The Help

Title: The Help
Author:  Kathryn Stockett
Finished: January 28, 2011
Edition: ebook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Kathryn Stocket was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi,  The help is her debut novel and according to Kathryn's web site soon to be a major motion picture from Dreamworks.  Kathryn currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter.

SUMMARY

The Help takes place in Jackson, Mississippi, "The South", Kennedy is President and coloured folk just aren't as good as the whites.

This story is about three women:

Miss Skeeter, a white woman, has just graduated from college, and wants to be a writer.   Miss Skeeter is a daring young woman who chooses to question the black people are treated. Miss Skeeter has lived a sheltered life and doesn't quite realize how dangerous it is in the south at this perilous time of "change", but she does know that there is something wrong when the black woman who raised her and loved her and who Miss Skeeter loves back, cannot even use the same bathroom as her.

Aibileen, is a black maid who works for Miss Skeeter's friend Elizabeth Leefolt.  Aibileen's son died in a work related accident while his white boss stood by and did nothing to help him.  Aibileen is tired of the "white ways".  There is something boiling inside her since her son died but she never lets it out.  Aibileen is raising the white child Mae Mobley Leefolt, Mae is the 17th white child Aibileen has raised and knows the clean, pure feelings the child has for her will change once her mother's bigoted seeds are planted in the child's mind.

Minni, is Aibileen's best friend, she took care of Aibileen after her son passed away.  Came every day to ensure that she was still breathing and brought her dinner.  Minni is also a maid who works for Miss Hilly's mother.  Miss Hilly is another friend of Miss Skeeter's.  Minni works hard but just doesn't seem to know her place and has a sassy mouth that gets her into trouble according to Aibileen.  Miss Hilly fires Minni and spreads a lie through town so no one will hire her again.  Thanks to Aibileen, Minni gets a new job working for a white woman who is too new in town, to know about Minni.  Minni soon realizes that her new employer doesn't seem to know the "white rules", and that her new employer has a secret of her own.

Miss Skeeter wants to be a journalist, wants people to read her written work, and has come up with an idea for a project that would shock anyone she knows.  To complete this project Aibileen and Minni must help her, something that just isn't done in Jackson, Mississippi, putting them all at risk.


MY THOUGHTS

I read The Help for the Take a Chance Challenge.
Even though I was in the middle of reading A Dangerous Fortune, I'd joined the Take a Chance Challenge and was quite anxious to know which book I would be reading first.  Last Friday after work I took a trip to the local Chapters, walked down to the very back of the store, that is where the Staff Pick section is.  It didn't take me long to make my decision, it was so quick I cannot even tell you what else was on the shelf in that section.  I saw The Help, liked the look of the cover, picked it up read the back and I knew I had my book.  Headed home to download my new book for my Kobo.

Now reading on my Kobo I don't really have a good sense of when my book is coming to an end. What does she mean you ask?  Well my machine told me I had two more chapters to go, I flipped the page and found the Acknowledgements and was heart broken that I couldn't spend more time with Aibileen, Minni and Skeeter.  I did not want this book to end.  I cannot tell you enough how much I loved The Help.
The Help is definitely a keeper and will be listed as a to be read again.  Oh can I start now. ;)

My Rating:  5/5

Signing off till next time
L