The Help

So I read this book last year, another book club book, and really liked it.  No, more than liked it, I was amazed by it.  How does someone write this kind of book first time out of the shoot.  I wanted to know more about the author and I really couldn't find a whole lot, but here is my friend Wikipedia:



Stockett is known for her 2009 debut novel, The Help, which is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. The novel climbed best seller charts a few months after it was released, eventually selling 5 million copies as of August 2011.
Until 2001, Stockett lived in New York City  , where she worked in publishing. She lives in Atlanta and has a daughter from a previous marriage.
Reflective of her first novel, Stockett was raised by an African American  domestic worker in lieu of an absentee mother.

When I went to her site I didn't learn much more.  Anywhoo- the book was well written, with great character development, and tugged at my heart.  Today, I remembered my love for the book, because I went and saw the movie.  A friend of mine, who I lovingly call "Skeeter" (she is independent, from the south, and a red head)- this is a character from The Help, and I went to see the movie.  First off the theatre was packed and I felt that we were some of the youngest viewers in the theatre.   I wondered what some of the theatre watches were thinking throughout the movie- did they like it as much as the book?  Did they remember a time like the time period depicted in the movie/book? The movie did the book justice and I was engrossed with the story, despite already knowing the story.  Emma Stone played the movie "Skeeter" perfectly.  I left the movie wondering why it is 2011 and a story like this about "The Help" took this long to come out.  I can't believe living the life any of the women portrayed in this movie/time period did.  One of the most amazing relationships of the book/movie is between a little girl Mae Mobbley and Abaline (the help). Every morning when Abaline gets Mae Mobbley up she says "you is kind, you is smart, you is important".  This line resounds throughout the book/movie and I think it is something all of us should remember on a daily basis.  The other amazing line is about loving your enemies- wow need more of that in my life- not the most forgiving person- and if loving your enemies gives you freedom I need to definitely take this on as a personal challenge. 

O.k. back to the book/movie- I don't want to ruin either for those of you who haven't read/seen it- so my ending message is read it/see it- because it is pure greatness.  Thanks to my "Skeeter" for going and seeing the movie with me.