Mountain Girl: From Barefoot to the Boardroom

by Marilyn Moss Rockefeller

From growing up in the mountains of West Virginia to running iconic Moss Tents on the coast of Maine, Marilyn Moss Rockefeller's life has been one long adventure. Her childhood may read like a sad country song, but heartbreak and pain only fueled her determination to grab the world by the harness and ride with a dynamic combination of guts, luck, charm, and intellect. Mountain Girl is an inspiring and poignant story that shows how grit and soul can take a person from barefoot in Appalachia to the boardrooms of industry without losing that special something or selling out. In her own words, Rockefeller writes about a fascinating life that has been "well-lived and a hoot to boot."

Genres: Memoir

197 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2022

About the author

Marilyn Moss Rockefeller published her memoir, Mountain Girl (Islandport Press) in 2022. She is also the author of Bill Moss: Fabric Artist & Designer (Chawezi, 2013), which won an IPPY Silver Medal. Her essay, “My Grandmother’s Kitchen” was included in the anthology Breaking Bread (2022). Other short work has appeared in publications such as Orbis, Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, Espazio, Louisville Literary Review, and others. She has an MFA in writing from Spalding University.

Widely recognized as a successful and socially responsible business leader, Marilyn cofounded Moss Tent Works with Bill Moss in 1975 and served as president and CEO of Moss Inc until she sold the company in 2001. She and Moss Inc won many awards, including the University of Southern Maine’s Distinguished Achievement Award. While president of Moss Inc., Marilyn was recognized by New Hope for Women for establishing supportive workplace policies for domestic violence victims. She also served as chair of the board of trustees at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art.

Born and raised in the hills of West Virginia, she now resides with her husband, James Rockefeller, in midcoast Maine. She is currently completing a new collection of essays.

Reviews

[Beth Withers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marilyn Moss Rockefeller grew up in West Virginia during a time when it was difficult to leave the state. A lot of our family is there and has been for generations, and I've heard the stories of just how difficult it was to travel around the state, much less leave it. Opportunities were few. Her mother was a teacher and held a position with the state education department in a time when women didn't generally hold positions of authority. Even though Marilyn was raised by her grandparents since her parents had to travel for their jobs, I think that her mother's example helped to encourage her to get an education that eventually led to her success in the corporate world.
The book, however, is less about her life growing up, since she moved away at age 9, and more about her life after leaving WV. I enjoyed reading the book immensely, but I was hoping there would be more about her growing up. I was pleased that the values she learned from her grandparents stayed with her through her business successes.
**I received a free copy of this book through LibraryThings Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.**

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was well worth reading. Not as a piece of literature, but as a fast reading memoir of MarilynRae Nash, a young girl from Appalachia (later taking the name Moss, and subsequently Rockefeller) and her bumpy convoluted life to become the president of Moss Tents in Camden, Maine. It is an engaging story of fortitude and good fortune, both of which led her to success in life and as a business owner. I enjoyed reading this and found it hopeful and inspiring.

[R.J. Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do we keep with us when everything around us is changing? In her story Mountain Girl, Marilyn Moss Rockefeller answers that nothing changes unless you allow it to, you are you and that is carried with you forever. This is the very thought I had as I closed this wonderful memoir.

For the full review go to: https://rjheller.com/2023/02/23/mount...

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read. Engaging story of a woman whose decisions and luck took her from difficult family circumstances to hectic marriage-and-business to success and standing in her community. The author did a good job of keeping the story moving – leaving out many pages of her life, I'm sure – with enough emotion to make it feel real, but not enough to let the reader get bogged down. Well written.

[Dory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the writing lacked a level of sophistication, I enjoyed reading this saga by a woman born into very limited means who pulls herself up by her bootstraps to become a successful business executive despite a difficult first marriage to a brilliant but very troubled man. Her pride in her ability to reinvent herself is well-earned.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. Maine connection.

[Hugo Heriz-smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I read it out loud on a car trip, and everybody in the car wanted me to keep on reading!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the audio book narrator. The story was nice to listen to but she seemed a little full of herself at the end there.

[tasharce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up is reconnecting with your inner child

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mountain Girl by Marilyn Moss Rockefeller had me reading in the middle of the night. Growing up very poor in West Virginia, she ends up as a President and CEO of a company in Maine that went international and married a Rockefeller.

Her mother had a lot of drive and taught school in a lot of little country towns in West Virginia. When her father left to do construction jobs, her mother could not raise Marilyn while teaching and driving many miles so she sent her daughter over the state line to Virginia and Marilyn lived with her grandparents. Being surrounded by nature on a farm, feeding, killing, and plucking the chickens, shee felt the love that she was lacking from her mother. She loved being in the country and reading all the books in library.

Her mother brought her back to live her and she felt that she had to please her all the time, wear frilly dresses instead of the jeans she loved, learn to speak properly, not like a hillbilly. It was very painful having to act perfect all the time. Later in life in different situations, she felt that she had to act to please people over and over again.

Her first marriage was long and something that had to be endured. But when the company her husband and another designer was sure to fail, her step father talked her into stepping and running it. Not knowing about about running a company, she had lessons to learn and became more self confident and began to change into the real Marilyn.

[Susan Daignault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed reading this book!