Book Review: The Help

My Minneapolis book club met up earlier this month to discuss our 2nd book. I got to pick the book and the location. I had heard so many good things about The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, so that was my selection for the month. For the location, I picked Cafe Maude, a restaurant in the Armatage neighborhood of south Minneapolis (one of my favorite areas of south Minneapolis). I had been wanting to check that restaurant out for a long time - it's nice that this book club now gives us all an excuse to check out new places. If you live in the area or visit Minneapolis, I think it's a great place to check out. It's very cozy, the decor is awesome, and they often feature live music by local artists!!

Anyways, onto the book. The Help is set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. One of the main characters, Skeeter, has just moved home from college and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. She aspires to be an author but none of her book suggestions are appealing to a New York City book editor she contacts - the editor tells her she needs to come up with a topic that hasn't been written about.

Skeeter was essentially raised by their house keeper, Constantine, who mysteriously disappeared while Skeeter was away at college. In an effort to find out what happened to Constantine, she gets to know the other African American women in the area who worked as house keepers and nannies for affluent citizens of Jackson, Mississippi. Skeeter then becomes inspired by their stories - some of the stories are very uplifting, but many of the stories are heart-breaking. She is so moved by the stories of these women, she decides to write a book, "The Help", that will tell the stories of these hard-working women who are so often treated unfairly.

Since racial tensions created a tenuous environment in Jackson, Mississippi during this time, she had to write the book in secret, make up the name of the city where the stories take place, and have it published anonymously. She risks her life and loses many friendships while writing this book, but the stories she has to tell are so moving and compelling, she knows the risks she is taking are worth it.

I thought this book was really well written. It was the first novel for Stockett, but I never would have guessed that had I not known. It was interesting to read a novel set during this time. It's weird to think that my parents were in their teens during this time. They of course were pretty far removed since they lived in North Dakota - one of the least racially diverse states in the country - but I am sure they were still shaped by the events that were going on at this time. It's pretty amazing to see how far our country has come since the 60s. This book definitely makes you think about the courage required to stand up for those who weren't able to speak for themselves. It's really easy to look back and think that you would have done the same, but this book definitely makes you think about the danger associated with speaking out and standing up for something that was unpopular at the time.

My only criticism of the book is that it ended very abruptly. It almost felt like the author had a page limit and realized she needed to wrap it up in about 20 pages. She could almost do a sequel to the book - I definitely finished the book wondering what would happen to a few of the main characters.

Our next book that we'll discuss in January is "Downtown Owl" by Chuck Klosterman. I am sure excited to read this book because Chuck Klosterman is from my tiny hometown -AND he was good friends with my brother. Have you heard of him? He's written some very popular books, has written for Spin magazine, and has even interviewed Britney Spears for Esquire magazine. So this small town boy has gone quite far! Oh, and Downtown Owl is loosely based on real events that took place in my tiny town back in the day. I can't wait to read it and figure out who he is referring to in the story!!

Have you read any good books lately? If so, do tell! I am always looking to expand my to-read list!!