The Last Blue

By Isla Morley,

Book cover of The Last Blue

Book description

A luminous narrative inspired by the fascinating real case of "the Blue People of Kentucky" that probes questions of identity, love, and family.

In 1937, there are recesses in Appalachia no outsiders have ever explored. Two government-sponsored documentarians from Cincinnati, Ohio-a writer and photographer-are dispatched to penetrate this wilderness and…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Last Blue as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Isla Morley's harrowing story is both captivating and surprising.

Her writing is luminous; a key reason why I loved this novel. I would often stop to reread a sentence or a paragraph. It is one of those books you can't put down, while simultaneously not wanting it to end. A gift is that the characters stayed with me long after I did finish.

The Last Blue is inspired by the real life Blue People of Kentucky whom I had not heard of before. I was fascinated to learn this history, although pained that some of human nature's worst attributes, including…

Want books like The Last Blue?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Last Blue.

Browse books like The Last Blue

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in isolation, journalists, and Appalachia?

Isolation 21 books
Journalists 200 books
Appalachia 49 books