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.