The Help

by Kathryn Stockett
Jenifer's copy, hardcover, 451 pages

PRMS book club title for May(?) - What an incredible book! I'm so glad we decided to read this one, even though I missed part of the discussion. As I read the first few chapters, I had to flip to the back jacket to see who the author was. A white woman! Incredible first novel. The story is told from the perspectives of three women in 1962. Mississippi and the growing civil rights movement create a realistic, turbulent location for Aibilene and Minny - aka "The Help" of the story. Skeeter's growing awareness of the chasm between her world and the world of these women made me think of we all have something of a blind eye for situations that we don't necessarily want to think about. Powerful book, but painful too. I loved it.

I'm such a dork that I wanted Celia and Johnny to take Minny and her kids in to their huge house! I'm such a Pollyanna sometimes . . .

This was blogged on 7/11/10 and I just listened to the audiobook. I love this story! And I strongly dislike the reality it represents in a fictional manner. The vocal work was done by Jenna Lamia (Skeeter), Bahni Turpin (Aibileen), Octavia Spencer (Minny), and Cassandra Campbell (additional narration). The audiobook brings to life the joy, pain, irony, and nuance of 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. I am still amazed at the power of this story.