Loose Yourself In "The Help!"

If you are looking for a beautifully written, intimate protrayal of life as an African American maid to a white family in Jackson, MS in the 1950's and 1960's, look no further! I did not grow up in Jackson, but many of my friends native to Jackson have read the book and agree that Ms. Stockett's portrayal of society ladies during this time period, is accurate. Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson and moved to New York City after graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and Creative Writing. She pursued a career in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years before she wrote The Help. Kathryn Stockett's The Help is magnificent writing. She tells the story of Miss Skeeter, an aspiring journalist who is trying to break in to a writing career and decides to write a book detailing interviews with African American maids of white families that she knows. The changes that occur as Miss Skeeter delves into these maids lives, and their experiences with the white families are intense and hard to walk away from. I especially enjoyed Ms. Stockett's characterization of Aibileen, Miss Leefolt's maid, and her examination of how Miss Skeeter's relationships with her white friends changed during the course of her writing the book. The warmth and humor is terrific, and this is writing at its best. If you give this book a chance, it is bound to change you!