The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Review by Lauryn Heaton

Blake picked this book up while he was shopping thinking it may be interesting to read since the movie came out and we have heard many good things about it.  Still have not seen the movie, but at some point I would like to see how it compares to the book.  I honestly have nothing bad to say about this book.  It was very enjoyable to read and stirred emotions.  You laugh, you ache, and get upset.  I think it really got to me being a mother and having lived in Mississippi for 5 years as well.  I can see it really appealing to women since this book follows three women during the 1960's.  

Aibileen is one of our main female characters.  She is a black maid in her 50's and living all alone.  Her son was killed 2 years ago when the book starts.  She works for a white family who tries to fit in with the very well-to-do but do not have the money to really fit in.  The mother is so concerned about spending time with her friends and making the house and herself look presentable that she does not take care of her daughter.  In fact, she pretty much dislikes her daughter since she is not considered pretty enough.  Now her daughter it 2 years old and just wants her mother.  Aibileen pretty much is her mother and teaches her everything.  

Minny is another black maid who has an attitude and speaks her mind more than she should.  She gets fired from jobs a lot and is currently taking care of an older woman.  She has 5 children and a husband that drinks and beats her.  Hilly is a very well-to-do white female who is the head of the women's league and is the older woman's daughter.  Hilly insists on putting her mother in a rest home and accusses Minny of stealing and fires her.  She then prevents anyone from hiring Minny.  Minny ends up with Miss. Celia, a white-trash girl that marries into money.  Celia is also shunned from society for not growing up 'right' and stealing Hilly's man.  

Skeeter is a 23 year old white female who has recently graduated from college and is trying to get an editor job.  Unfortunately, no one will hire her because she is a female and she finally gets a job writing a cleaning article each week.  Sadly, Skeeter does not know anything about cleaning and so she starts talking to Aibileen in order to answer cleaning questions.  Skeeter later on decides to write a book written from interviews of black maids.  It takes a very long time to convince others to join in, but after Hilly gets her maid sent to jail for 4 years and prevents the maid's sons from going to college, Skeeter ends up with 13 maids offering their stories of working for white people.  

Things blow up when the book is finally published and the people of Jackson find out that the book is written about them.  Hilly at first tries to find out who the stories are about and who wrote it since the book is anonymous and has different names.  She gets many maids fired, but there are some that refuse to fire their maids since the book is eye-opening for them and some have a great relationship with them.  When Hilly finishes the book she is inclined to try to convince the people of Jackson that this book is not about them since she has one very embarrassing and disgusting story about her in it.  This does not stop her from trying to ruin each maids life and Skeeters.  

A wonderful book that looks into the life of blacks and women during the 60's.  It will make you look at yourself as a mother and friend.  You will also look to see if you really have a true friendship with those around you or are you just trying to put on a good appearance and be someone you are not.  

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Entry by Blake Heaton (Lauryn's husband)

This was a fantastic novel.  It takes place during World War II.  But don't be fooled, it is not the conventional war novel.  Rather the setting of the novel is at a male boarding school called Devon in New Hampshire.  The story is told by a boy named Gene Forrester, and largely circles around his friend Phineas, or better known as Finny.  

The book begins with Gene returning to Devon.  While walking through the campus he recalls the summer of 1942, when he was 16 years old.  The book then takes on the form of a flashback.  Gene was an intellectual student who did well in his studies.  His roommate was Finny, who excelled at any type of sport.  Thourghout the summer Finny continually stretches the rules, but manages to avoid any type of punishment due to his abundant charisma.  Finny continually drags Gene with him, even when Gene doesn't feel like going.  They form a secret club called the Secret Suicide Society, and meet every night.  The club meets by the river, and every night they jump off a tree limb that protrudes over the river.  

Gene constantly struggles with his friendship with Finny.  The novel plays with jealousy, envy, and all the other emotions that lie just below the surface of true friendship.  One day, Gene has a conversation with Finny that makes him believe that the reason Finny continually drags him around is so that he will fail in his studies.  Gene believes that Finny is resentful of his good grades.  This realization emboldens Gene, and he redoubles his study habits.  He still continues to attend the club meetings, but makes a point to get good grades and work hard.  

