The Help

After anxiously awaiting a copy of this book, I have it in my possession and have read it. It was great. This is Kathryn Stockett's first book, which sadly means it is her only current offering. I will definitely pick up any other books she might write.

This book is an insightful treatment of what it was like to be "the help" in the South in the 60's. The story revolves around three women, two black women with differing experiences and one white woman who wants to help them tell their story. Together these courageous women uncover the hidden side of the conundrum of the help. Stockett does a beautiful job of letting the reader into the world that she is portraying. She highlights the way that the help was both trusted to raise children and distrusted in a myriad of other ways. She shows how the affection between the women of both races was tenuous because of the many social rules that they lived with.

I recommend this book as a must read. I think all adults and some teenagers would benefit from reading this book. There is a nice mix of humor, tenderness, and serious life issues in this novel. It will be especially enjoyed by those interested in the Civil Rights Movement in the USA.