Skip to main content

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Synopsis - Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, Skeeter is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives (and a small Mississippi town) upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up (to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community). Despite Skeeter's life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories.
Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly (and unwillingly) caught up in the changing times.
I downloaded this as an audio book to listen to while I worked or during workouts. I have tried reading it in book form several times, but struggled with the deep south drawl that it's written in. Hearing it read by people who almost acted it out, made it so much easier.
This author is extraordinarily talented, not many authors can make me laugh out loud while on the brink of tears, but Kathryn Stockett has that sort of talent. I absolutely loved this book.
The characters (big and small) were so well written, that you felt as if you knew them yourself. Some were immensely unlikable while others were so enjoyable, I was sorry when the book was over.
The imagery was also incredibly well written. So much that, by the end of the book, I read the last 20 chapters in book form so that I could experience reading the author's written word. This was a rare book that left me wanting more at the end.
Check it out at Amazon.com by clicking the title above or for Amazon.co.uk click here

Comments

Chris said…
I will defiantly be buying this one!

Popular posts from this blog

Our Disaster of a Day!

My in-laws just left after a five day visit.  I don't mind it being a five day visit, but then again, five days of your house not being your own is always a bit unsettling and although I don't look forward to their departure when they are here, I can't say I'm sad to have things go back to normal. As a treat for my son's birthday, we took him to the Museum of Natural History in London on Thursday.  He chose to go because we took him last year (he's been crazy about dinosaurs since he was three years old).  They give out adventure packs at the museum which consist of a back pack, safari hat, and binoculars with an adventure to follow during their visit.  The back pack has clues in it to solve a mystery.  Last year it had a dinosaur claw, a tooth and a sample of dinosaur skin he had to match up to one on display.  He had a great time solving the mystery and even remembered which dinosaur it ended up being. Last year's trip was wonderful.  We walked right in,

Playing with my new lens...

I got a new camera lens for my birthday last week.  I don't have a lot of time to play with it, but this is one of the first shots I took...

Beside myself

I had to spend my morning trying not to watch the news knowing because of the time difference, it would be many hours before I could call my loved ones back home (in NJ & NY).  To help pass the time, I took my son to the movies and started making calls on the walk home.  I spoke to my parents, sister and a few friends getting confirmation of my family's safety and most of my friends.  I still can't reach my best friend who lives in Staten Island, NY.  I've been trying to call her once and hour every hour for the last five hours, but still haven't reached her.  Every hour that goes by makes me more and more anxious and I am beside myself with worry.  I spoke to her yesterday.  She was supposed to be evacuated, but chose to stay.  I tried to talk her into going, but couldn't change her mind.  I made her promise she'd call first thing in the morning, but it didn't happen.  Large portions of Staten Island have been devastated by the hurricane and I can't