The book club I'm part of nominated and voted for "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.The book takes place in Jackson, Mississippi at the onset of the Civil Rights movement in 1962. Skeeter, a new college graduate is determined to become a writer while the rest of her friends pine for husbands, pop out babies, and hold bridge club nights in their home. A New York editor willing to give her a chance tells her to write down some stories that she can review. After a couple unsuccessful attempts, Skeeter finds the story of a lifetime - the black maids of Jackson Miss will tell their story; the good and bad of working for the white women employers. And then "The Help" turns into a sad but moving story about the African American help and the white women they work for.
The main characters - Abileen, Minny, and Skeeter are a trio to reckon with. I loved their interactions, ups, and downs. Despite the book's sad tone - there were many times when I found myself laughing out loud. Interspersed through the bleaker stories are those of friendship and love. I loved that Stockett represented both sides of the coin - we all know not everyone was a bigot back then.
I think I loved this book because the story was moving and I related to the characters, being from the south myself. So I'm not sure if everyone will enjoy the book as much as I did...but waiting almost 4 months on the library check out list was definitely worth it. Kudos Ms. Stockett!