Finny is incorrigible in his manner.  He continues to invent new games and stretch the rules.  Towards the end of the summer, on the night before a big test, Finny once again drags Gene out of their dorm to the tree.  Finny then comes up with idea that they both should jump off the limb at the same time while holding hands, thus cementing their friendship.  Once in the tree, all the bitter feelings that Gene has towards Finny rise to the surface and take hold of Gene physically.  Gene bounces the tree limb, and Finny falls breaking his leg.  

Gene struggles with the guilt of what he has done, and tries to confess to Finny on several occasions.  But Finny refuses to believe that Gene would have done such a thing.  Phineas appears to be in some sort of deep denial.  A few months after the fall semester begins, Phineas returns to school.  The two are roommates once again.  

The novel then explores the reality of the war to these teenage boys.  Finally a boy by the name of Leper enlists.  He then goes AWOL and returns a disillusioned young man who has lost all of his prep-school innocence.  Finny continues to be himself, but cannot overcome his limp.  The doctors say that he will never again be the athlete that he was.  Perhaps because of guilt Gene puts off enlisting, and opts instead to stay at school with Finny.

Towards the end of the book another boy by the name of Brinker Hadley decides to call Gene out into the open and put to rest all the suspicions that were circling Finny's injury.  In the dead of night they hold an inquisition.  It is during this inquisition that Finny remembers exactly what happened.  He runs from the room, and trips down the stairs, breaking his leg again.  

Gene waits until the doctors leave and then confronts Finny through the window.  He apologizes and sees the emotional suffering that he has caused etched on Finny's face.  The next day he is requested to take some of Phineas's things to the infirmiry.  Gene does so and once again confronts his friend.  Finny seems to lapse once again into a type of denial, asking if Gene had really had intentions to hurt him, or if it was just something that came over him.  Gene says that he didn't have intentions to hurt him, and Finny appears to try and convince himself that this is true.  Later that day Gene returns to see Finny, but the doctor tells him that he has died.  He claims some marrow escaped the bone while he attempted to set it, and made its way to Phineas's heart.

The book concludes with the army moving into Devon, and Gene and Brinker explaining what branches of the service they have opted to join.  

This was a great book.  It dealt heavily on the themes of friendship and trust.  I could analyze the characters of Phineas and Gene for hours.  I also liked how it portrayed the war.  It offered a new perspective of how the kids of that era grew up.  The war was a part of them, it helped define who they were as human beings.  Gene is a very complex character (as is Finny).  Throughout the book the reader knows Gene's darkest secret, and yet it feels like Gene is always holding something back, as though he is afraid to show true affection and love towards anyone, including Finny.  I loved this book, and I hope that all can read it.  While it won't keep your attention with fast-paced action, it will broaden your understanding of human nature with its deep-seeded philisophical anthropologic portrayals of the human character.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Entry by Blake Heaton (Lauryn's husband)

Best book ever!  I'm not kidding.  This book completely blew my mind.  The Preface alone is amazing.  The novel takes place in 19th century England.  It opens with an artist named Basil Hallward.  He is painting a portrait of a young man named Dorian Gray.  As he completes the portrait, Basil's friend Lord Henry calls.  Dorian Gray is at once enraptured by Lord Henry (also called Harry).  Lord Henry plays the part of the advocate.  He never really takes a stance on one item or another, he merely throws out new perspectives.  His dialogue is rich in aphorisms, and paradoxes.  

The story moves from focusing on Basil, to focusing on Lord Henry, and then on to Dorian himself.  Basil wanted to keep Dorian from knowing Lord Henry because he was afraid that he would corrupt Dorian.  When Basil finishes the portrait he gives it to Dorian as a gift.  Dorian begins to spend more and more time with Lord Henry, until Basil is all but forgotten.  Then one night Dorian attends a run down operahouse and is introduced to Sibyl.  Sibyl is an aspiring actress.  She embodies all that is beautiful to Dorian, and so he asks her to marry him.  Then one day Dorian invites Lord Henry and Basil to attend one of Sibyl's plays.  When they do they find her acting abismal.  Dorian immediately loses interest in her and after the play tells her that their engagement is off.  He leaves.  This is his first loss of innocence.  When he returns home he glances at the portrait that Basil painted and detects a change.  He struggles with his emotions throughout the night, and finally decides to go back to Sibyl and try to make things work, only to find out that Sibyl had killed herself after he had left the previous night.  

