Bookworm

[#1]

Tenacity and bravery comes in many forms. In Katheryn Stockett’s first novel The Help, we discover a group of individuals who have toiled for years, largely unnoticed and unappreciated, as the black caregivers and maids of white southern families. Its 1962 and Eugenia “Skeeter” Plelan, newly graduated from Ole Miss, returns to her parents’ cotton farm in Jackson, Mississippi.

The civil rights movement is in its infancy. Her Junior League friends, who have grown up in a culture of racism, now have maids of their own and continue this mistreatment. While despising the maids on one hand, they also rely on them to raise their own children and take care of their home.

When one friend makes an issue of not allowing her maid to use the family’s toilet (she’s relegated to an outside commode), Skeeter takes issue and decides to use her writing skills to capture the stories of these hard-working women. 

Although Skeeter has assured them they will remain anonymous, most are too afraid to talk out of fear of reprisal. Two strong-willed women bravely step forward and sign on to the project. The first is Aibileen, who has raised 17 white children, followed shortly after by her friend Minny. Minny routinely loses her positions when she speaks back after being insulted or abused by her employers.

Eventually, 10 other women will follow in their footsteps to share their experiences and feelings, all with a bit of racy humor, somewhat surprising considering the long, thankless hours these women have worked for years…at nominal pay. It’s a fascinating look at the interpersonal workings of these disparate groups of women. The book provides compelling insight into the courage it takes for these African American women to share their voice and experiences.

About the Author

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and Creative Writing, she moved to New York City where she worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years. She currently lives in Atlanta with her family. The Help is her first novel.

By the Bookworm's Bed

The Bonesetter’s Daughter

By Amy Tan

[#2]

Loved this book! It'll touch all of your emotions. Although a little difficult to read at times, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended! I hear it will be made into a movie this summer.

[#3]

I agree!  It was truly a page turner. I also heard that it's been turned into a movie. Check out the article at the Huffington Post for an update on this.

Thanks for the feedback! Sandy

[#4]

wow -- it sounds great...i'll give it a try....

[#5]

In a strangely related story, my daughter has a friend who is doing Teach for America somewhere in Mississippi, and he is really upset by the amount of prejudice he is seeing on a regular basis. He loves the kids he's working with, but he can't believe there is still so much racism around him. I hope that he is just experiencing one bad pocket and that the conditions mentioned in the book above are more the exception than the rule now. But it was shocking to hear this...

[#6]

Great Book! Could not put it down.

[#7]

I just read an article on the author and how she repeatedly got rejected when she first sent this book out to publishers. Whenever she got feedback, she would go back to make revisions accordingly. After about 30 rejections (!) she kept at it secretly, too embarrassed to admit to her friends and even her husband that she was still trying to get a bite.

After 60 rejections (yow!), she finally got accepted by the 61st company and the rest is history. I guess this proves that perseverance and passion can pay off. I am going to let everyone I know who writes for a living about this so that they don't give up in defeat after a handful of rejections.

[#8]

I'd love to hear how the people who've read the book AND seen the movie feel about the movie? Is it faithful? Is it as good as the book? I'd prefer to read the book first before seeing the movie, but I'd love feedback anyway on the movie. Thanks in advance!

[#9]

I found the movie a marvelous adaptation of the book.  Excellent acting.  One friend told me she could have watched three or four more hours of this story.  I read the book first.  Amazing story, beautifully told.  I highly recommend also the non-fiction books:  Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball, and The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.  Both are very readable as well as informative.