Loretta Lynn - Still Woman Enough (with Patsi Bale Cox)

After the success of the book and movie, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta still felt that she had more to say – or maybe things to clear up – and so, in 2002, wrote this sequel.

 I believe that another incident helped her to decide to write more – the death of her husband, Doolittle, who got her career started, but who was also an abusive, cheating, scumbag . She elaborates on many of her previous stories and adds more to them and while she continues to defend her spouse, you can’t help feeling bad for the person who withstood these mental and physical blows. She is always quick to point out that she was no angel herself, but her exploits are beyond minor when compared to her husband’s. As the book unfolds, it is more than obvious that she had quite a bit to say about her late husband and while continuing to defend him, she tells plenty of sickening stories of his womanizing and more.

She opens up about other aspects of her life, such as pretty much all of her kids having failed marriages – you get the feeling that they didn’t want to end up like their parents, in a marriage based on infidelity and lies. At least a couple of the boys did become alcoholics, like their father, and one died – drowned in an accident. Not long after, her husband died, along with other relatives. Life has certainly not been easy for Loretta.

But, she eventually returned to music and it did help her to cope with everything else. She is a bit cagey but mentions a new man in her life, who sounds like a much better person than her late husband. She has had health issues herself, but now that she has returned to performing, she wants to continue to do so as long as she can.

There's a lot of sadness in this tale, but she is a strong woman - maybe just now finding that our about herself - and a great talent.