The Help – Book Review

The Help.  Amazing.  Amazing.  Amazing.  Beautifully written fiction.  It is hard to believe the debut author, Kathryn Stockett got rejected by 45 publishers before Putnam finally took a chance & their “little” book blew up to be a BIG N.Y. Times Best-Seller with a movie on the way —I cannot wait! 🙂

Last year, one of my bestest buds, Marla kept recommending it.  “What is it about again?” I’d say.  “Black maids to white women in Mississippi, set in the 60’s?  Um.  How about no thanks?  How about it sounds like totally & completely lame?  How about it sounds depressing and will make me mad at rich white ladies all over again?”  I’d think.  What I would say to sweet Marla is, “oh, yeah, okay, thanks, yeah, maybe one day, I’ll check it out, yeah, maybe… aaaaaanyway, how are the kids?”

What pushed me over was my new membership to Audible.com.  I read the Audible reviews & a 40 year old white man said this:

“I am a 40 year old white male that usually listens to colonial history, suspense and adventure novels. I bought this book based solely on the ratings and rave reviews…..I was not disappointed. First of all, this is how an audio book should be produced. The characters were not just read to you by someone behind a microphone, honestly it felt very early in the book as if I were sitting at a kitchen table in Jackson, Mississippi listening to these three women take turns telling me their story. These were not simply narrators reading to me, they became the characters fully fleshed out and filled with emotion. Secondly, I am astonished that this is the first novel written by Kathryn Stockett. I was not expecting to get so wrapped up in the lives of these women but it was so well written….so damn interesting….soooo funny and at times tense. So far I have downloaded about 30 books and this is my favorite by far. I did not want it to end. What a find”. – Jan

Jan sold me.  He sold me.  Stranger Jan, not good friend, Marla.  (Forgive me, Marla I’m a big fat jerk).

So, I could write my own review, but I could never say it better than Jan did.  It was amazing to listen to 4 women narrate this story with emotion, tears. laughter, depth and the crazy accents.  I’ve been an addict.  Headphones have been in my ears at every available minute!

Don’t read this book –LISTEN to this book, unabridged from itunes or Audible!!!!!

I’m sure you’d enjoy just reading it, but listening to it was downright magical.  The 4 readers from the 4 perspectives were SPOT ON, beautifully cast.  Now, go start your FREE Audible membership today.  (FYI, this post is NOT sponsored by Audible -or anyone for that matter- I’m just really excited!!!!) 🙂

I laughed, I cried, I empathized, I hoped, I got scared, I longed for peace, I learned about myself and most of all, it made me love women -no matter what their station in life- all the more.

Kudos to Kathryn!  I love empowering women & she accomplished that with this inspiring novel.

****Speaking of books: Don’t forget to order your copy of Unsqueezed, by Margot Starbuck for for our next bloggy book club beginning on Oct. 1****