The Help is not the great American novel and not particularly literary. Instead, it is an immensely satisfying, story-driven narrative. It is an airplane-book with heart.

The book takes place in Mississippi in the early 1960s and is about a group of black domestics and a socially awkward white southern woman who decides to write a book about their lives. The Junior League ladies who employ these maids are as abusive, in varying degrees, as the surrounding society is, and telling the truth is a risky proposition for African Americans and their few allies.

It is interesting to read a civil-rights story from this frivolous, feminine perspective, with the "real" civil rights struggle serving as background to the woman stuff. Of course, the lives of these women are as real and as important and as political as anything seen on the television news. The segregationist governor Ross Barnett has his Junior League counterpart in the toxic Miss Hilly, whose hatred of black people is near pathological. The marchers and strikers have their counterparts in these brave maids whose main act of rebellion is simply to expose the white ladies for who they really are.

A few quibbles: the author in an afterward apologized for some anachronisms, but if they were caught, why weren't they fixed? I didn't care about the mention of Shake 'n Bake before it was invented, or the inclusion of a Dylan song before it was written, but I did object to the impression that long-haired, peace-sign hippies were roaming the nation in 1964, because that took away from the authenticity of the setting. And I absolutely cringed when the Jewish publisher said, in response to being wished Merry Christmas, "We call it Hanukkah." No, we don't.

My other criticism is that one of the more colorful characters, the "white trash" Celia, disappears from the book toward the end. I would have liked a more complete wrap up for her.

So, unbelievable in places, silly in places, contrived in places. Yet it adds up to a hell of a read. Go figure. ( )

One of the best books I've read. I picked this up before it became wildly popular, and when I recommended it to friends they blithely would say, "Oh sure, whenever I have time." I sure hope they made time!

Skeeter is such a likeable, engaging, sympathetic, and plausible character. So are, indeed, all of the other characters, and also the situations that they encounter. It's a fever of a book, one that you don't want to break. ( )

The Short of It:

The Help is the kind of book that you make time for, no matter how busy your schedule.

The Rest of It:

I’ve seen The Help everywhere and although it’s gotten wonderful reviews, I held off on reading it. I don’t like to read books that are overly hyped. I’m usually disappointed by them. However, the hype hasn’t died down yet even after all these months, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did. Let me just say, that if you’ve been on the fence about reading it, get yourself a copy, find a cozy place to sit and dig in. It’s good.

As many of you know, the book is a work of fiction but it almost seems auto-biographical in nature. Skeeter is a young woman living in Mississippi. Most women her age focus on marriage and standing, but Skeeter is different. She wants to be a writer and after receiving some encouragement from a publishing house, she decides to write a book. A book about the help, literally. She decides to write a book about the black women of Jackson. The women that make a living taking care of other people’s children, cleaning other people’s houses, and putting up with all sorts of drama.

There’s so much to love about this book. Aibileen’s love for Mae Mobley, her young charge, is written so tenderly that your heart just aches when Stockett mentions them. Raising and loving another woman’s child, knowing full well that she could grow-up to treat blacks the very same way her mother does. Well, that just takes the air right out of my lungs.

Then there’s Minny, Aibileen’s best friend. Head-strong and difficult but so full of life. When Minny walks into a room, you pay attention. She’s quick to judge and has a sharp tongue, but there’s a gentle, vulnerable side to her too. I loved the interaction between her and her boss, Miss Celia.

Oh, and when Miss Skeeter has her”aha” moment, you just want to give her a big hug. Putting everything on the line for what she believes in. She’s not perfect. She has flaws but so does everyone. That’s the point. We are not meant to be perfect.

My only complaint with this book is that towards the end, the pace seemed to drop quite a bit. I suppose it was just me wanting to get to the end to find out how it all turned out, but it did seem to slow down quite a bit at one point. This is a tiny quibble given that the rest of the book is so wonderful. I really enjoyed it and feel like kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. It will definitely make my fave list this year and I can certainly see why book groups across the nation have embraced it.

For those that have read it, what did you think of the dialect? Not what I expected but it worked for me ( )

Excellent. Not a long read, but a compelling one. Through the eyes of a few women, both white and black, you hear the story of the way black women working as house maids were treated by their white employers, and the inability for many to recognize the inequity and retaliation involved with speaking out. ( )

excellent, entertaining, thought provoking