mountain girl: from barefoot to boardroom
BOOK TRAILER
Mountain Girl: From Barefoot to Boardroom presents an enthralling account of Marilyn Moss Rockefeller’s colorful journey from her humble beginnings on an Appalachian farm to the helm of a multimillion-dollar company.
If someone had told MarilynRae that she would one day create an internationally successful business and marry into the Rockefeller family, she would not have believed it. Born on an impoverished farm in the mountains of West Virginia, feisty MarilynRae spent her childhood climbing trees and breaking the rules. But, while she relished the simplicity of the rural life she was born into, she was destined to embark on a head-spinning adventure that would lead her to encounter people and places beyond her wildest dreams.
Mountain Girl: From Barefoot to Boardroom (an Islandport Press paperback) is Marilyn’s fast-paced and engrossing account of how she transformed from a “hillbilly tomboy” to the cultured and accomplished owner of the iconic Moss, Inc. Detailing eye-opening stories of her determination to weather overwhelming challenges including the untimely death of her father, the ever-present and deleterious influence of alcohol in her family, and the immense pressure to shed her identity as a “mountain girl,” Marilyn reveals how her tenacity and resilience enabled her to thrive in even the most difficult circumstances.
Upon partnering with the enigmatic designer Bill Moss, Marilyn’s world was filled with influential people, exotic locales, and an unpredictable, bohemian lifestyle. From hosting Andy Warhol and attending the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans to enjoying private cooking lessons from Julia Child in her own kitchen, Marilyn’s encounters proved to be both thrilling and life-altering.
Yet, as creative, self-proclaimed "hippies," Bill and Marilyn often struggled to make ends meet. Because Bill's erratic work ethic and inconsistent income could not support their growing family, Marilyn was determined to find a way to succeed. When it became apparent that their Moss tent had the potential to appeal to a broader audience, Marilyn took charge of the operation and transformed it into the multimillion-dollar company it is today.
Recounting a dizzying array of astonishing, heart-wrenching, and amusing stories from a remarkably memorable life, Marilyn paints a picture of a tenacious, humble, and trail-blazing woman whose desire to make a difference reverberates throughout her story and her life’s work.
MAJOR ENDORSEMENTS
This book about an indomitable woman offers hope for everything we want to believe about our country. Marilyn Moss Rockefeller proves that with courage, intelligence, and a sense of humor all things are possible.
Ruth Reichl, author of the New York Times bestseller Save Me the Plums and other books
If there was ever a life worth writing about, it is Marilyn Moss Rockefeller’s. Mountain Girl is her unassuming journey made epic by her capacity to find faith in her doubts; to own her struggles and triumphs; to be tenacious yet carefree; to crave adventure as well as stability; to ultimately say yes, yes, yes to all those moments—big and small—which make a life come alive.
Richard Blanco, author of The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood and other books
Mountain Girl is sometimes hilarious, sometimes tragic, sometimes jaw-dropping, and always a huge pleasure to read. Marilyn Moss Rockefeller's Mountain Girl is at once a classic American story and a delicious account of an off-the-charts life full of unpredictable turns.
Natalie Goldberg, bestselling author of Writing Down the Bones and many other books
This is a book I will always treasure. Yes, it's a "rags to riches" narrative, but told by a woman with such honesty, insight, and evocative language that I didn't want to miss a single sentence.
Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife; Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette; Four Spirts; Sherlock in Love; and other books
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Mountain Girl: From Barefoot to Boardroom is available at IslandportPress.com, Amazon.com and from your local bookseller