Appalachia has long been an economically depressed region, and its social conditions are just as harsh. Bobi Conn’s story fully evokes these sentiments in readers’ hearts. She was raised in extremely oppressive circumstances (drugs; physical, sexual, and verbal abuse; limited opportunities). However, she learned to pour herself into reading and writing, and these activities allowed her to build a semblance of a good life. Nonetheless, she still grieves over the people – family, relationships, and friendships – she has left behind.
This story is how her persistent pursuit of something better saved Conn from a dead-end life. Full of struggle, Conn’s story relates how continual effort and creative reinvention can slowly and ineluctably bring one out of horrible circumstances. Conn never has one “got-it” moment. Instead, she slowly crafts a life of independence amidst utter loneliness.
There isn’t a lot of hope and resolution to the beginning or middle of this story. Only in the final few chapters are these themes conveyed. In many ways, this is a story of life throwing the worst of itself at one person, and that person shakes it off and moves on to a better tomorrow. Readers of A Hillbilly Elegy will find common ground in this saga; at first glance, however, Conn’s experiences seem even darker than those in the Elegy.
The sorrow in this story can get repetitive at times, but this being a memoir, the reader is reminded that this tale is true. The boredom in repetitive horrors was felt by the author in real life. That realization evokes compassion. This story is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those looking for a feel-good narrative. The sad facts of Appalachia – a culture that demeans women, limited economic opportunities, ubiquitous drug use – pervade every aspect of this reflective piece.
I don’t think it’s fair to call Conn’s story “a triumph of the American spirit.” There is too much tragedy, too much suffering, and too much defeat. Nonetheless, her tale of persistence and determination cannot but draw out a degree of admiration in a sensitive reader. She persisted, and she persisted, and she persisted. She did not give up and give into the dark night. That story is the essence of this memoir’s legacy, and the compassionate reader will find her/his emotions stretched in trying to understand how to relate to Conn. The temptation to despair is always there for both author and reader but never taken. Her story teaches us how we can better relate to our fellow human beings in the worst of circumstances.
In the Shadow of the Valley: A Memoir
By Bobi Conn
Copyright (c) 2020
Amazon Publishing
ASIN B07TTJ5F7V
Page Count: 296
Genre: Memoir/Autobiography
www.amazon.com