Dorian views the suicide as a beautiful but selfish act.  Lord Henry does his best to keep Dorian's name out of the scandal.  This is easily accomplished because he never actually told her his name and was known by her as Prince Charming.  Before Sibyl's death her brother vowed revenge on any that hurt her.  Then he went to sea.  

Years begin to pass and Dorian falls deeper and deeper into corruption.  Only he never changes.  He retains his youthful, innocent appearance.  Yet while he retains one persona, his portrait reveals another.  He hides the portrait away in an old study where no one is allowed entry.  There the portrait grows ever more grotesque as continues to wash himself of all innocence.  He feels invincible in his own way.  He ceases to care about others' opinions, and does as he desires.  He sneaks away to places that are shunned by men of his social standing.  

Then one day Basil, who is headed out of town for six months to tour Europe with his art, appears at Dorian's doorstep and asks him for the portrait.  Dorian, angry at Basil, takes him up to show him the portrait.  Basil is astonished, and begs Dorian to confess and change.  Dorian is overcome with anger (he blames his insatiable life on Basil because of the portrait he painted) and kills Basil.  Dorian leaves the body and calls upon his acquaintance Alan Campbell to come and dispose of the body.  Campbell does so grudgingly (there seems to be some sort of animosity between the two, and Dorian seems to have some sort of blackmail on Campbell).  

Later that evening after a dinner party Dorian goes to the docks.  There he meets James, Sibyl's brother.  James confronts Dorian, and Dorian denies ever knowing Sibyl, using his "youth" as proof.  James allows Dorian to go free, and later finds out that Dorian had lied to him.  James begins to stalk Dorian.  Later at a hunting party, James is accidentally shot and killed.  Dorian feels immense relief.  

A few months later Dorian finds himself once again with Lord Henry.  They discuss life, and afterward Dorian returns to his home.  Once there he confronts the now-hated portrait.  He grabs a knife and, bent on destroying the thing that he most hates, stabs the portrait.  The next morning his servants find an old, grotesque looking man lying dead (having been stabbed) in front of a young, innocent portrait of Dorian Gray.

I loved this novel!  The philosophy therein is not for the weak of heart.  I do not believe that I have ever had to think so much when reading a book.  There are multiple thematic layers that are interlaced all throughout the novel.  Dorian himself seems to lose all joy in life because he is free to do as he will.  This ultimate freedom becomes his prison, and he is forever searching for happiness.  To read the novel is to look deep within a man's soul, and watch the struggle when one is no longer held accountable for one's sins.  I could honestly talk about this book for hours.  This is the best book I have read to date, and I look forward to reading a book that can top it.  Oscar Wilde was truly a literary genius.  READ IT!

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Entry by Blake Heaton (Lauryn's husband)

The Crucible is by far one of the best works I have ever had the privelege to read.  It takes place in Salem Massachusetts at the height of the Purtian era.  It is written as a play, which makes it that much more amazing.  

It begins in the home of Reverend Parris, whose daughter, Betty, appears to be very sick.  In truth, the Reverend had caught Betty and her friends dancing naked in the woods the day before.  It turns out that the other girls who participated in the dancing are also ill.  The town quickly assumes that the disease is unnatural, and possibly supernatural.  Parris sends for Reverend Hale, a man who has been recognized as a professional in the exorcist art.  

Meanwhile the reader is introduced to a few other characters including Giles Corey, and Rebecca Nurse.  Rebecca is an elderly woman who is known for her righteous devotion to the church.  Abigail, one of Betty's friends, warns the other girls not to tell about how they were casting spells in the woods.  

Abigail had been living with a man named John Proctor.  They had an affair, after which, Proctor kicked her out.  Abigail became resentful thinking that she should be married to John Proctor.  She had been casting spells in the woods with her friends in an attempt to kill Proctor's wife when Betty fainted.  When she and her friends are confronted by Reverend Hales for the truth, their story quickly aggravates to consume others who had no part in it.  

Proctor tells Abigail that she must stop, but she refuses.  Abigail and her friends continue with their lie, until people start to be thrown into jail.  Townspeople begin to use the excuse of witchcraft to condemn their neighbors, and satsify personal grievances (a fellow named Putnam does this as well as Abigail and her friends).  Proctor finally becomes fed up with the whole thing, and believing that he can dispell all counts of witchcraft with his confession, tells of his relations with Abigail.  The town authorities question his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, to try and confirm his confession, but to no avail.  

