. The defections of the women make me wonder who the authors role models were as they felt very realistic and believable full of heart and soul.You can tell he has a fondness for libraries and their role in society. I can't wait for his next book.
August 6, 2022
The author struggles to keep facts straight .In the beginning the author tells us Rowan has her money in her hand , then a few paragraphs later , she goes to get her money . Later on Rowan has been in a certain place for a lot of years then , later chapters it is just a few years
There is few instances of depth in the story , I wanted lots of details and depth about the Packhorse Library and it is lacking in this book
There is few instances of depth in the story , I wanted lots of details and depth about the Packhorse Library and it is lacking in this book
August 25, 2023
An excellent story set in the mid 1930s Applachia. When this young woman suddenly becomes a widow, she refuses to feel sorry for herself. During this period in American history, women did not work outside their homes, much less take on a job that would have them outside, on horseback, in all kinds of weather. Her interactions with the mountain peoples is fascinating. This book is so well written, you would swear it was nonfiction.
November 23, 2025
Interesting to learn about pack horse librarians and Eleanor Roosevelt's involvement. However, I found at least six typos throughout (autocorrect didn't flag them as they were valid words). I hope Mr. Owens didn't pay his editor very much! Spoiler alert: An interesting character was introduced at the beginning and I always expected they would be reintroduced as the story unfolded. They never were and I kept reading, waiting for the good part, quite disappointing AND a lame ending.
April 1, 2024
Rating: 4.5
The characters were well-developed, entertaining, and at times relatable. The ambiance was pleasant, but more information in some sections and fewer details in others would have enhanced the immersive experience and flow of the story. The writing and plot were nice, but it felt like playing tug of war at points owing to the rapid time changes of a few months to two years.
The characters were well-developed, entertaining, and at times relatable. The ambiance was pleasant, but more information in some sections and fewer details in others would have enhanced the immersive experience and flow of the story. The writing and plot were nice, but it felt like playing tug of war at points owing to the rapid time changes of a few months to two years.
March 11, 2025
This book reminded me of the type of writing that a child of 10 to 12 would read for a book report. There were a lot of grammatical errors . It needed better editing and had a bland storyline. If anyone has read The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek or The Bookwoman’s Daughter, they would find this book very disappointing. I had to put it down. DNF
June 29, 2021
Rowan
A very descriptive article about a scared,timid young woman who had to be shown she was worthy. When she started to accomplish things it was like her world expanded. A very realistic word picture of that period of history.
A very descriptive article about a scared,timid young woman who had to be shown she was worthy. When she started to accomplish things it was like her world expanded. A very realistic word picture of that period of history.
September 23, 2021
Good story, but it lacks characterization. There's very little descriptive narrative....It reads like a middle school book report. It has the potential of a wonderful book, but I got bored with it about halfway through.
January 6, 2022
This was an interesting story that, I feel, didn't live up to its potential. The writing was a bit immature. I can't put my finger on it. So while I liked it overall, I feel it could have been written better.
August 12, 2025
Interesting
This story of the life of Rowan Daly was very interesting. It makes you think of how sometimes your life just seems to happen to you. Love and loss. Personal discoveries and growth. Choices we make.
This story of the life of Rowan Daly was very interesting. It makes you think of how sometimes your life just seems to happen to you. Love and loss. Personal discoveries and growth. Choices we make.
November 11, 2025
A Pack Horse libarian
A fun book to read. The story of Rowan Daly makes you feel like you are experiencing her life trials as you read it. Love the history of the growth of a library.
A fun book to read. The story of Rowan Daly makes you feel like you are experiencing her life trials as you read it. Love the history of the growth of a library.
August 8, 2021
I have read several books about the pack horse libraians and this one left a little to be desired in the telling of the story. For me it was just an ok book.
September 1, 2021
Really enjoyed this book
I enjoyed learning of the horseback librarians. Rowans challenges and accomplishments were well displayed. Her relationship with Florence was warming.
I enjoyed learning of the horseback librarians. Rowans challenges and accomplishments were well displayed. Her relationship with Florence was warming.
January 2, 2022
Outstanding
It was great to see a historical novel without the added romance. This was an excellent read. I highly recommend it.
It was great to see a historical novel without the added romance. This was an excellent read. I highly recommend it.
October 15, 2022
excellent story
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in 2 days. Interesting history about libraries and their beginnings. Anyone interested should read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in 2 days. Interesting history about libraries and their beginnings. Anyone interested should read this book.
December 13, 2022
So many loose ends. I won't read another of this author.
February 25, 2024
I thought this would be more about the Pack Horse Librarians but that was just a small piece of the book.
It was an okay story but a disappointing read.
It was an okay story but a disappointing read.
March 11, 2024
Loved this lovely and touching story about friendship and loyalty.
October 25, 2024
Pack Horse Library Ladies
Rowan Daly and the other Pack Horse ladies were phenomenal.. Bringing books and reading to many who would otherwise have gone without..
Rowan Daly and the other Pack Horse ladies were phenomenal.. Bringing books and reading to many who would otherwise have gone without..
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews