Thursday, January 13, 2011

Book Review: The Help


I just finished The Help last night & I absolutely loved it. It is a story told by three people: Skeeter, Abileen, and Minny. It is 1962 in Mississippi and Skeeter is a White, recent college grad who returned home after college. Abileen & Minny are Black Maids who have been working in White homes for years and years.

It is the start of civil rights, before MLK made his speech & march in Washington. The rest of the country is moving forward with equality but Mississippi is a different place and behind in their ways.

Skeeter starts to question why there is still Black & White separation, why Blacks are still waiting on Whites, and segregation is still the norm. An unlikely project brings the three women together for them to work on changing things in Mississippi and for each other.

I couldn't put this book down. This book reminded me a lot of Secret Life of Bees, which was also great.

I realized that I really like stories about civil rights & equality- particularly books about slavery & the Holocaust. One of my favorite Broadway plays is Hairspray, too, because it has both of those themes.

I am super excited that The Help will be coming out as a film in August! Emma Stone(Easy A) will play Skeeter!