John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth (John's wife who is pregnant) are all imprisoned for witchcraft.  They are scheduled to be hanged.  They are told that they may have their freedom if they just confess to the charge of witchcraft. They all refuse.  In what seems a moment of weakness, John Proctor signs the confession, but immediately after rips it up.  The play ends with John Proctor being taken to be hanged.

I have not done this play justice.  It deals with many themes such as vengeance, truth, love, infatuation, honor, and responsibility.  I loved every second of it.  I find it amazing that Miller was able to write such a work in the form of a play.  Everyone needs to read this play.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Entry by Blake Heaton (Lauryn's husband)

This novel is one that everyone should read.  It is by far one of my favorites.  It is about a woman named Hester Prynne who commits adultry, and refuses to confess her paramour.  The novel takes place in Puritan New England.  It begins with Hester being publicly humilated and berated for her offense.  She has already had the baby, and is now facing judgment.  She is asked repeatedly by local officials to name the child's father, but she refuses.  The officials decide that her punishment will be to wear a scarlet letter A on her clothing for the rest of her life.  Hester accepts the mandate, and stands with her sins exposed in on the city scaffolding for all the world to see her shame.  It is while she stands there that she notices a man aloof from the crowd that stands with an Indian.

The man is Roger Chillingworth, her husband.  The townspeople accept Chllingworth as a doctor, due to his knowledge in herbs and learned nature.  It is under this pretense that Chillingworth gains access to Hester's cell.  They talk, and he has her form a pact with him to never reveal that he is (was) her husband. Chillingworth inquires after the name of the father, but Hester refuses to tell.  He then tells her that he will not rest until he discovers, and reveals the truth.

The book then follows Hester and her daughter, Pearl, and their various difficulties.  Hester is shunned by the society, but rather than invoke self-pity, she strives to make things right by helping others.  Pearl is strong-willed and spirited.  Townspeople talk of her and begin to wonder if Pearl is in actuality a demon spawned from the sin of her mother.  Hester pleads to the authorities to allow her to keep Pearl and is granted her wish.

All the while the young minister Arthur Dimmesdale is slowly ailing.  Eventually Chillingworth (who is now accepted full-heartedly as a doctor) moves in with Dimmesdale.  He begins to suspect that Reverend Dimmesdale's malady is not of a physical nature, even though it seems to affecting him corporeally.  Then one night Dimmesdale, overcome with shame and guilt, goes to the scaffolding and stands there.  As he stands in the darkness Hester and Pearl pass.  He calls them to him, and invites them to join him on the scaffolding.  Chillingworth sees all this play out, and confirms his suspicions that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father.

Hester decides that she has commited a bigger sin, and made a pact with the devil (Chillingworth).  She concludes to tell Dimmesdale that Chillingworth was her husband.  She does so in the woods one night, and they devise a plan to help take them away from America.  Chillingworth discovers their plan and books passage on the same ship.  The following day Reverend Dimmesdale delivers a compelling address, and then climbs the scaffolding in the town.  There he calls to Hester and Pearl to join him.  Chillingworth tries to stop him, knowing that by baring his sin Dimmesdale will no longer be under his power.  Dimmesdale persists and ascends the scaffold with Hester and Pearl.  He then admits his guilt and bares his breast.  There on his chest is a scarlet A.  The novel is ambiguous about whether the A was an illusion, a scar, a self-inflicted wound, or a divine symbol of guilt.  Then Dimmesdale dies.

The novel then wraps up with Hester and Pearl leaving town.  Later Hester returns, still with the A embroidered on her dress.  It is implied that Pearl married a wealthy man, and had a child of her own.

The novel explores many themes including that of evil versus righteousness, and repentence.  Hester who was once considered evil, becomes a sort of saint, while Chillingworth embodies the devil.  Reverend Dimmesdale struggles with repentence, and questions are raised as to whether or not he had paid for his sin more due to his abstinence.  He struggles with what is right and what is wrong.  Chillingworth becomes a type of vigilante.  He begins with the desire to expose someone else's sin until it consumes his life and his persona.  He takes it upon himself to make Dimmesdale miserable.  His joy is Dimmesdale's misery.  The novel exposes the fine line between righteousness and evil, and how it may easily be crossed.

