Ma Kiley: The Life of a Railroad Telegrapher

First of all, this book was interesting to me because the author, Mattie Brite Kiley, was my cousin and family history always interests me. Second, I'm a dyed in the wool train buff and could hear and smell steam while reading this little book. Mostly, this book is a fantastic picture of one facet of day to day rail operations in an era long gone, and will bring tears to your eyes to think how quickly this time has come and gone. This woman's struggle to survive in a rough and tumble world is beyond my powers of description.

This book is about a female Railroad telegrapher around the turn of the century.For those interested in either Railroading Or Telegraphy, it is excellent.More than that, though, it shows the will of a woman who is determined to "make it" and she does not take any "stuff" off of anybody.She has a failed marriage and a baby and learns telegraphy as a matter of survival. Of course, it is still a male dominated profession but it shows the sheer will of survival and she goes about her way and does her job and she did succeed.Ma Kiley faced the same issues that working women do today: female discrimination, child care, etc, but she does it all and without complaint.I highly recommend this well written book to all who are interested in any of the subjects of telegraphy and railroading and this lady's spirit shows through.