3 Apr 2011

THE HELP.


Enter a vanished world; Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver.

There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from college, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.

Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they'd be friends ; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely upon one another.

Each is in search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell ......
... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August, 1960.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: "Ugly live up on the inside. Ugly be a hurtful, mean person. Is you one a them peoples?"

KEEP IT OR NOT?: A present from Husband dearest, this shall certainly be added to my collection after it has been passed around family and friends.

Oh my giddy aunt!!!!! I loved this debut novel, what a fantastic read. A book I couldn't put down and yet at the same time didn't want to read as that would bring my time with Aibileen, Minny (my favourite) and Skeeter to an end.

A wonderful story of loyalty, friendship, courage, prejudice and dangerous times The Help tells the story of a multitude of women who I laughed and cried with, whom I loved and detested along with a smattering of men who it has said to be said are, on the whole, a pretty dismal bunch.

Told mainly by 'colored' maids Aibileen and Minny and 'white' Miss Skeeter (also known as Eugenia), the novel  chronicles what happens when Skeeter embarks on ...... as if I'm going to tell you ....... which changes the lives of all three women.

Well researched, this is quite a scary book in that it is based in the early 60's (a relatively short time ago) when prejudice, segregation and discrimination were rife - the issue of the use of bathrooms for coloreds OR whites, a constant feature throughout the telling of the story, being a prime example of how ignorance breeds fear.

Ladies did you know that:
* 99% of all colored diseases are carried in the urine
* Whites can become permanently disabled by nearly all of these diseases because we lack immunities coloreds carry in their darker pigmentation
* Some germs carried by whites can also be harmful to coloreds too.
Protect yourself. Protect your children. Protect your help.
- From the Holbrooks.

Aah the delightful Hilly Holbrook (I mean this sarcastically of course), as much as I loved the funny, warm Minny, I detested this woman with all my being. Such ignorance, such prejudice, there was literally nothing to like about this character whom I'm sure was only concerned about the health of 'her help' in that their being ill may inconvenience the running of her household.

A truly wonderful read, If you only intend to read one more book this year then I highly recommend you consider this.

Book 31 in my 100+ Reading Challenge.



17 comments:

serendipity_viv said...

I am so glad to hear you loved it. I still need to read it soon.

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I enjoyed this as well!

Arti said...

Looks like a wonderful read... Seems pretty easy natured, friendship and loyalty based book which I love to read...
Hope I can find it here, thanks for this as usual great review!!
Have a nice day:-)

Kelly said...

I loved this book, too!! What a different cover yours has, though, from the copy I read.

I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much!!

Misha said...

I LOVE this book! It's so funny and sad at the same time. The Help is one of those books which I am going to remember always.

Suko said...

I loved your review, Petty, and I'm pretty sure I'd love Help as well!

Alyce said...

Great review! It's been a while since I read it, but your review was a great way to refresh my memory on the details of the book (especially that horrid note from the Holbrooks).

Golden Eagle said...

I still have yet to read this book--glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review!

tattytiara said...

I placed a hold for it at the library almost a month ago, and I'm still 123rd in line!

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Glad you liked this one as me as many of us.

Jenners said...

Glad you liked it..though I have yet to see someone who didn't!

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

As long as this one does not try to become too cliched, then I may try this one. I think I'll look up the author first. Thanks for bringing my attention to this book.

Gina said...

Not truly surprised on your love for this title...everyone I know that's read it has had positive things to say. LOL on your feelings towards Minny...sounds like quite the charmer (<--also meant sarcastically). Thanks for sharing!

purplume said...

I had the same reaction as you. I wanted to devour the book and also not have it end.
I was surprised to see the reviews on Amazon had some negative reactions.

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Oh wow. Sounds like it was very informative too! Thanks for the review.

Valerie said...

I've had this book in my TBR for such a long time (but with the yellow/purple American cover). I really, really need to read it soon -- looks like it'll be a May (rather than this month) book for me!

The Bookworm said...

Glad you liked it that much! I have this one in my TBR.