This is a wonderful book, and definately one of my favorites.  If you enjoy works such as The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and The Crucible, then you will love The Scarlet Letter.

Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot

Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot was surprisingly good.  I really enjoyed reading this historical romance novel.  It was not too mushy or cheesy which was very nice.  I also like that it was a little longer than most kindle books that you can download for free.  Yes, this book right now is free on the kindle.  It is part of a trilogy, but is the type of book that can be read by itself without you needing to read the other books.  It ends without leaving any loose ends.  I like being able to read a few books without having to read the entire set.

Sarah has traveled from Philedelpia to San Antonio as a mail-order bride.  She has a 2-year-old sister who she must take care of as well since both her parents died in Philedelphia.  She arrives in San Antonio to be greeted by her future brother-in-law Clay, who informs her that her betrothed, Austin, has been murdured.  Clay offers to pay for her return, but she refuses and starts working at a store and later starts a school in order to provide for her and her sister.

Clay is determined to find his brother's killer, but is having no luck.  No one knows who could have killed him.  There is also someone who keeps stealing and breaking fences in the area and a young french man is being framed for these occurances.  Later in the book someone starts to try and hurt Sarah as well.  Together, Clay and Sarah work to overcome their own grudges and forgive others for hurting them in order to move on and fall in love with eachother.  This book ties in a lot of spiritual moments as well about trusting in God and that there is a reason for everything that is done.  We must forgive all and trust in the Lord.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

I have started alternately between reading the same literary book that my husband reads with books that I want to reat and that interest me.  I'm not saying that good literature is boring or uninteresting, it just doesn't pop out to me like other books that have little literary value such as the McClure books.  This is one book that my husband wanted to have read for his English class.

I very much enjoyed this short book.  It is a very easy, quick read and gives you a nice insight into the puritan beliefs and witch trials that happened in the past.  It is set during the early days of America in Connecticut when England was still trying to take control of the citizens and tax them for the land that they were originally given for free.  Kit grew up in Barbados, but must come to America to her only living relatives when her grandfather dies.  When she arrives she is immediately targeted as being different and possibly a witch.  Kit hates her life and must adjust to the completely different life in America.  She is used to having slaves and never having to work.  Now she much work hard and can never wear her fancy cloths and must attend church because of her relatives Puritan beliefs.

She finds a friend in an old lady who lives by Blackbird Pond, but is thought to be a witch because she is a Quaker.  Speare adds a nice balance in the book by having suitors court Kit, but she also keeps the interest of a young sailor involved since he is friends with the witch of Blackbird Pond.  I must admit this book drove me crazy with the Puritan beliefs and thoughts on how things should be done and I was really worried that this would end up much like The Crucible, but it did not.  A good read for all.

The Chimney Sweep Charm by Marcia Lynn McClure

Yes, another Marcia Lynn McClure book.  I promise this will be the last for a long time.  I actually really enjoyed this short novella.  It has so much potential to be a great book if Marcia will take time to add to it. I'm sure she eventually will since she seems to write short stories and years later make it into an actual book.  This is a good book to read over Christmas since it takes place over christmas time and talks about hot chocolate, christmas movies, and snuggling with your honey.  I think this novella appealed to me a bit more than the last couple books I've read of hers because it is set in our time period and focus's on things that are important.  Things such as military service and veterans, friends, love, and enjoying the time you have.  Don't let things pass you by because of fear or even price.

Baylee is the young lady in our story who loves handbells and is a handbell player for the Dickens Village.  She has always wanted a charm bracelet and very carefully chooses her sterling silver charms based on whether it really means something to her or not.  If it is a charm that she will always cherish, she will splurge and buy it only because it is something that will always be important to her.  Justice is our handsome guy of the story who served in the military, but was honorably discharged after being seriously injured.  He now works for the FBI and they are stationed at the Dickens Village to catch a Jack the Ripper copycat killer.  He doesn't waste time asking Baylee out since he knows what it is like to possibly lose your life.  They are not too mushy like some books and it is a realistic story.  My only complaint is that the story just skimmed the service and never got into any real depth.  Like I said, my hope is Marcia will one day really take this book to the next level and make it great.