Monday, August 9, 2010

The Help

The Help is Kathryn Sockett's first novel. A friend of mine from work loaned me her copy of this highly recommended read. I was hooked from the very first line. I loved this book so much I bought my own.

The Help is set in Jackson, Mississippi, the South during the civil rights movement. The story is told through three women, two black and one white. The black women work as maids for wealthy families, and the Caucasian is a writer looking for a story to sell. While interviewing the maids, their story becomes more important to her than a mere writing credit. Her eyes and heart are opened up to the plight of these women.

Each character comes alive within the pages of this novel. I became so involved, I felt as if I were sitting at the kitchen table listening to their conversations. I cared about each of these wonderful characters.

If you are looking for a book you can't put down, this is it. One of the best books I've read this year.

5 comments:

jabblog said...

I agree absolutely! I read it a couple of weeks ago and thought at first I wouldn't be able to cope with the 'dialect' but within a few pages could hardly bear to put it down. Wonderful, thought-provoking, heartbreaking story based so firmly in history. I wonder if she'll write another - could she ever top this?? . . . or even equal it?

Ann said...

Life must have been so difficult for thise black women who were treated as maids. In Singapore, and Malaysia, they still have migrant women who come from poor countries and these poor women are on call 24 hours a day.

Thanks for visiting.

Nancy said...

Yes, this was a terrific read. I had a hard time putting it down, wanted to keep reading. And to think that this is a first novel. I hope we will have more books like this from her.

www.writergrannysworld.blogspot.com

Icy BC said...

Sounds like a wonderful book to read! I'll have to check it out.

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

It is an awesome book, one that would make a great movie.